Caserna de Sant Agustí

Built in the mid-18th century on the ruins of the Augustinian convent of Sant Agustí — devastated during the 1714 siege — this former military barracks bears witness to a long history of repurposing. The original building, of ground floor and one storey, rested on a solid interior structure of pillars and vaults; an additional floor was added in the early 20th century. Its long façade along Carrer Comerç is rhythmically modulated by segmental-arch openings framed by horizontal mouldings. The Baroque portals, crowned with the royal coat of arms, conceal Masonic symbols carved beneath their pediments. Restored between 1994 and 1995 by Antoni de Moragas Spa, the building now houses the Centre Cívic de Ciutat Vella, the Barcelona Photography Archive and the Chocolate Museum.