The House of the Archdeacon appeared in Barcelona in the 12th century; it was built on the foundation of a fortress wall that remained from the era of the ancient Romans. Four hundred years later, it was almost completely rebuilt, and then renovated more than once. Today it is quite an interesting building with its own history and layered architecture. You can see elements of Gothic and Renaissance styles in it and, at the same time, catch notes of modernism.
In the 19th century, the House of the Archdeacon acquired an elegant courtyard and a Gothic-style fountain. Later, the bar association was located here, and at its request a very curious mailbox appeared at the entrance. It is decorated with a bas-relief depicting three swallows at the top and a turtle at the bottom. The meaning of these symbols is not entirely clear. Some interpret them as follows: the birds represent freedom and the guarantee of law, while the turtle represents bureaucracy with all its slowness and clumsiness. But considering that it is, after all, a mailbox, many see a different meaning in these symbols: may happy news fly as fast as birds, while sad news crawls like a turtle. But perhaps the most amusing interpretation is the image of a postal service that works as slowly as a turtle crawls. Interesting, isn't it: different countries, but the same problems and jokes!
Nowadays, the historical archive of Barcelona is located in the former House of the Archdeacon.
