Interview with Salvador Andreu, great-grandson of Doctor Andreu

In a ground floor apartment in the Sant Gervasi neighborhood, about 200 meters from La Rotonda, we meet Salvador Andreu, the great-grandson of the famous Doctor Andreu, known for his cough lozenges. In his office, he has erected a true museum dedicated to the eminent pharmacist and his work. There we find prescription books, diplomas, personal items, and almost a hundred property deeds corresponding to as many properties that Doctor Andreu acquired in the Eixample. Then begins a fascinating conversation about architecture and urban planning that takes us back to 19th century Barcelona, the City of Marvels, which tore off the straitjacket that kept it imprisoned within its walls and expanded to absorb towns like Gràcia, Sant Martí, or Sant Gervasi itself.

The first thing that strikes me about you, Salvador, is that you share the name with your great-grandfather... Is it a typical family name that is passed down from parents to children?

Something similar. To date, there have been five people named like that in the family. And yes, it does have a bit to do with the more romantic idea of the firstborn. Although we have a grim anecdote with the name that, fortunately, has been broken. My great-grandfather was named Salvador Andreu. He named his firstborn the same, and he died of tuberculosis at 37 years old... Upon his death, the second male child became the eldest, l'hereu. That was my grandfather, José Andreu, who in turn had other children. He named his eldest Salvador, and he also died young and without descendants from bronchitis. When my uncle Salvador died, my father became the eldest.

And when I was born, they named me Salvador. The whole family was in an uproar: 'Salvador is a cursed name.' And that's why they named me Salvador José, although everyone calls me Salvador... and for now, I'm still alive (laughs). And my eldest son is also named Salvador. I suppose there has been an admiration for that name in our family.

You look very young to have known Doctor Andreu…

I didn't know him. I am 59 years old. I was born in January of 1958

So, if my calculations are correct, there is a 30-year gap between the death of your great-grandfather and your birth. How is the memory of Doctor Andreu transmitted through the family and what memories reach you?

When I was little, I had no awareness of being the great-grandson of Doctor Andreu. In the family, this fact was treated as normal. We were an absolutely normal family. Although there were certain very particular aspects that made me realize that there really has been a significant history surrounding the figure of my great-grandfather. How so? Because of his legacy. The Tibidabo was like our home. We would go there and all the staff treated us very well. In the Cerdanya, there was also a very strong inheritance from the Andreu family, which were the lake houses... Gradually, it caught my attention and I became interested in the figure and the character to get to know him better.

It sounds a bit vain to say it, but my great-grandfather was the largest estate owner in Barcelona. He owned about 100 estates. And I have them documented. Each one with a photograph and plans from the time, descriptions... The ownership of so many estates caught my attention, because almost everywhere you went, there was one of his estates.

Regarding what you mentioned, The Left Eixample, the entire upper part, all promoted and built by Doctor Andreu... in the end, did he feel a sense of ownership?

Not as an owner in the sense of showing off, but of being at home. I don't say this with any sense of arrogance, far from it... it's about feeling a bit like you're at home. And even more so, I suppose, for my grandfather's generation... Look, I have photographs of what the Paseo de San Gervasio looked like in the 1920s and 1910s. When my grandfather was a child, this was practically an uninhabited street. Nobody passed through here. And it was as if you were in a small development with just a few friends... Maybe it's because I'm more nostalgic and I've always been interested in all this.

So you have become the custodian of Dr. Andreu's legacy...

Yes, yes, a little... or a lot. I suppose my passion for history in general, and particularly that of my family, along with my meticulousness for keeping things well-maintained, has resulted in the family entrusting me with this task. Although that doesn't mean that many members don't also keep their things, the most cherished ones. But the ones that no one knows what to do with, they give to me.

So, one could say that you are the person who knows Doctor Andreu best, who has come to understand his work, his efforts the most... Could you explain what you think he was like?

