Beautiful Virgin Islands

Friday, Feb 20, 2026

A Spanish Architect Transforms a Medieval Townhouse Into a Stunning Rental

A Spanish Architect Transforms a Medieval Townhouse Into a Stunning Rental

In the medieval city of Girona, Catalonia, a Spanish architect saves a 16th-century townhouse by converting it into a five-bedroom rental.

When Barcelona–based architect Anna Noguera stumbled upon the historic building, she was instantly intrigued by its rich heritage and ancient beauty. Determined to rescue it from further decay, Noguera, who is originally from the city of Girona, carefully restored the structure by transforming it into a vibrant vacation home.
Living Room, Bookcase, Stools, Concrete Floor, and Wood Burning Fireplace The living room is connected to a south-facing veranda.



The living room is connected to a south-facing veranda.

Because the building had been altered numerous times throughout the last 500 years, its layout was irregular and inefficient. Therefore, Noguera reconfigured the interior significantly so that the property—which is now comprised of two units—could accommodate five bedrooms.



The small medieval city of Girono sits along the River Onyar.

By creating a dialogue between ancient and contemporary, Noguera complimented the existing old stone, oak, and terracotta interior with sleek, modern materials, including dark steel and concrete.



The property has a discreet street-level garage.



A peek at the entranceway with stairs that lead to the apartment.

The smaller of the two apartments is located on the ground floor has an open plan living and dining area with new oak flooring, glass windows, massive Corten steel doors, and a slender, slate-gray kitchen that’s hidden behind a screen. Across the hallway from this communal zone are two bedrooms and a bathroom.



A staircase leads from the ground-level apartment up to the duplex.

This ground-level apartment connects to a wisteria-shaded garden and courtyard with a black concrete pool crafted from an old cistern that was found on the site.



A warm and simple bedroom with an ensuite bathroom.

The second apartment-which has a spacious light-filled living room with a double-sided fireplace-is located on the top two levels of the building.



A wisteria-shaded courtyard and garden with a dining area.



A spacious wood-decked veranda that's part of the duplex apartment.



Contemporary materials-such as concrete and steel-are a wonderful contrast to the ancient stone walls.

The living room of this unit opens onto a south-facing veranda with a fully equipped kitchen. It also has a dining terrace that looks down toward the ground-level garden and plunge pool.



A dialogue between ancient and contemporary can be seen in the bedroom.



A clean-lined bathroom of stone and concrete.



The original 16th-century stone walls are left exposed in the kitchen.



A narrow doorway evokes the warren-like feel of the original layout.



An old cistern found on the original site is now a black concrete pool.



The children's bedroom with pullout storage.

Guests interested in staying in this transformed townhouse can rent the entire home or each of the units individually through BoutiqueHomes.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Early 2026 Data Suggests Tentative Recovery for UK Businesses and Households
UK Introduces Digital-First Passport Rules for Dual Citizens in Border Control Overhaul
Unable to Access Live Financial Data for January UK Surplus Report
UK ‘Working Closely with US’ to Assess Impact of Supreme Court Tariff Ruling
Trump Criticises UK Decision to Restrict Use of Bases in Potential Iran Strike Scenario
UK Foreign Secretary and U.S. State Chief Hold Strategic Talks as Tensions Rise Over Joint Air Base
King Charles III Opens London Fashion Week as Royal Family Faces Fresh Scrutiny
Trump’s Evolving Stance on UK Chagos Islands Deal Draws Renewed Scrutiny
House Democrat Says Former UK Ambassador Unable to Testify in Congressional Epstein Inquiry
No Record of Prince Andrew Arrest in UK as Claims Circulate Online
UK Has Not Granted US Approval to Launch Iran Strikes from RAF Bases, Government Confirms
UK Intensifies Efforts to Secure Saudi Investment in Next-Generation Fighter Jet Programme
Former Student Files Civil Claim Against UK Authorities After Rape Charges Against Peers Are Dropped
Archer Aviation Chooses Bristol for New UK Engineering Hub to Drive Electric Air Taxi Expansion
UK Sees Surge in Medical Device Testing as Government Pushes Global Competitiveness
UK Competition Watchdog Flags Concerns Over Proposed Getty Images–Shutterstock Merger
Trump Reasserts Opposition to UK Chagos Islands Proposal, Urges Stronger Strategic Alignment
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis advocates for a ban on minors using social media.
Liberal Senator Michaelia Cash Accuses Prime Minister of Lying to Australians
Meanwhile in Time Square, NYC One of the most famous landmarks
Jensen Huang just told the story of how Elon Musk became NVIDIA’s very first customer for their powerful AI supercomputer
A Lunar New Year event in Taiwan briefly came to a halt after a temple official standing beside President Lai Ching‑te suddenly vomited, splashing Lai’s clothing
Jillian Michaels reveals Bill Gates’ $55 million investment in mRNA vaccines turned into over $1 billion.
Ex-Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrested
Former British Prince Andrew Arrested on Suspicion of Misconduct in Public Office
Four Chagos Islanders Establish Permanent Settlement on Atoll
Unitree Robotics founder Wang Xingxing showcases future robot deployment during Spring Festival Gala.
UK Inflation Slows Sharply in January, Strengthening Case for Bank of England Rate Cut
Hide the truth, fake the facts, pretend the opposite, Britain is as usual
UK Inflation Falls to Ten-Month Low, Markets Anticipate Interest Rate Cut
UK House Prices Climb 2.4% in December as Market Shows Signs of Stabilisation
BAE Systems Predicts Sustained Expansion as Defence Orders Reach Record High
Pro-Palestine Activists Cleared of Burglary Charges Over Break-In at UK Israeli Arms Facility
Former Reform UK Councillors Form New Local Group Amid Party Fragmentation
Reform UK Pledges to Retain Britain’s Budget Watchdog as It Seeks Broader Economic Credibility
Miliband Defends UK-California Clean Energy Pact After Sharp Criticism by Trump
University of Kentucky to Host 2026 Summer Camps Fair Connecting Families with Local Programmes
UK Police Forces Assess Claims Jeffrey Epstein Used Stansted Airport Flights in Trafficking Network
UK-Focused Equity ETF FLGB Climbs to Fresh 52-Week Peak on Strong Market Sentiment
Trump Warns UK’s Chagos Islands Agreement Is a “Big Mistake” Amid Strategic Security Debate
Trump Urges UK to Retain Sovereignty Over Diego Garcia Amid Strategic Concerns
Italian Police Arrest Man After Alleged Attempt to Abduct Toddler at Bergamo Supermarket, Child Hospitalised With Fractured Femur
Reform UK Appoints Former Conservative Minister Robert Jenrick as Finance Chief
UK Unemployment Rises to Highest in Nearly Five Years as Labour Market Weakens
Rupert Lowe Advocates for English-Only Use in the UK
US Successfully Transports Small Nuclear Reactor from California to Utah
South Korea's traditional sand wrestling sport ssireum faces declining interest at home
Japan outlawed Islam
Virginia Giuffre accuses Epstein of trafficking to powerful men for blackmail.
New Mexico lawmakers initiate investigation into Zorro Ranch linked to Jeffrey Epstein
×