Casa Escriche

Casa Escriche is a Modernist townhouse in Teruel, one of the Aragonese cities with the richest Art Nouveau architectural heritage in Spain. The building stands at calle de Temprado 4, right in the historic center, and is one of the stops on the walking route dedicated to Teruel's modernist architecture.

Where does the name come from and when was it built?

The name comes from the Escriche family, for whom the townhouse was originally built. Sources on the exact construction date are not fully consistent: the building is dated to either 1902 or 1912, both falling within the peak years of Modernism in Teruel, when the city underwent an intense wave of residential construction inspired by the Belle Époque.

Who designed Casa Escriche?

No archival documentation confirms the architect. Based on its stylistic features, the building is attributed to Pablo Monguió, born in Tarragona in 1865, who was the leading architect of Modernism in Teruel. The same kind of undocumented attribution applies to other buildings in the city, such as Casa Bayo and Casita de la Farmacia — a good illustration of how much of Teruel's architecture from this period still lacks full historical documentation.

What makes Casa Escriche stand out among Teruel's other modernist buildings?

Teruel is a unique case in Spain, where Modernism layered itself on top of an earlier Mudejar architectural tradition, producing a local variant of the style. Casa Escriche belongs to this group of townhouses from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries that still form a coherent, recognizable stretch of the urban fabric along the streets of the historic center.

How is the building used today?

Following its rehabilitation, Casa Escriche is no longer purely residential — it currently houses the headquarters of the Comarca Comunidad de Teruel, the administrative body that manages the region surrounding the city. This means the building remains in active use and maintained, which makes it easy to view from the outside while touring modernist Teruel.

How do you get to Casa Escriche when visiting Teruel?

The building is located at calle de Temprado 4, inside the historic center, making it easily reachable on foot from Teruel's main landmarks, such as Plaza del Torico. Given its location, it fits naturally into walking routes that connect the various examples of modernist architecture scattered around the center.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you visit the inside of Casa Escriche? The building functions as an administrative office, housing the Comarca Comunidad de Teruel, so visits are essentially limited to viewing the façade and architectural details from the street.

Who was the architect of Casa Escriche? There is no definitive answer in the historical record — the building is attributed to Pablo Monguió based on style, without archival confirmation.

In what style was Casa Escriche built? In the Modernist (Art Nouveau) style typical of the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, which in Teruel developed into a distinctive local variant.

Why is the building called "Escriche"? The name comes from the Escriche family, for whom the townhouse was originally built.