I don't know if I'm the one who knows him best, but I'm certainly the one who has tried the most to understand him. I've researched as much as I could, tried to cross-reference information from different sources... The truth is he was a simple, humble, hardworking person, respectful of God, and he was a very diligent man. What surprises me the most, given his appearance, his character, is how entrepreneurial he was. It seems that this quality today is more associated with people of an extroverted nature, and he was the opposite, rather a calm person.

How do you discover that character?

Through her memoirs. She wrote them between 1905 and 1924. A page and a half per year. And it summarizes personal and family aspects, as well as a review of what has happened during the year. It talks about World War I, anarchist attacks in Barcelona... in other words, it's a true historical document. When you read it, you learn to understand how she perceived things. It shows a sensibility, calmness, and balance that I find exceptional.

But at the same time, he was a dreamy entrepreneur who was also capable of making those dreams come true. That is really the most beautiful thing, to do what he did against all odds. At that time, it was something exceptional. Let's not forget that by 1880, when he was around 40 years old, he already had in mind the idea of organizing Tibidabo. That year, the last walls of Barcelona were still being torn down. People went to summer in Sarrià, and Tibidabo was extremely far away for them, and urbanizing it was a very complicated endeavor.

Quite a visionary, no doubt...

That was him. A very entrepreneurial man, yet at the same time a humble person, very simple and... very clever too. He began to buy properties, although at that time it wasn't exactly a great business to have real estate assets. For many years, rents were protected first by one government and then by another, and property owners struggled to make a profit from their estates. He started buying properties outside what was Barcelona, in l'Eixample. He joined a group that was promoting the urbanization of what was called Riera de Maya, which was the Rambla Catalunya, to provide access to the properties he had purchased.

He was an honest man, not at all ambitious, but he was not foolish. He didn't waste time, he did everything as best as he could to further his dreams and projects. The tram that reached the upper part of Barcelona went all the way to Plaza Bonanova. From there, he took the "blue tram" and set up a hotel right where the tram coming from Barcelona passed by. There was a plan. Not everything was done without purpose. He was a truly enterprising person, yet at the same time a simple, humble individual without any kind of ambition. Nothing like what would now be the typical shark. He was like people were in those times, much more dreamy. It was a more romantic era, not that I want to idealize it at all... but I believe that this representation of such a person was more common.

I was talking about the Metropolitan Hotel, which later became the Hotel La Rotonda . What memories do you have of La Rotonda?

The first memory that comes to mind seems to be a communion. There were family celebrations, but that particular communion seems to have not even been for a relative named Andreu, but rather for a friend, because it was a place where weddings, festivities, etc., were commonly held. It was for a friend who was celebrating, and I attended as a guest. I remember going to different celebrations. It's not that I went to La Rotonda very often, even though I lived here. I had also attended a wedding once when I was a bit older, around 14 or 15 years old... I especially remember the main hall, that setting from another era, old-fashioned, the waiters were more formal.

From the family perspective, how did this project come about?

With the promotion of the Tibidabo avenue, Doctor Andreu wanted to fulfill his last dream, to urbanize Tibidabo and build an amusement park. The idea was to provide access so that people could get there and take advantage of the natural viewpoint platform that it is, and create a series of activities that would serve as entertainment. Thus, the Tibidabo avenue was urbanized, the tramway was built... and a hotel was placed, which at first was the Metropolitan and then it simply kept the name La Rotonda.

First it was a hotel, then a clinic, followed by decay and its rehabilitation by Núñez i Navarro... What did you feel when you saw the canvas unveiled and that La Rotonda had been restored?

A tremendous joy. On one hand, it was a pity, it was sad to let it go. It was quite a representative element of my great-grandfather's last project: La Rotonda, the Avenida del Tibidabo, the funicular, and the Tibidabo itself. But at that time it was in the family's interest, and we reached an agreement.

And now, to see it shining and restored... it turned out to be what I imagined. The exterior is exactly the same. From the outside, you don't see any change at all. It's better because it's been restored and that brought us great joy. In the end, there it is, the important thing is that it exists and if someone wants to remember that it was once Doctor Andreu's, well that's great. Others will remember it as a successful work by Adolf Ruiz Casamitjana... But in the end, there it is in its splendor once again, and therefore we are delighted. From my point of view, it has been impeccably done. Moreover, I found the interior to be a very curious and fitting solution, combining a protected and emblematic part with a functional or modern one. To be honest, I really liked the result.

