Casa Lasquetty

Casa Lasquetty is a historic townhouse in the old quarter of Cádiz, standing on Calle Santa María in the district of the same name. It ranks among the city's finest examples of late-17th and early-18th-century Cádiz palace architecture, and its white marble facade still draws the attention of visitors walking through the old town.

Where is it located?

Casa Lasquetty stands at numbers 11 and 13 on Calle Santa María, right in the heart of the historic centre, in the Santa María neighbourhood — one of the oldest parts of Cádiz, known for its narrow streets and dense building fabric dating back to the city's colonial-era boom. The location is easy to reach on foot, close to other landmarks of the old town.

Who built it, and why does it carry this name?

According to a plaque on the facade, the house was built in 1690 at the initiative of Alonso de la Rosa y Suárez Tovar, a merchant trading with the Indies (Spain's American colonies) and a perpetual alderman of Cádiz. The building owes its present name, however, to a different family — the Lasquettys, one of whose members later lived there. The association became so strong that in 1795 King Charles IV created the Earldom of Casa Lasquetty for Sebastián Lasquetty y Roy, himself a perpetual alderman of Cádiz and a knight of the Order of Charles III.

What architectural details stand out?

The facade is built of white marble, a material typical of the wealthiest Cádiz residences of the period, imported by trading ships from overseas. The portal has a single, rectangular form, framed by irregular moulding and flanked by Tuscan pilasters, giving the entrance a monumental yet restrained character.

Inside, a square courtyard is surrounded by four Tuscan marble columns set at the corners and linked by lowered round arches. This type of patio was typical of Cádiz merchant houses, serving both a representative role and a practical one, bringing light and air into the interior. The staircase follows a convent-style layout with a plain, flat finish, and its handrails are made of white marble with carved decoration.

Why does this house matter to Cádiz's history?

Casa Lasquetty is a witness to the era when Cádiz was the main Spanish port for trade with the Americas and one of the wealthiest cities in the country. Merchants and municipal officials who made their fortunes from colonial trade built houses like this one, and their architecture — marble facades combined with interior courtyards — became a defining feature of the old town's streetscape. The granting of an earldom to the Lasquetty family in 1795 further illustrates how closely wealth and social standing were tied to this property.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where exactly is Casa Lasquetty located? At Calle Santa María 11-13, in the Santa María district of Cádiz's historic centre.

When was the building constructed? According to the plaque on its facade, the house was built in 1690 at the initiative of Alonso de la Rosa y Suárez Tovar.

Where does the name Casa Lasquetty come from? From the Lasquetty family, one of whose members later lived in the house; in 1795, Charles IV created the Earldom of Casa Lasquetty for a member of that family.

What defines the house's architecture? A white marble facade with a portal flanked by Tuscan pilasters, and an interior courtyard with four Tuscan marble columns and a convent-style staircase with marble handrails.