Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Caucasus - Geghard Monastery, Armenia
Armenia • 15 days, 14 nights
Caucasus Road Trip: Azerbaijan, Georgia & Armenia
from
Taktsang Lhakhang, also known as the “Tiger’s Nest”.
Bhutan • 11 days, 10 nights
Festivals & Temples of Bhutan
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Hisham’s Palace
Cresson Sanatorium and Prison
Leo The Lion
Deception Pass Bridge
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The sign declares this the number-one gumbo shop in town.
Gumbo Hut Shioya
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
The cute capybara.
Animal Takeover: Brace Yourself for Adorable Hordes
about 10 hours ago
The Codex Gigas (the Devil’s Bible) open to the portrait of the devil.
Codex Gigas: Who Drew the Devil in This Massive Medieval Bible?
1 day ago
USDA and Washington State agriculture officials tagged this Asian giant hornet. Sept. 10, 2021.
What Ever Happened to the Murder Hornets?
2 days ago
The exterior of the Hall of Records.
Atlas Obscura Mailbag: Urban Exploration, Illegal Carvings, and Repeat Vacations
4 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Spain Barcelona Barcelona's Baby Drop-off
AO Edited

Barcelona's Baby Drop-off

Turntable anonymously received orphans, alms, and groceries.

Barcelona, Spain

Added By
ser flac
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The baby drop-off.  
The baby drop-off.  
The baby-drop off.  
  astep15 / Atlas Obscura User
Explanation of the baby drop off turntable.   agarcia083 / Atlas Obscura User
Drop-off   Xavixavir / Atlas Obscura User
A closer look   Xavixavir / Atlas Obscura User
Baby Drop-off in Barcelona, entrance   Xavixavir / Atlas Obscura User
  jesuisrobert / Atlas Obscura User
A short explanation in Spanish, in the pavement in front of the Baby drop off wole   yoavkertesz / Atlas Obscura User
  jddennis / Atlas Obscura User
Drop-off plus graffiti wink.   tylercole / Atlas Obscura User
Square   fredengren / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Hiding inconspicuously in the heart of El Raval is a small wooden inlet that was once attached to the House of Mercy. Although it looks like ornamentation, or a small shrine of sorts, the inlet was in fact a rotating wooden turntable, used to anonymously drop off donations for the church, including unwanted infants.

Originally founded in the late 16th century, the building at 17 Ramelleres became an orphanage in the 19th century. Like many other orphanages and convents at the time, a main feature of the building was its wooden turntable, which allowed the destitute to place their babies on it and anonymously spin them into the arms of a staff member inside the home.

Active from 1853-1931, the turntable saw hundreds of babies come through its portal into the orphanage. Other donations were occasionally dropped off including money and groceries, but mostly, babies were left by parents that did not or could not take care of them. Today, a small wooden inlet is the only remnant of Barcelona's walk-up orphanage and baby drop-off.

Related Tags

Churches Places To Stay Eccentric Homes Homes Sacred Spaces

Community Contributors

Added By

serflac

Edited By

dmikolajunaite, cyriellegiger, chunttttttwith60s, tylercole...

  • dmikolajunaite
  • cyriellegiger
  • chunttttttwith60s
  • tylercole
  • yoavkertesz
  • astep15
  • jddennis
  • agarcia083
  • Xavixavir
  • fredengren
  • jesuisrobert
  • worldcut99

Published

December 6, 2011

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Barcelona's Baby Drop-off
17 Carrer de les Ramelleres
Barcelona, 08001
Spain
41.38418, 2.168614
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Granja M. Viader

Barcelona, Spain

miles away

Sala Gimbernat

Barcelona, Spain

miles away

Barcelona Erotic Museum

Barcelona, Spain

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Barcelona

Barcelona

Spain

Places 65
Stories 2

Nearby Places

Granja M. Viader

Barcelona, Spain

miles away

Sala Gimbernat

Barcelona, Spain

miles away

Barcelona Erotic Museum

Barcelona, Spain

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Barcelona

Barcelona

Spain

Places 65
Stories 2

Related Places

  • Wieliczka Salt Mine

    Wieliczka, Poland

    Wieliczka Salt Mine

    An underground city of salt.

  • Vienna, Austria

    Stephansdom Crypt

    The crypt of the imposing Stephensdom holds royal intestines and thousands of skeletons.

  • Barbara Hutton’s Japanese palace, in the shadow of the volcano Popocatépetl.

    Jiutepec, Mexico

    Camino Real Sumiya

    The tragic heiress Barbara Woolworth Hutton built her seventh husband this Japanese-inspired palace in Mexico.

  • Woodside Presbyterian Church.

    Troy, New York

    Woodside

    A man used his Civil War-era fortune to build this sanctuary in memory of his wife.

  • Cathedral of the Isles.

    Millport, Scotland

    Cathedral of the Isles

    The United Kingdom's smallest working cathedral also serves as a quaint bed and breakfast.

  • Front entrance to the Whale House.

    Santa Barbara, California

    Whale House

    This stunning sea creature-shaped home blends into the landscape like a fantasy villa.

  • It’s easy to miss the house wedged between these churches.

    Porto, Portugal

    Carmo and Carmelitas Churches

    A hidden three-foot-wide house separates these two regal churches.

  • The new peacock hutch.

    New York, New York

    Cathedral Peacock Hutch

    A Gothic-style abode built to accommodate the church's three resident peacocks.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.