Museu Romàntic – Casa Llopis
THE MUSEU ROMÀNTIC is located in the former Casa Llopis. It is just outside the walls of the medieval town and is less than 40 km from BARCELONA. For many years it was one of the most impressive stately homes in SITGES‘s new district. It was the home of several generations of the Llopis family, and therefore was given after its first owner, Manuel Llopis. They were local people of seafaring origin who had climbed the social ladder. Their heightened social standing was thanks to the accumulation of land and their trade in wines and liquors. The Generalitat de Catalunya now owns Casa Llopis.
Source: www.365sabadosviajando.com
History of Museu Romàntic
Casa Llopis was built in 1793, and reached its greatest splendour between 1814-1891, when the owner of the house was Bernardí Llopis i Pujol. He was one of the most influential and popular figures in nineteenth-century Sitges. In 1935, the last heir of the family, the diplomat Manuel Llopis de Casades (1885-1935), bequeathed the family home to the Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalan Government) for conversion as a museum. The process was interrupted by the Civil War, until in 1943 the executors offered the bequest to the Barcelona Provincial Corporation. After a series of repairs, the rooms on the main floor were opened to the public in 1949, followed later by the ground-floor rooms, the garden, the cellars and the library.
The two collections
The sobriety of the decoration on the outside of the building contrasts with its colourful interior. This takes the visitors back in time to plunge into the everyday atmosphere of a well-to-do nineteenth-century family. In addition, one can follow the development of the different lighting systems that existed in the nineteenth century, from oil lamps to the advent of gas lighting.
Source: www.españacultura.es
#1 The Doll Collection
The second floor of the Museu Romàntic, which used to be the staff quarters, has since the 1970s housed the curious collection of dolls and toys belonging to the writer and illustrator Lola Anglada (Barcelona,1892-Tiana, 1984), who donated it for housing in Casa Llopis. The collection contains more than 400 items from the seventeenth century and the rest from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. They are made from wood and papier-mâché, porcelain and there are also some clockwork dolls endowed with music and movement. Lola Anglada’s collection isn’t a result of the wish to find unique specimens, but of a sentimental urge to recover in the poses and clothes of these dolls the lost ways of life of nineteenth-century society.
#2 The Romantic Collection
Coleccion de Romanticismo, contrasts with the interior design of the house. The Ground floor shows the life of the family in its rooms. It has the dining room, music room, ballroom, bedrooms, closets and game rooms. Its furniture is all from the 19th century with pieces made in Paris, Murano glass and bohemian crystals. In the gallery there two walls decorated with children’s scenes and, on the paving, a “Bis Bis” from the Napoleon era. This game consists of forty-nine polychrome tiles, with which the Llopis family and their guests amused themselves. The winery cellar used to be one of the biggest wine producers in Sitges. Today the Hospital de Sant Joan Baptista is the owner of the brand and the vineyards bequeathed by the last heir of Casa Llopis. However, it was on condition that the institution should preserve the cultivation and the quality of Sitges Malvasia.
Tour Options
The museum offers guided tours for a group of up to 30 people. Besides the museum tour, the city also offers guided routes for tourists. The museum is part of three routes. The Literary route, or Ruta Literaria, goes through the modernism scene that Rusiñol and Maragall shared in the late 19th century. The Americans Route, Ruta de los Americanos, shows the architecture of the Americans that emigrated to Cuba looking for wealth. The Malavasia route shows the grape strain that was so popular on the history of the biggest wineries in Sitges.
THE MUSEU REOMÀNTIC IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED DUE TO COVID19
Travel options
Now if you happen to be in Barcelona and want to enjoy the city and the museum, we would very much recommend you to check out Sitges. Below you can find different ways to get there.
- Car: The C-32 toll road connects Barcelona with Sitges. You will be there in about 30 minutes.
- Bus: The bus company MONBUS can bring you from Barcelona to Sitges and back. Check their website for timetables and prices.
- Train: Railway company Renfe has train connections between Barcelona and Sitges. The trip will take around 40 minutes. You have to take the R2 Southline. For timetables and prices check the RENFE website. If you are looking for accommodation near Sants Estació, Barcelona’s main train station, check out our APARTMENTS IN SANTS MONTJUIC.
Are you planning a trip to Barcelona and looking for somewhere to stay? Why not take a look at the available apartment rentals on our website! Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.