Bon Repòs

Bon Repòs is a Noucentisme-era townhouse on Carrer de Sant Miquel in El Masnou, a small seaside town in Catalonia's Maresme region, about 20 km northeast of Barcelona. Built in 1927 to a design by architect Bonaventura Bassegoda i Musté, the house belongs to Noucentisme — the Catalan movement that followed Modernisme and favored classical order, symmetry, and restrained decoration over Gaudí-style flourish. Today Bon Repòs is listed in the Inventory of Architectural Heritage of Catalonia (entry number 8587), one of several protected buildings scattered through El Masnou's older streets.

What will you see there?

The building has a near-square floor plan across three levels — basement, ground floor, and first floor — topped with a flat roof that doubles as a terrace. Only the south-facing façade survives in its original form; the other elevations have been absorbed over time by neighboring buildings, since the house originally stood alone, surrounded by a garden.

The street-facing façade is built around a symmetrical composition. On the ground floor, a short staircase leads to the main entrance, flanked on each side by semicircular balconied windows with railings — all three openings are closed with carpenter's arches (arc carpanell). The upper floor repeats the rhythm of three openings, each divided by a pair of slender columns and topped with a small semicircular arch. Decorative balustrades finished with small pinnacles complete the façade, a detail typical of Noucentisme's blend of classical order and local craftsmanship.

The house stands on Plaça de Marcelina de Monteys, right in the older heart of El Masnou — a neighborhood best explored on foot, since several other buildings from the Catalan heritage inventory sit within a few hundred meters.

How do you get there?

El Masnou sits on the Rodalies R1 commuter line linking Barcelona with the Maresme coast — the ride from Plaça de Catalunya takes about 20–25 minutes. The train station is within walking distance of the town center and the square where Bon Repòs stands. Drivers coming along the coast can use the N-II road or the C-32 motorway, which has an exit just minutes from El Masnou.

When should you visit?

Bon Repòs is a private residential building, not a museum, so it's viewed from the outside — daylight hours work best, when the sun brings out the façade's carved detail facing the square. El Masnou is also a popular seaside town on the Mediterranean, so pair a walk through its historic streets with a visit to the town beach and marina, both a short walk away.

Frequently asked questions

Can you go inside Bon Repòs? No — it's a private residence, viewable only from the outside, from Plaça de Marcelina de Monteys.

Who designed the building? Architect Bonaventura Bassegoda i Musté designed it in 1927, working in the Catalan Noucentisme style.

Why has only one façade survived? The house originally stood alone in a garden. As the surrounding area was built up over the decades, neighboring buildings absorbed the side and rear elevations, leaving only the south façade visible today.

What else is worth seeing nearby? El Masnou has a good number of buildings listed in Catalonia's architectural heritage inventory, so a walk through the old town turns up several more within easy reach of Bon Repòs — along with the town's beach and marina close by.