Casa Gralla, by the architect Elies Rogent, was one of the most venerated buildings in Barcelona thanks to the Renaissance sculptural adornments that embellished its façade since the 16th century.

Casa Gralla was demolished in 1856 to make way for new roads and buildings, with a view to opening up a new street that formed the backbone of the property development between Portaferrissa and Canuda. The land where the demolished Casa Gralla stood was occupied by the street now known as Carrer del Duc and by the building that is still standing called Casa Jover, the construction of which began one year later, in 1857, under the orders of architect Josep Oriol Mestres for an important banking family, with a design that included the evocative adornments of the historical monument it replaced.

Casa Jover now has a ground floor, a first floor, and four upper floors, and the quality of the construction and the decoration of the two entrance doors and of the balconies is quite remarkable.

The building is occupied for commercial use on the basement, ground and first floors, and for residential use on the second to fifth floors.

It is, without a doubt, the most unique element of the building. Josep Oriol Mestres designed a stone staircase in three sections and two wings to access the first floor and lead to the two family residences planned. The two opposing wings reach a landing where they join before splitting off to lead to the different entrance doors. The parts of the courtyard where the entrance doors to the residences are located are designed with rectangular openings, whereas the other sides have arches with fluted columns and Corinthian capitals. The courtyard is covered by a wooden and glazed skylight with engraved embellishments that appear in the original project.

The sheet shows Carrer Duc and the new buildings constructed on the land occupied by Casa Gralla and other neighbouring properties.