Gaudi’s Barcelona architecture cannot be compared to anything else in the world.
Barcelona, capital of Catalonia is one of the most visited cities in the world, often chosen for short trips. Bustling, colorful, soulful, has that something that can enchant and attract. At first fire the average tourist usually goes to the las Ramblas street. This central promenade stretching from the Catalan square to the column of Columbus and the beach, allows you to see the hallmarks of Barcelona and its heart, surrounded by bars, cafes and stalls in the open air. You’ll find yourself walking in the crowd (beware of pickpockets) poured back and forth from early morning to early morning the next day. You can sit down for a moment over coffee or tapas, choose exotic fruit from a stall, relax by the sea or to delve into the side streets. Because all the charm of Barcelona it is best to slow walk combined with discovering and admiring the successive corners. And the best thing you can “discover” in Barcelona is Gaudi architecture.
Gaudi, a brilliant architect has created a total of two dozens of major works, and almost all are found in Barcelona. The most famous – and both the most visited in the city – is a temple of the Sagrada Familia, houses Casa Mila and Casa Battlo (“casa” in Spanish means precisely “house”), and Park Guell. You will recognize these wonders by the walls like a stormy sea, balconies and fanciful creatures, decorative mosaic like fish scales, and wavy-shaped roof chimneys smoke. Gaudi’s projects cannot be confused with any other.
Antoni Gaudi is probably the most well-known figure linked to Barcelona. Born in the mid-nineteenth century, in the town of Reus (today known mainly due to one of the airports serving the city of Barcelona) since childhood have plenty of time to invent. Because of rheumatism he spent his childhood mostly at home by himself. He began designing small forms – gates, fences, cabinets or gas lantern exhibition (which can still be seen in Barcelona). But even if already earned the name by his larger projects there were no interested buyers: his projects were too bold ahead of its time. And perhaps Gaudi would not become famous if it wasn’t for a wealthy architect – Count Eusebi Güell. Eusebi was not scared of fancy forms, arcs instead of angles and colorful patterns. He was a patron of Gaudi financing his other works – in example the palace and the famous Parc Güell. As a result, Barcelona took on the character. As the capital of Catalonia, and one of the most visited cities in the world, Barcelona is often chosen for short trips.
Barcelona. Gaudí houses on the map of Barcelona
One of the first works of Gaudí, considered a precursor of his style, is Casa Vicens custom built for a wealthy craftsman. Today you can see it only from the outside – it is private property, currently offered for sale anyway. Dark pink building, finished in white and gray tile is massive thanks to turrets and arches.
Casa Vicens Gaudi
Since 2002, which was also the International Year of Gaudi, the public is now able to enter the interior of Casa Batllo. If you don’t want to pay the fee you can also admire it from the outside. This is one of the favorite spots in Barcelona, almost always occupied by crowds of tourists with cameras and eyes widened with surprise. Buildings that Gaudi rebuilt at the request of a local industrialist, also called a “house of bones” because the surrounding windows and columns in the balconies are strikingly similar to crossbones. The building has a beige-blue facade and is decorated with colored stones, ceramics and glass. The roof is to remind the husk covering the bulk of the dragon. The interior is similarly unique and colorful, and is also designed by Gaudi.
Another well-known home is the Casa Mila, also known as La Pedrera. A few stories curled oval building with no shapes is also called a “house without edges”. There is not a single right angle in that house, and that interior furnishings presented in several rooms comes from the era of Gaudí. But the biggest attraction of this place are strange chimneys roof. It is meant to be one of the most beautiful views of Barcelona.
casa-batllo
Another great place to see in Barcelona is Park Güell. Originally supposed to be settlement-garden for the rich, but because of little interest of people willing to live in it, it became a public park, which resembles a fairy-tale land sinking in green. Some of the highlights of the Park include the Column Hall, which was originally intended for the trade fair, the famous checkered mosaic-tiled bench and the house where Gaudi lived (today it is in the museum).
Last but not least from the Gaudi’s main landmarks is the Sagrada Familia. Penitential Church of the Holy Family is a symbol of Barcelona’s most famous design of the innovative architect. He devoted his life to the project until the very end, but this time miscalculated and could perform only one-fourth part of the project. Therefore, although the soaring towers of the temple can be seen from afar, it all can be seen only on the model. Construction continues, of course, with interruptions, for 130 years and, according to skeptics there is no end in sight. According to the optimists it will be finished by 2030, when the sky will score more than ten new towers. Are you a BIG lover of Calendar, find a big collection of 2023 Nude Calendars here.
