The Mariona country house was built between 1927 and 1931 due to the initiative of Rafael Patxot i Jubert as a summer residence, under the direction of the architect Josep Danés i Torras, who also designed the carpentry and wrought ironwork, as well as the ceramic sundial, placed on the main façade. The house consists of a ground floor and two storeys, with an adjoining tower with a square floor plan and porticoed sundeck.
The exterior appearance of the building is inspired by classical country houses, with galleries and a lookout tower, although the interior layout is adapted to the needs of a luxurious summer residence. The garden surrounding the house was also designed by Danés, following landscaping criteria in accordance with the characteristics of the terrain.
In exile, Rafel Patxot had the words ‘Guests will come and they will be taken out of the house - 3rd August 1936 - Farewell’ engraved on the keystones of the entrance doorway.
The Mariona country house was built between 1927 and 1931. During the Spanish Civil War, the house was damaged and lost most of its furniture in a fire.
In 2005, the house was donated to the Barcelona City Council by its owner, Rafel Carreras i Patxot, subject to the execution of the museum project and the relocation of the park's headquarters. It is currently the headquarters of the Office of the Montseny Natural Park. Biosphere Reserve and the permanent exhibition ‘Patxot Universe’.
Rectangular country house consisting of a ground floor and two storeys, with an annexed square tower and an arcaded sundeck. The roof ridge is gabled. The windows have a curved lintel.
The main façade, with a voussoir arched doorway, where there is an inscription: “Guests will come who will take you out of the house - 3rd August 1936 – Farewell”, stands out.
There is a sundial on the south façade, built in 1931, which accurately marks the solar time and the changes of the zodiacal signs in relation to the seasons of the year. There is another clock built in 2009 on the north façade, where the sun does not reach, which takes up an idea by Rafael Patxot, to remind us that the sun is always present and, if the Earth were transparent, we would see the sun beneath our feet.
It is a remarkable manor house both for its considerable dimensions and for its unique architectural elements, i.e. the tower, porches and galleries.
It is currently one of the facilities of the Montseny Natural Park. On the ground floor is the museum area ‘Universe Patxot’, where an overview of the scientific and patronage work of Rafael Patxot is on display: the study of the Catalan country house, the relationship with hiking, meteorology, etc. On the first floor there is a multi-purpose room and library. The park's administrative headquarters are located on the first floor and part of the second floor.
It was built between 1927 and 1931, commissioned by Rafel Patxot i Jubert to the Noucentista architect Josep Danès i Torras, as a summer residence. The architect used the aesthetic principles of his studies on popular architecture.
In 1936, at the outbreak of the Civil War, and before fleeing into exile, Patxot had the following engraved on the keystones of the doorway: ‘Guests will come who will take you out of the house - 3rd August 1936 - Farewell’.
The house remained abandoned for several decades until it was acquired and restored by the Diputació de Barcelona, thanks to a donation made by Rafael Carreras Patxot, grandson of Rafel Patxot i Jubert.