You participated in a private visit for the family. Previously, an open house was organized where up to 6,000 people came to see La Rotonda over a weekend. What does this data tell you?

Well, I didn't know him, but I'm very glad to hear it. I assumed there might be some interest, given what the building represented, but I didn't imagine it could be so much. Congratulations.

And finally, tell me three adjectives to describe her currently

I would say: historic, endearing, and a place to be, even though that's not an adjective. From a business perspective, if I had a company, it would be a place where I would like to be right now.

When I was born, they named me Salvador. The whole family was in an uproar: 'Salvador is a cursed name.' That's why they named me Salvador José, although everyone calls me Salvador... and so far I'm still alive (laughs). And my eldest son is also named Salvador. I suppose there has been an admiration for this name in our family.

You look very young to have known Doctor Andreu...

I didn't know him. I am 59 years old. I was born in January 1958

So, if our calculations are correct, there is a 30-year gap between the death of your great-grandfather and your birth. How is the memory of Doctor Andreu transmitted through the family and what memories reach you?

When I was little, I had no awareness of being the great-grandson of Doctor Andreu. In the family, this fact was lived with normality. We were an absolutely normal family. Although there were a series of very particular aspects that made me realize that there really has been an important history surrounding the figure of my great-grandfather. How so? Through his legacy. Tibidabo was like our home. We would go there and all the staff treated us very well. In Cerdanya, there was also a very strong inheritance from the Andreu family, which were the lake houses... Gradually, it caught my attention and I became interested in the figure and the character to know more about it.

It might sound a bit boastful to say this, but my great-grandfather was the largest property owner in Barcelona. He owned about 100 estates. And I have them documented. Each one with a photograph and plans from the time, descriptions... The possession of so many estates caught my attention because almost everywhere you went was one of his estates.

Regarding what you mentioned, the Left Eixample, the entire upper part, all promoted and built by Doctor Andreu... in the end, did he feel a sense of ownership?

Not as an owner in the sense of showing off, but of being at home. I don't say it with any sense of pride, far from it... it's about feeling a bit like at home. And much more, I suppose, would be the case for my grandfather's generation... Look, I have photographs of what Passeig de Sant Gervasi looked like in the 1920s and 1910s. When my grandfather was a child, this was practically an uninhabited street. No one passed by here. And it was as if you were in a small development with just a few friends... Maybe it's because I'm more nostalgic and I've always been interested in all this.

So you have become the custodian of Dr. Andreu's legacy...

Yes, yes, a bit... or a lot. I suppose my passion for history in general, and particularly for my family's history, and my neatness in keeping things tidy have led my family to entrust me with this task. Although this doesn't mean that many members don't also keep their things, the ones they cherish the most. But the ones that nobody knows what to do with, they give them to me.

So, could it be said that you are the person who knows Doctor Andreu best, who has come to understand his work, his labor... Could you explain how you think he was?I don't know if I'm the one who knows it best, but I'm certainly the one who has done the most to try to understand it. I've documented myself as much as I could, tried to cross-reference information from different sources... The truth is he was a simple, humble, hardworking person, respectful of God, and he was a very industrious man. What surprises me the most, given his appearance, his character, is how entrepreneurial he was. It seems that this quality nowadays is more associated with people of an extroverted nature, and he was the opposite, rather a calm person.

How do you discover this character?

Through his memoirs. He wrote them between 1905 and 1924. About a page and a half per year. It summarizes personal and family aspects, as well as a review of the year's events. It talks about World War I, anarchist attacks in Barcelona... in other words, it's a true historical document. When you read it, you learn to understand how he perceived things. It shows a level of wisdom, calmness, and balance that I find exceptional.

