Architecture of gaudi: Antoni Gaudi | Biography, Sagrada Familia, Works, Buildings, Style, & Facts

7 of Architect Antoni Gaudí’s Most Influential Modernist Designs

Architecture

This Catalan architect is responsible for Spain’s most-visited monument

By Sara Tardiff

August 15, 2016

Antoni Gaudí is best known for working at the forefront of the Modernisme movement in the 19th and 20th century. Deriving inspiration from the popular neo-Gothic and organic styles of the time, the Catalan architect is behind some of Barcelona’s most iconic structures, such as the Sagrada Familia and Casa Milà. His love for nature and religion influenced his designs, through the use of heavily symbolic statues and structural forms. Today, many of his designs are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and Gaudí continues to be praised and studied by architects worldwide. These are seven of his most impressive architectural feats, from private residences to grand basilicas. Read on for a closer look at some of world’s best-recognized examples of Catalan modernism.

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Sagrada Familia

Although he devoted the final years of his life to this Roman Catholic church in Barcelona, Gaudí never completed the Sagrada Familia. The project began in 1882 as a neo-Gothic design by architect Francisco de Paul del Villar y Lozano. In 1883 Gaudí took over, transforming the structure into his own interpretation of Gothic blended with Art Nouveau. The interior’s supportive columns were inspired by a forest of intertwined trees, resulting in an ornamental raised ceiling composed of abstract shapes.
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Casa Milà

Also known as La Pedrera, this modernist apartment building was built in Barcelona between 1906 and 1912. At the time of its construction, it was considered controversial because of never-before-seen structural innovations like its undulating stone façade and self-supporting columns. It was named a World Heritage Site in 1984 and serves as the headquarters of the Catalunya–La Pedrera Foundation, which hosts exhibitions and public visits of the site.
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Casa Batlló

A 1904 remodel of an existing structure in Barcelona, Casa Battló is informally called Casa dels Ossos (House of Bones) because of the skeletal quality of its exterior. It is primarily decorated with colorful broken ceramic tiles, and the roof is elegantly arched, often compared to the back of a dragon. The roof also boasts four sculptural chimney stacks.
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Casa de los Botines

Casa de los Botines was Gaudí’s tribute to the surrounding city of León’s dramatic architecture. He incorporated medieval and neo-Gothic elements into the design, with a moat and two towers on either side of the building’s façade. Although intended as a residential building with a warehouse, it is now the headquarters for a local savings bank.

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Park Güell

A combination of experimental landscape and architectural design, Park Güell is situated on Carmel Hill in Barcelona. The space was built between 1900 and 1914, not opening as a public park until 1926. As a major part of Gaudí’s naturalist phase, Park Güell allowed him to develop an organic take on baroque structure. Incorporating a great deal of mythological and religious imagery, he drew inspiration from structures like the Temple of Apollo at Delphi.
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The Church of Colonia Güell

Another unfinished work by Gaudí, the Church of Colonia Güell was designed as a place of worship in Santa Coloma de Cervelló. The idea for the religious structure came from Count Eusebi de Güell, a Spanish entrepreneur. He ran out of money before they were able to complete the project, so the crypt is the only finished part.
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Episcopal Palace of Astorga

Built between 1889 and 1913, the Episcopal Palace in Astorga is one of Gaudí’s three designs outside of Catalonia. The original building was destroyed during a fire in the 19th century, and Gaudí was asked to create its replacement. He was working on a project in Barcelona at the time, so instead of studying the area’s terrain as he usually did, he asked for photos to be sent to him to work from. The neo-medieval structure uses gray granite for the exterior as well as four cylindrical towers. His signature style can still be seen in the arches of the buttresses and chimneys.

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Antoni Gaudi, a Spanish architect, is best known for his organic and free-flowing architecture. His work is easily identified by its distinctive mixture of form, color, texture, and organic aesthetics. Born into a poor family in Catalonia on the June 25th, 1852 he quickly showed a great interest in architecture – a passion that would consume him for the rest of his life.

Antoni did his schooling in Barcelona, which is a city that houses most of his great works. He was also a part of the Catalan Modernista movement that eventually morphed his nature-inspired style.

His works were primarily influenced by his passions in life. These included architecture, nature, and religion. Gaudi’s attention to detail was unsurpassed, and his integration of materials like ceramics, stained glass, wrought iron, and even carpentry mesmerized many. Antoni also introduced some new techniques in the treatment of materials such as using waste ceramic pieces (trencadis).

