El Racó de la Rajola

El Racó de la Rajola is a small decorative corner in the town of Tiana, in the Maresme region of Barcelona province, Catalonia, Spain. It sits at the junction of Carrer Lola Anglada and Passatge de Sant Domènec and is listed in Catalonia's Inventory of Architectural Heritage (Inventari del Patrimoni Arquitectònic de Catalunya).

What exactly is this place?

The Racó de la Rajola centers on a brick archway with a semicircular profile that forms a passage between two streets. Its name comes from the Catalan word "rajola," meaning tile: the walls and arch are covered with decorative fragments of ceramic tile, giving the corner its distinctive, patchwork appearance.

Who made it?

The decoration is the work of a local craftsman, Pere Salarich, remembered in Tiana as "l'avi Salarich" (grandfather Salarich). His building technique relied on laying bricks at a calculated angle: the amount of mortar packed between each brick determined how sharply the row curved, letting him shape a smooth semicircular arch without cutting the bricks themselves.

Are there other works by the same craftsman nearby?

Yes. Salarich decorated other spots in Tiana in a similar style, including the wall at Font d'en Comes, a local spring, and the fountain at Plaça dels Peixos, both featuring panels made of colored stones and tile fragments. Together, these three works reflect a local tradition of embellishing public spaces with humble, inexpensive materials — broken tiles and stones — rather than carved stonework.

What condition is it in today?

Available accounts note that the whole ensemble has deteriorated considerably over time. Ceramic decoration exposed to the weather is fragile, and moisture and age have taken their toll, so visitors should expect a modest, partly worn architectural detail rather than a fully restored monument.

How do you get there?

The corner sits right in the center of Tiana, a small town a short distance northeast of Barcelona. Because it is simply part of an ordinary street corner, it can be viewed freely at any time, with no admission fee and no set opening hours — as is typical for street-level architectural heritage sites of this kind.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does "Racó de la Rajola" mean? "Racó" is Catalan for "corner," and "rajola" means tile. The name literally refers to a corner decorated with tiles.

Where exactly is it located? At the junction of Carrer Lola Anglada and Passatge de Sant Domènec, in the center of Tiana, Barcelona province.

Who created the decoration? A local craftsman named Pere Salarich, known as "l'avi Salarich," who also decorated other sites in Tiana such as Font d'en Comes and the Plaça dels Peixos fountain.

Is there an entrance fee? No. It is a public street feature, freely accessible with no fee and no set visiting hours.