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Casa Pía Batlló was built by Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas between 1891 and 1896, at number 261 Cortes street (now Gran Via, 601), although the main numbering was Rambla de Catalunya 17.
It was on the corner of the mountain side, in front of Manuela Gandía's old house. Its extension was so large that it was a party to the Coliseum theater, which was separated by an androna (space between two houses on their own land, so as not to prevent views of a building located next to the wall that borders the adjoining property).
Josep Vilaseca was at the height of his career at that time. He had built, among others: in 1882, the Masriera brothers' Workshop Studio on Bailén street and the Arc de Triomphe on Paseo Víctor Pradera, for the 1888 Exhibition.
The Casa Pía Batlló consisted of a ground floor and four heights, with two polygonal tribunes at the ends of the chamfer at the junction with the sides of the building.
The stands were crowned by two towers with glass and glazed ceramic tiles, with a wrought iron viewing platform at half height. The rest of the roof was formed with stone and wrought iron in continuous filigree.
The entrance door is located in the center of the chamfered façade, on which stands out a gazebo with glass and above them two three-leaf balconies, the first of them with a stone balustrade matching the stone of the gazebo. The balconies on the top floor are continuous, also counting on the viewpoints.
The façade facing the Gran Via had an autonomous composition, with a kind of niche on the ground floor. The space occupied by the androna, on the main floor, had a smooth three-sectioned gazebo with a semicircular balcony at the center door. The rest of the facade changed completely in the 4 floors.
Among the various ornamental elements that were combined throughout the building, the constant presence of the dragon was observed, both in the stone reliefs and those in wrought iron.
Among the important tenants that the building had over the years was the El Oro del Rhin cafeteria-restaurant, inaugurated on May 30, 1929. The next day, the city's newspapers reported it;
Yesterday afternoon the official inauguration of the new establishment, brewery and delicatessen, called "Oro del Rhin", installed on Calle de las Cortes, corner of Rambla de Cataluña, was attended by the authorities, representations of various entities and numerous and distinguished attendance. The new premises, luxuriously installed, draws attention for its sumptuous decoration of harmonious colors, in which some artistic and original tapestries stand out, the work of the painter Alfonso Sanz, who, like the artistic director and author of the project, Leopoldo Barreda, was very congratulated. The attendees congratulated the owners of the new premises, gentlemen Aixalá, to whom we wish prosperity that rewards the effort made
El Oro del Rhine, like all those cafés in the city center, soon welcomed groups of artists and intellectuals among its regular customers, who spent hours discussing current issues, among them such well-known names as Rafael Barradas, Sebastià Guasch i Carreras, alias Mylos, or Federico García Lorca in his Barcelona period.
The venue, every afternoon and evening, enlivened its halls with the orchestra of maestro Tolrà. At night, the meetings were somewhat different, since when the artists finished their performances, they would come to the venue to discuss their daily experiences.
In the year 1933, the city that was revolted by social conflicts, with constant demonstrations and strikes. On August 12, the cafeteria suffered a robbery attempt that was dismantled by the manager and cashier of the establishment, Juan Zaldo, who was killed. The event shocked the life of the city for many days.
In 1935, Margarita Xirgú, who had announced her trip to America, received a tribute from the public at the Olimpia Theatre, but her personal and intellectual friends wanted to celebrate it privately at the Rhine Gold.
In 1936, an Estat Català office was installed on the main floor, which had left the ERC party, which was reorganized independently. His requests provoked serious confrontations by placing cobblestone barricades in front of the entrance to the headquarters.
After the civil war, the Franco authorities forced him to Spanishize the name by eliminating the "h" on his sign, remaining in Oro del Rhine, and he continued with his activity in a normal way.
In 1969 the premises suddenly closed and a bank branch opened in its place. Today, the Casa Pía Batlló is one of the buildings that luckily still stands to be contemplated and admired by the new generations.