God’s Architect Antoni Gaudi

Although, he was involved in many great works around Barcelona, but most of his time was consumed with the construction of the Sagrada Familia (Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family) in Barcelona. Despite his investment of time and energy into the project, it remained unfinished at the time of his death.

Antoni died in Barcelona on the 10th June 1926 which was just 15 days short of his 74th birthday.

After his death, his work fell out of fashion to be re-discovered in the 1960’s. Since then, his works have received much praise from critics around the world. Many of his buildings have also since been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status.

Antoni’s Roman Catholic faith grew in strength throughout his life with religious imagery appearing in many of his works. His faith finally earned him the nickname “Gods Architect” that finally led to his beatification by the Pope.

Let’s explore the life of the man who changed architectural design forever.

Antoni Gaudi, circa 1878. Source: Canaan/Wikimedia Commons

Antoni Gaudi’s early years

Antoni Gaudi, Antoni Gaudi i Cornet in Catalan or Antoni Gaudi y Cornet in Spanish, was born in provincial Catalonia on the 25th June 1852. He was of humble origins and his father, Francesc Gaudi i Serra, worked as a coppersmith. Gaudi was the youngest of five children to his father and mother Antònia Cornet i Bertran.

Of the five children, only three survived to adulthood. Gaudi’s family originated in the average region of Southern France but his ancestor Joan Gauid moved to Catalonia in the 17th Century.

Owing to a lack of official documentation, his exact birthplace is lost to history. Despite this, it is often claimed that he was born in Reus or Riudoms which are neighboring municipalities of the Baix camp district. Later in life, Gaudi’s official documentation from his student and professional years did list ‘Reus’ as his place of birth.

Antoni developed a deep love for his “native land” and “great pride” in his Mediterranean heritage. He believed Mediterranean people to be “endowed with creativity, originality, and an innate sense of art and design.”

He spent a lot of time outdoors, especially during summer months when they stayed at the Gaudi family home Mas de la Calderera. This gave him plenty of opportunities to immerse himself in studying nature.

Gaudí (in the background) with his father (center), his niece Rosa and doctor Santaló during a visit to Montserrat, 1904. Source: Jbarta/Wikimedia Commons

Gaudi was not a healthy child, however. He often suffered from rheumatism which is thought to have contributed to his reticent and often reserved character. This led him to eventually embrace vegetarianism.

Antoni showed a great interest in architecture from a very young age. He studied in Barcelona which was Spain’s most modern city at the time in the 1870’s. Barcelona was the intellectual and political center of Catalonia at the time.

His studies were temporarily interrupted by compulsory military service after which he finally graduated from the Provincial School of Architecture in 1878. He spent this time in an infantry regiment in Barcelona as a Military Administrator.

Most of his service was spent on sick leave which enabled him to continue his studies. His poor health also saved him from having to fight the Third Carlist War between 1872 and 1876.

Gaudi’s childhood home. Source: Montserrat Gili/Wikimedia Commons

Tragedy strikes

Antoni Gaudi lost his mother in 1876; she was only 57. The very same year also saw his 25-year-old brother Fransesc die. He had just graduated as a physician.

Despite this Gaudi continued to study architecture at the School and the Barcelona Higher School of Architecture, graduating in 1878. Antoni needed to finance his studies by working as a draughtsman for various architects and construction firms.

He also studied French, history, economics, philosophy, and aesthetics. His grades were average, and he occasionally failed courses.

At his graduation, Elies Rogent (the Director of Barcelona Architecture School) said: “We have given this academic title either to a fool or a genius. Time will show.” Gaudí, when receiving his degree, reportedly told his friend, the sculptor Llorenç Matamala, with his ironical sense of humor, “Llorenç, they’re saying I’m an architect now. “

Gaudi’s first projects after graduation were far from the grandeur of his later works. Some of his first commissions were lampost for Placa Reial in Barcelona. He was also tasked with designing the unfinished Girossi newsstands, and the Cooperativa Obrera Mataronense (Workers’ Cooperative of Mataró) building.

Gaudi’s profile was raised with his first significant commission, the Casa Vicens. This would lead to many more important commissions, but first, he had a small fair to attend.

Gaudi develops his architectural muscle

Antoni’s architectural style developed through several phases in his life. After graduating in 1878, Antoni Gaudi’s style was initially heavily inspired by his Victorian predecessors.

This was evident in his school projects at the time. He soon developed his style that composed of mixing geometry with animated surfaces of brick or stone, ceramic tiles as well as floral or reptilian like metalwork.

