CASAS BLEY MAUSOLEUM

This mausoleum was commissioned in 1876 by Victorino Bley, a wealthy bourgeois from Reus who had settled in Barcelona, expressing his wish to be buried in his hometown. The architect responsible for the mausoleum was Josep Oriol Mestres, who designed it as a simplified replica of a small Gothic temple constructed from white marble. Symbolically, this mausoleum was intended to safeguard the souls of the righteous after they are judged by God.

In contrast to the Gothic architectural style, the mausoleum features four classical-inspired figures seated at the corners of the temple, representing the four cardinal virtues. These virtues are foundational to Christian beliefs about attaining eternal life.

While the architectural conception aligns with Gothic principles, the sculptural decoration leans towards a classicising style. Four seated female figures, dressed in classical attire, adorn the attached pillars, embodying the four cardinal virtues. The sculptural work, created by the local artist Joan Roig i Soler, dates back to approximately 1877 and includes the central figure of the mausoleum. A simple wrought iron gate, adorned with Gothic decoration, along with two marble skylights, illuminates and ventilates the subterranean crypt of the mausoleum