Barcelona has no shortage of extraordinary modernista architecture, but Casa Comalat remains one of the district’s best-kept secrets. Designed by Salvador Valeri i Pupurull and completed in 1911, this undulating apartment building in the Eixample often goes unnoticed by tourists rushing between more famous landmarks — which makes discovering it all the more satisfying.

Two Facades, One Remarkable Building

Casa Comalat occupies a corner plot and presents two very different faces to the world. The main facade on Carrer de Còrsega features sweeping, wave-like balconies and ceramic tile work that clearly shows the influence of Gaudí’s organic style. The secondary facade on Carrer de Còrsega is more restrained but equally distinctive, with wooden gallery shutters that bow outward in gentle curves.

The building was designed for the Comalat family as a private residential property. Unlike many modernista buildings, it was never converted into offices or a museum — people still live here, which gives it a wonderfully lived-in quality. You won’t be able to enter, but the exterior alone is worth a detour.

Why It’s Worth Seeking Out

In a city where Gaudí’s buildings attract millions of visitors, Casa Comalat offers something increasingly rare: the chance to stand in front of a genuinely astonishing piece of architecture without a crowd. Valeri i Pupurull’s design shows just how widely Gaudí’s organic philosophy influenced his contemporaries, while remaining entirely original.

Finding Casa Comalat

The building is at Carrer de Còrsega, 316, in the Eixample district. The nearest metro stations are Diagonal (L3/L5) and Verdaguer (L4/L5). It’s easy to combine with visits to other nearby Eixample modernista buildings — Palau Macaya is just a short walk northeast, and the Block of Discord is a few blocks south on Passeig de Gràcia.