Gaudi’s work at this time was reminiscent of Moorish (or Mudejar) style of architecture which are a unique mixture of Muslim and Christian design in Spain. Excellent examples of this style would be Casa Vicens (1878–80) and El Capricho (1883–85) and the Güell Estate and Güell Palace of the later 1880s.

Antoni Gaudi decided to showcase his work at the Paris World Fair in 1878. His work impressed one patron enough that he was asked to work on the Güell Estate and Güell Palace, amongst others.

Antoni Gaudi’s Salamander, Park Guell is a perfect example of his unique style. Source: Danel solabarrieta/Wikimedia Commons

Gaudi was tasked with the construction of the Basilica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia (Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family) in Barcelona. Despite the fact that plans had already been drawn up, he, true to form, completely overhauled the design and added his own distinctive style into the mix.

Guadi soon found himself experimenting with other older styles to produce some of his most famous works. These included the Episcopal Palace (1887–’93) and the Casa de los Botines (1892–’94), both Gothic, and the Casa Calvet (1898–1904), which was done in the Baroque style. A lot of his commission during this period were thanks to his 1888 World’s Fair showcase.

Gaudi’s personal life and views on Catalan autonomy

Antoni Gaudi was devoted to his work and remained single for his entire life. He was known to have been attracted to only a single woman, Josefa Moreu, who was a teacher at the Mataro Cooperative. Sadly, his feelings were not reciprocated.

Gaudi took refuge within his profound and growing Catholic faith. To acquaintances, he was often remembered as being socially awkward, unpleasant and generally bad-tempered. For those close to him, their memories were quite different.

Friends and family often described him as friendly and polite, good company and incredibly loyal.

In his youth, he would often dress “like a dandy” wearing costly suits and taking good care of his general appearance. In later life, this would change completely. He would often eat frugally, neglect his general appearance and often wore worn out suits. This, ultimately, turned out to be fatal for Gaudi.

Gaudi was always incredibly proud of his Catalonian origin and was deeply in favor of its culture. He was, however, generally reluctant to become politically active regarding the region’s autonomy from Spain.

Politicians, such as Francesc Cambó and Enric Prat de la Riba, suggested that he run for deputy but he refused. Despite this, he would often find himself in the wrong place at the wrong time.

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In 1920, while celebrating the Floral Games Celebrations he was beaten up by Spanish police during a riot. He was attacked once again on the 11 September 1924 during the National Day of Catalonia demonstration against the banning of the Catalan language.

He was later arrested by the Civil Guard under Primo de Riviera’s dictatorship and spent some time in prison. Gaudi was later released after paying the 50 pesetas bail.

Gaudí shows the Sagrada Família to the Papal nuncio, Cardinal Francesco Ragonesi, 1915. Source: Canaan/Wikimedia Commons

Antoni’s equilibrated system

Post-1902, Antoni Gaudi’s designs departed dramatically from what had become agreed as conventional. At this time, he had created his own type of structure that would come to be known as equilibrated.

These types of buildings could stand on their own without the need for internal or external structural support like internal columns or external buttresses, for example. Primary functional elements of this system were piers or columns that tilted diagonally while making use of lightweight tile vaults. In effect, as Gaudi would put it himself, much like a tree stands.

This style of construction is best represented by two Barcelona apartment buildings: the Casa Batlló (1904–06) and the Casa Milà (1905–10). Both of these consists of floors that have been structured like the clusters of tile lily pads and these are considered to be typical of Gaudi’s style.

Casa Milà in Barcelona is typical of Antoni Gaudi’s style. Source: Misdianto/Wikimedia Commons

These two buildings were designed, as he often did, to be metaphors of the mountainous and maritime character of Catalonia.

Gaudi, admired somewhat eccentric architect as it was an important participant in the Renaixensa. This was an artistic revival of the arts and crafts movement combined with a political revival and the form of fervent anti-Castilian “Catalanism.”

Both of these movements intended to reinvigorate the way of life in Catalonia that had long since been suppressed by the Castilian-dominated and Madrid-centred government in Spain.

The Church of the Holy Family or Sagrada Familia quickly became the religious symbol of the Renaixensa movement. This became a project that wholly consumed Antoni Gaudi as time progressed.

Gaudi and the

Sagrada Familia

Antoni Gaudi was commissioned to build the church in 1883. As he began to work on it, he noticeably became more and more pious.

Antoni Gaudi became increasingly closer to god in his later years. After 1910, he would begin to turn away from his other work and focus, instead, on the Sagrada Familia which he had begun in 1883. He spent longer and longer hours cloistering himself on site and living out of his workshop.

