Dolls house Arrieta

also known as
‘Casa Juanita’ and
‘The Chinese house’

To the Northern end of Arrieta next to the sea lays a very unusual house.

Overview:

The Dolls house of Casa Juanita is a unique style of house. Built to look like a dolls house for a dying daughter it remains an interesting place to visit.

The Arrieta Dolls house:

Officially known as ‘Casa Juanita’ the house is also called ‘the dolls house’ or ‘the chinese house’.

This very distinctive property has an interesting and sad story behind it.

Where all the other houses in Arrieta, and Lanzarote, are painted white The Dolls House is a deep red colour. Not only is the colour a one off but so is the design.

Take a closer look and you will see that what at first glance look like blue windows reflecting the sky are actually not windows at all but painted panels.

On the South facing side of the house is a traditional Canarian balcony. The sea facing side of the house has two balconies on the first floor and two large doors with windows on the ground floor.
Next to the house is a tidal bathing pool. The high water mark almost touches to sea facing walls of the house. A large entry gate give private parking.

The beautiful located house gives off an unusual feeling. It is hard to understand why it was built like that. Why the original owner went to so much effort to create such an unusual property.

How did the owner gain permission to build and paint the house in this way?

Why the Dolls house was built

The answer is a said tale.

Located next to the Arrieta fishing harbour by the sea in Casa Juanita

The original story of Casa Juanita story like this…

Built over 100 years ago in 1916 by Don Juan de Leon Perdomo.

Don Juan and his wife, Juana Aleman, like many other people from Lanzarote emigrated to Argentina. In 1904 Juana gave birth to a beautiful daughter who became known as Juanita.

Whilst growing up in Argentina poor Juanita contracted the then incurable disease of Tuberculosis. Her poor parents were devastated and sought advice from the best doctors they could find. Their doctor advised them that a good climate with clean air would alleviate their daughters symptoms.

Don Juan has made his fortune growing wheat in Argentina and could afford to help his daughter in any way possible.

The whole family returned to their ancestral home of Lanzarote in 1915. Explaining his sad story Don Juan was able to gain permission to build a house for Juanita to hopefully speed her onto a full recovery.

Juanita’s father wanted to make her feel as happy as possible so built her a house resembling her beloved dolls house.

On completion of the house in 1916 it was named ‘Chalet de Arrieta’.

Juanita, her mother and father lived in the house for five years. In 1921 the tuberculosis took finally took Juanita’s life.

The devastated parents carried on living in the house until they passed away. After the Juan and Juana died the house gradually fell into disrepair.

In the year 2001 an Arrecife based family bought the house and breathed a new lease of life into the Arrieta Dolls house. Once again the house can be enjoyed as it was all those years ago.