But at the same time, he was a dreamer entrepreneur who was also able to make those dreams come true. That really is the most beautiful thing, to do what he did against all odds. At that time, it was something exceptional. Let's not forget that by 1880, when he was around 40 years old, he already had the idea of organizing Tibidabo. That year, the last walls of Barcelona were still being torn down. People went to summer in Sarrià, and Tibidabo was very far for them, and urbanizing it was an extremely complicated venture.

Quite a visionary, no doubt...

That was him. A very entrepreneurial man, yet at the same time a humble person, very simple and... very smart as well. He began to buy properties, even though at that time it wasn't exactly a great business to have real estate. For many years, rents were protected first by one government and then by another, and property owners saw and desired them to make a profit from a property. He started buying properties outside what was Barcelona, in the Eixample. He joined a group that was promoting the urbanization of what was called Rigués de Maya, which was the Rambla Catalunya to provide access to the properties he had bought.
He was an honest man, not at all ambitious, but he was not foolish. He didn't waste time, he did everything as best as he could to favor his dreams and projects. The tram that reached the upper part of Barcelona went as far as Plaça Bonanova. From there, he built the Blue Tram and set up a hotel right where the tram coming from Barcelona passed. There was a plan. Not everything was done just because. He was a truly entrepreneurial person, but at the same time a simple, humble person, without any kind of ambition. Nothing like what would now be the typical shark. He was like people were at that time, much more dreamers. It was a more romantic era, not that I want to idealize it at all... but I think that this representation of this type of person was more common.

He was talking about the Metropolitan Hotel, which later became the Hotel La Rotonda. What memories do you have of La Rotonda?

My earliest memory seems to be of a communion. There were family celebrations, but this particular communion seems to me that it wasn't even for a relative named Andreu, but rather for a friend because it was a place where weddings, festivities, etc., were commonly held. It was for a friend who was celebrating and I was invited as a guest. I remember attending various celebrations. It's not that I was very frequently at La Rotonda, even though I lived here. I had also attended some weddings when I was a bit older, around 14 or 15 years old... I especially remember the main hall, that ambiance from another era, old-fashioned, the waiters were more formal.

From the family perspective, how did this project originate?

With the promotion of the Tibidabo Avenue, Doctor Andreu wanted to fulfill his last dream, to urbanize Tibidabo and build an amusement park. The idea was to provide access so that people could get there and take advantage of the natural viewpoint platform that it is, and create a series of activities that would serve as entertainment. Thus, Tibidabo Avenue was urbanized, the tramway was built... and a hotel was placed, which initially was the Metropolitan and later simply kept the name La Rotonda.

First it was a hotel, then a clinic, followed by decay and its rehabilitation by Núñez i Navarro... What did they feel when they saw the canvas unveiled and that La Rotonda had been restored?

A huge joy. On one hand, a sorrow, it was sad to let go of it. It was still a quite representative element of my great-grandfather's last project: La Rotonda, the Tibidabo avenue, the funicular, and the Tibidabo itself. But at that moment, it interested the family and we came to an agreement.

And now, to see her shining and restored... it ended up being what I had imagined.

The exterior is exactly the same. From the outside, you can't see any change at all. It's better because it has been refurbished, and that brought us great joy. In the end, here it is, the important thing is that it exists and if someone wants to remember that it was once Doctor Andreu's, well that's good. Others will remember it as a successful work of Adolf Ruiz Casamitjana... But in the end, here it is in its splendor once again, and so we are delighted. From my point of view, it has turned out impeccable. Moreover, the interior seemed to me a very curious and fitting solution to combine a protected and emblematic part with a functional or modern one. To be honest, I really liked the result.

You participated in a private visit for the family. Previously, open house days were organized during which up to 6,000 people came to see La Rotonda over a weekend. What does this figure say to you?

Well, I wasn't aware of it, but I'm very glad to know. I assumed there might be some interest, given what the building represents, but I didn't imagine it could be so much. Congratulations.

And finally, tell me three adjectives to describe it currently

I would say: historic, endearing, and a place to be, even though that's not an adjective. From a business perspective, if I had a company, it would be a place where I would like to be right now.