This church would incorporate both Gaudi’s equilibrated system as well as elements of more traditional styles. The final building of the church was borrowed from the cathedral-Gothic and Art Nouveau styles but was presented in a form beyond recognition.

The Sagrada Familia, Barcelona circa 2009. Source: Bernard Gagnon/Wikimedia Commons

From his original drawings and models for the church, Gaudi equilibrated the cathedral-Gothic style far beyond recognition. It had become a noticeably complex forest of helicoidal piers, hyperboloid vaults and sidewalls, and a hyperbolic paraboloid roof.

In 2010 the uncompleted Church was consecrated as a basilica by Pope Benedict XVI.

The church would remain unfinished at the time of his death in 1926 with one transept and one of the planned four towers completed. To mark the 100th year of his death, it is now intended to complete his vision by 2026.

Some of his works are UNESCO protected

A few of Antoni Gaudi’s works have been granted World Heritage status under UNESCO. On the whole, his work is recognized as some of the most outstanding buildings of the 20th Century. These cover his residential, public buildings, and his more creative pieces.

Of his works, the following have been granted UNESCO status:

Casa Mila – 1984
The Park Güell – 1984
The Palau Güell – 1984
Casa Batllo – 2005
Casa Vicens – 2005
Nativity Facade – 2005
Crypt and Apse of Sagrada Familia – 2005
Crypt of the Colònia Güell in Santa Coloma de Cervelló – 2005

Gaudi’s UNESCO statuses officially recognized his “exceptional and outstanding creative contribution to the development of architecture and building technology in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. “

They also recognize that “Gaudí’s work exhibits an important interchange of values closely associated with the cultural and artistic currents of his time, as represented in el Modernisme [sic] of Catalonia. It anticipated and influenced many of the forms and techniques that were relevant to the development of modern construction in the 20th century”.

Parc Güell. Source: Script/Wikimedia Commons

The tragic death of a legend

On the 7th June 1926, Antoni Gaudi was taking his usual daily walk to the Sant Felip Neri Church for his usual daily prayer and confession. Enroute between Girona and Bailen streets, he was struck by a passing Number 20 tram and was rendered unconscious.

Gaudi had no identification documents and his disheveled appearance on him at the time was assumed to be an unfortunate beggar by people on the scene. He did not receive any immediate medical attention.

He was eventually taken to the Santa Creu Hospital where he received some rudimentary care. Gaudi was eventually recognized by the chaplain of Sagrada Familia the following day but his condition had deteriorated significantly.

Gaudi succumbed to his wounds on the 10th June 1926 aged 73, just weeks away from his 74th birthday. He was buried a few days later. A large crowd gathered to bid a fond farewell to this visionary artist.

He was interned in the Chapel of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the crypt of, fittingly, Sagrada Familia. The grave bear the following inscription:-

“Antoni Gaudí Cornet. From Reus. At the age of 74, a man of exemplary life, and an extraordinary craftsman, the author of this marvelous work, the church, died piously in Barcelona on the tenth day of June 1926; henceforward the ashes of so great a man await the resurrection of the dead. May he rest in peace.”

Gaudi’s funeral in 1926. Source: Canaan/Wikimedia Commons

Gaudi was forgotten and remembered once again

Gaudi’s style was admired, often without any criticism, by Surrealist and Abstract Expressionist painters and sculptors throughout his life. Such is the fickle nature of fashion that after his death his works suffered a period of neglect and became largely unpopular amongst critics.

It was often disregarded as being baroque and excessively over expressive. Leading to his work largely being ignored throughout the 1920s and 30s.

At home in Catalonia, he was viewed with both disdain by Noucentisme, the new movement which took the place of Modernisme. During the turmoil and devastation of the Spanish Civil War in 1936, his great work, the Sagrada Familia, was sacked. A great number of documents, models, and plans for its completed form were lost to history.

By the 1950s his work was once again championed by critics and artists like the one and only Salvador Dali. Dali’s sentiments were also shared by the architect Joseph Lluis Sert. On the centenary of his birth, the Asociación de Amigos de Gaudí (Friends of Gaudí Association) was founded with the aim of disseminating and conserving his legacy.

Four years later in 1956, a retrospective was organized at the Saló del Tinell in Barcelona, and the Gaudí Chair at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia was created with the purpose of deepening the study of the Gaudí’s works and participating in their conservation.

