La Barbera dels Aragonés

The Cross of the Temple is the Aragonés family crest, which is why it appears on various objects in this house-museum. According to heraldic records, the Templar Juan Aragonés arrived in La Vila with James I in the 13th century. His descendants, who held prominent political, military, and religious positions until the 19th century, were the owners of this 17th-century country house, which was later converted into a romantic mansion.

The social importance of the family is reflected in the furniture of various styles (Elizabethan, Alphonsine, Art Deco); some of these pieces were first displayed at the 1851 Great Exhibition in London, as well as in the exceptionally rich and extraordinary 19th-century household goods from various sources, such as British tableware and exclusive cookie tins purchased by the British Royal Family.

The exhibition at this house-museum also offers a glimpse into what life was like more than two hundred years ago. It features clothing, customs, recipes, kitchen utensils, and everyday objects that have since fallen into disuse. For example, the riurau on the second floor, which was used for drying raisins, and behind it is the cambra (agricultural storage room). This riurau is the southernmost one known to date and attests to the importance of wine and raisin production in the region until the late 19th century.

The farmhouse’s stables have been converted into “l’Espai d’Art Contemporani,” an exhibition space that hosts exhibitions featuring various artistic disciplines.

The farmland that once surrounded the house is now a park featuring an outdoor amphitheater, a children’s playground, and a café for the enjoyment of residents and visitors. Also worth noting is the “archaeological garden,” where Iberian burial mounds found during excavations nearby have been re-erected.