Signs of seduction

As you stand on the corner of Carrer dels Mirallers and Carrer dels Vigatans and look up, the face of a woman carved in stone can be spotted protruding from the facade. At first glance her blank eyes, slightly shut, give the impression of a frightened stare, but upon closer inspection, her expression may be interpreted as one of intense pleasure—an interpretation more fitting to her purpose.

The stone figure is referred to locally as a ‘Carassa’, one of many to have been erected centuries ago throughout Ciutat Vella. Usually depictions of satyrs or demons, Les Carasses were used as discreet signage to indicate that there was a brothel in the vicinity.

Historically speaking, Barcelona has never been short of brothels. A port city since ancient times, towards the Middle Ages the sex industry was in high demand due to all the sailors and foreigners who disembarked in the city. By the 15th century many brothels were not only tolerated, but protected by the City Council, and buildings were leased to those who wished to use them as bordellos—the sex workers just had to pay a cut to the innkeepers and authorities, and were subjected to frequent health checks. Guards were employed to dispel any disputes that arose, but otherwise there was only one rule strictly enforced: prostitutes had to go into hiding during Easter, as to not tempt the faithful into sin during Holy Week.

In order to indicate the presence of a brothel, a code was established, with Les Carasses being one of the only features to have survived until today. Amongst the other signs were marking the numbers on brothel doors considerably larger than the other addresses on the street, painting the lower part of the facade bright red to indicate the sin of lust, or having lots of decorative plants covering the exterior. 

The use of sculpted faces like that of Carrer dels Mirallers became a popular sign by the 17th century. After the Catalan revolt of 1640, when Castilian troops dominated the city, the figures allowed these newcomers to spot the local brothels with greater ease.

However it was not the buildings alone that needed to be identifiable. From the end of the Middle Ages until the 17th century, sex workers were obliged to dress in a distinctive way, placing a scarf of bright colours above their skirt to delineate their trade.