Casa Battlo, Barcelona. Source: Rapomon/Wikimedia Commons

Gaudi’s legacy

From 1950 to 1960 critics like George R. Collins and Roberto Pane began to spread a renewed awareness for Gaudi’s work. At home in Catalonia, his work was rediscovered by y Alexandre Cirici, Juan Eduardo Cirlot, and Oriol Bohigas.

Gaudi has since gained international appreciation, once again, especially in Japan where notable studies have been published. His style has since influenced architects like Santiago Calatrava and Norman Foster.

Antoni’s religious and ascetic lifestyle would ultimately inspire the archbishop of Barcelona, Ricard Maria Carles, to propose Gaudi for beautification in 1998.

On the 150th anniversary of his birth many official ceremonies, concerts, shows, and conferences were held, and several books were published. In September of the same year a musical, simply titled Gaudi, premiered in the Palau dels Esports de Barcelona.

In 2008, the Gaudi Awards were launched in his honor. These were organized by the Catalan Film Academy and are awarded to the best Catalan films of the current year.

His work currently enjoys massive popularity around the world from members of the public and architects alike. His, as yet incomplete, masterpiece the Sagrada Familia is currently the most visited monument in Spain.

Antoni Gaudi’s work has been officially recognized by UNESCO for its importance to world heritage but to anyone who has seen his works, this is self-evident.

Via: Biography, AntoniGaudi, Brittanica

For You

Gaudí Architecture in Barcelona – Barcelona10

Barcelona is a city of incomparable architectural delights, one of the capitals of Art Nouveau. The creations of Antoni Gaudi occupy a central place in the urban space. Millions of tourists travel to Barcelona to see these masterpieces of architecture with their own eyes. In total, there are thirteen objects built by Gaudí in Barcelona. Here we will highlight seven of the most notable.

The genius of the artist is embodied not only in the exterior design, but also in the interiors, which are definitely worth appreciating. During the high season, there are long queues of those who want to, so we recommend purchasing fast-entry tickets in advance, follow the links. You can see all the masterpieces of Gaudi at once on a five-hour author’s tour.

One of Gaudí’s most famous works in Barcelona is La Sagrada Familia or Sagrada Familia. This is a huge temple that has been under construction for over 130 years. The construction of the basilica began back in 1882, and it is expected to be completed only by 2050. This is not only the most famous, but also the most visited tourist attraction in Barcelona.

You can find the Sagrada Familia at Mallorca, 401. To get to it, you need to take the lilac L2 or blue L5 metro line to the Sagrada Familia station or bus routes 19, 33, 34, 43, 44, 50 and 51.

There are always huge queues of tourists to the cathedral. Therefore, we recommend purchasing a ticket to the cathedral in advance. You can do it using this link.

Casa Batllo is one of the most unusual houses in Barcelona. The house looks like it was built from skulls and bones. It is felt that when designing this house, Gaudi was inspired by the depths of the sea. The facade of the building has a delicate coral color.

Maestro Antonio paid great attention to details. It is worth paying attention at least to the windows of the Casa Batlló: their size depends on how high they are. Thus, the issue of uniform lighting of the rooms was solved.

Tourists will be able to see Casa Batllo at Passeigde Gràcia 43, which can be reached by taking the metro green line L3 to Passeigde Gràcia. It is worth paying attention to the subway exit! It should be Calle Aragó – Rambla Catalunya, then it will take literally 30 seconds to walk to Batllo’s house.

Tickets for Casa Batlló can also be purchased in advance.

Be sure to visit Barcelona’s aristocratic park, built by Gaudí for wealthy industrialist Eusebi Güell. Park Güell combines unique stone structures, amazing mosaics and magnificent buildings. At the entrance to the park, tourists are greeted by a dragon fountain decorated with mosaics.

It is in this park that one can feel how strongly nature influenced Antoni Gaudí’s architecture. There are huge stone columns that have grown out of the ground like strange tree trunks. At the top of the park there is a terrace from which everyone can enjoy a magnificent view not only of the park, but of all of Barcelona.

You can get to Parc Güell on the L3 line to Lesseps station. And then a twenty-minute walk following the signs, which ends with a two-hundred-meter steep slope. Exact address: Carrer d’Olot.

Practical travelers will be interested in combined tickets to Parc Güell with other attractions. You can save a lot on them! Check out the offers here.

Another attraction of Barcelona from Gaudí is Casa Mila. A house without a single straight line attracts thousands of tourists. There is also an apartment-museum of Antonio Gaudi himself. In addition, you can visit a themed cafe.

