Thousands of people assembled on Thursday afternoon in the Mercadal square, gazing at Casa Navàs. The façade, windows, and balconies became the backdrop for a celebration that culminated in the unveiling and illumination of the torratxa, which had been destroyed during the bombings of 1938.
For many attendees, it was the first time they had seen an image of the city that they had only known through photographs. The evening was hosted by journalist Coia Ballesté and began with an audiovisual piece highlighting the heritage, historical significance, and symbolism of Casa Navàs.
The event featured speeches from Reus's mayor, Sandra Guaita; the delegate of the Generalitat Government in Tarragona, Lucía López; and Xavier Martínez and Serra, the owner of Casa Navàs and president of MaserGrup. Following the institutional segment, a poetic performance in eight languages led into a specially created spectacle.
The mapping by Alba G. Corral transformed the volumes and ornaments of the façade into part of the narrative. The projections, light, and sound evoked the modernist splendour of the house, while testimonials connected the loss of the torratxa to the memory of the bombings in Reus.
The show traced the years of absence and linked the building's history with that of the city and the country during the Civil War and the dictatorship. Music emerged from the very house itself, with live performances by Mariona Escoda and the voices of the Orfeó Reusenc intertwining with the projections in a staging that utilised the windows and balconies of the building.
The event culminated with the torratxa illuminated over the Mercadal, visible to all. With Casa Navàs aglow as a backdrop, the band Ginestà took the stage, concluding an evening that began with a tribute to the house and transformed the square into a festive space.
The torratxa was part of the building designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner in the early 20th century, and it was destroyed during the bombings that affected central Reus in 1938. Since then, generations of residents have grown up with a silhouette different from that shown in old images of the square.
The reconstruction was made possible through the efforts of Xavier Martínez, who remarked, “When we decided to rebuild the torratxa, we thought about Casa Navàs, but also about the Mercadal and what this square represents for Reus. For many years, we could only see it in photographs. Today, seeing it illuminated from the square and sharing this moment with so many people gives meaning to all the work behind it.” He concluded, “It is a memory that will remain in the city’s memory.”
As the celebration concluded, the torratxa once again became part of Reus's everyday landscape. The image that had to be sought in a photograph for decades can now be rediscovered simply by looking up from the Mercadal.
