Old cellars and Lavernoya housing

At the corner of Sant Pere and Fullerachs streets stands the set of the old Lavernoya Caves, founded in 1890 by Jaume Raventós i Poch, heir to a lineage of wine merchants who already bottled own-brand wines at the end of the 19th century. The property combines industrial space and housing, following the model of the small urban wineries that proliferated in the capital of cava.
The main building, of ground floor and floor, shows two almost identical facades, each with four large lowered arch portals - many of which today are walled up or converted into three-hole windows - reminiscent of the entrance of carriages and tubs. A horizontal strip marks the forging line and gives way to the noble floor, where windows and balconies alternate with wrought iron railings.
Above the cornice, a triple wavy headboard, decorated with ceramic balls and with the inscription “Lácrima Baccus” on the central body, gives it a corporate character. At the end, a metal plate with pompoms and grapes proclaims “Caves Lavernoya, founded in 1890”, reaffirming the winemaking identity of the estate.
The number 19 of Sant Pere Street corresponds to the family home: house between mezzanines on the ground floor and floor, with a simple sliding balcony and crowning with a construction balustrade with the initials “LB”. Floral pilasters and the triple bracket at the ends frame the facade, while maintaining coherence with the business image.
Historically, the Raventós family moved to this location the sparkling wine business that had started under their home, in the Town Hall Square. The Lavernoya brand, inspired by the confluence of the Lavernó and Noia rivers, won international awards in the 1920s and became one of the most accredited houses in the Penedès. In 1964 the building was partially renovated, but the inscriptions and the original wrought iron can still be read.
Despite not enjoying specific heritage protection, the complex is in good condition and continues to be in residential use, reminding pedestrians of the functional architecture, sober but loaded with wine-growing symbolism, which built up the wealth of the town. When evening falls and the light caresses the letters “Lácrima Baccus”, it seems that the perfume of the novice must emanates from the walls and floods the street as it has been more than a century ago.

Open to visitors: No
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