Antoni Gaudi – Barcelona’s Great Architect

Antoni Gaudi and his unique approach to the Art Nouveau Movement generated some of the most creative buildings you will see in Barcelona, they are unmistakable. We were fascinated by his work and wanted to experience as many as possible. The first we saw was the Casa Mila, La Pedrera, one of Gaudi’s main residential buildings and one of the most imaginative houses in the history of architect. Constructed between 1906-1912 for Pere Mila, an important Barcelona businessman. It was named La Pedrera, or stone quarry, due to its rocky outside appearance. We took the day tour and signed up for the night light show the same day. The house has nine levels, the basement was a garage for cars, ground floor for commercial, the mezzanine for offices, the first floor the owners’ home, the four upper floors for rent and the loft and attic for the laundry. We visited the upper floors and the rooftop, from which standout amazing chimneys, ventilators and stairway exits of almost sculptural proportions. In the evening we came back to the rooftop for a fabulous light show, see the video below.

Then we walked by the Casa Batllo, built between 1904 and 1907, for the industrialist Josep Batllo Casanovas. We didn’t take a tour of this house, because the lines were too long, but there is always next time. Click on thumbnail to view images

La Pedrera and Casa Batllo

Gaudi Light Show Video

Park Guell

We took a taxi up to Park Guell and spent the afternoon exploring this fabulous garden city built between 1900 and 1914, for Eusebi Guell, Gaudi moved his home here in 1906. The colonnaded hall and the terrace with serpentine shapes are the most famous places in this park, where we spent most of our time. Just walking through the colonnade was impressive and to look up at the four soffits on the ceiling of the colonnade that share a single design in the form of suns. Then we went up onto the roof of the colonnade with a snake-like bench around the circumference and magnificent views of Barcelona. Most of the buildings have surfaces covered with irregular ceramic pieces that is characteristic of Gaudi and Art Nouveau, especially the entire bench, where “the curve in movement and the snaking undulation dominate the architectural rhythm of Park Guell. Finally, it was time to leave this fairytale setting, and we walked back down the hill to our hotel. Click on thumbnail to view images