Mila’s house is located near the Batlló house. Exact address: Provença, 261-265

If you do not want to stand in line for 2 hours under the scorching Barcelona sun, then it is better to take care of tickets in advance.

Not many tourists know about the existence of Casa Vicens, one of Gaudí’s earliest works. This family residence was designed and built under the order of the industrialist Manuel Vicens in 1878-1889. The style of the building mixes Spanish-Arabic with oriental and natural accents characteristic of Gaudí.

Bright colors and special attention to detail will impress any connoisseur of beauty.

Address: Carrer de les Carolines, 18-24. Nearest metro station: Fontana, green line L3.

You can book a ticket here.

House Calvet

Antoni Gaudí’s most modest house is the Calvet house. There is nothing supernatural in it, a restrained modernist style with baroque elements. But it was for this house that the architect received the award for the best building of the year in 1900.

The house was designed as a profitable one. According to the tradition of that time, trading premises were located on the first floor, the owner’s apartment on the second, and the upper floors were rented out. Some of the author’s furniture has been lost, but much has been preserved, including the old elevator.

House address: Carrer de Casp, 48

Gaudí lampposts

Gaudí did an incredible amount for Barcelona, and you are sure to come across his work without even knowing it. While not yet a famous architect, Gaudí was engaged in street lighting in Barcelona in the 1880s, when the first electricity came to the city.

The lampposts of the young Gaudí can be seen on the Palace and Royal Squares (Pla de Palau and Plaça Reial). They don’t just look like antiques, they are valuable monuments!

Enjoy your walks in the city of Gaudí!

Architectural masterpieces of Antoni Gaudí in Barcelona: list, description, photo

The genius of architecture. Unique creator. A freelance artist… All these phrases can be attributed to Antonio Gaudi, the famous Catalan architect who lived in the 19th and 20th centuries and left behind many amazing and unusual buildings.

Barcelona is the city that boasts the richest “collection” of Gaudi’s architectural masterpieces, the most famous of which are residential buildings, a magnificent park and a grandiose temple. But first things first…

Manor Güell

One of the admirers of Gaudí’s talent was the rich Count Eusebio Güell. He shared Antonio’s views on art and generously sponsored the architect. So one of the first projects of Gaudi was the construction of a country residence for his friend-philanthropist. The estate was built between 1884 and 1887. in Art Nouveau style with elements of Moorish architecture. The residence complex included a residential one-story house, stables and an indoor arena.

The facades of the building were covered with beautiful decorative tiles and the windows were decorated with clinker bricks. Particularly noteworthy were the wide five-meter entrance gates, which received the name “Dragon Gates” for the main element of the decor. Currently, the most elite residential area of Barcelona, Pedralbes, has grown around the estate, and in the former house of the count, Gaudí’s Chair is now located, the purpose of which is to preserve his heritage.

Casa Batllo

Passeig de Gracia, one of the most expensive streets in Barcelona, is full of Art Nouveau buildings. Perhaps the most fabulous and unusual of them is Casa Batllo, converted by Gaudi in 1904-1906 from a 19th-century building. The author’s fantasy turned the building into an amazing structure, now called the House of Bones for its columns in the form of human bones and strange balconies resembling skulls. The facade of Batllo’s house is decorated with multi-colored glass mosaics and colored disks, the roof looks like a Harlequin’s hat, and the fence of the building is made in the form of carnival masks. The house makes such a charming impression that since 2005 it has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

House of Mila

On the same street there is another brilliant building of Antonio Gaudi built in 1906-1909 – Casa Mila or Quarry, which is a huge block of stone, devoid of sharp corners, with rounded windows.

The roof deserves special attention, the chimneys of which are made in the form of fairy-tale knights. Walking along it will not leave anyone indifferent. And the interiors of the building will amaze with the smoothness of the lines.

Parc Güell

On the slopes of Mount Tibidado lies the beautiful Parc Güell in all its splendor, yet another figment of Gaudí’s imagination, commissioned by Count Güell in 1900-1914. Entering the park, visitors immediately emit an exclamation of amazement when they see two “gingerbread” houses. On the central staircase, decorated with pieces of white mosaic, tourists approach the sculpture of a huge motley lizard, which is one of the symbols of Barcelona. And then their eyes see the Hall of a Hundred Columns (actually there are 86 of them), which scatter in orderly rows in different directions. The roof of this hall is a viewing terrace with the world’s longest bench in the shape of a sea wave, which is covered with mosaic drawings, they can be viewed for hours. And the view of the city and the sea from here is amazing. Walking along the alleys of the park, travelers come to beautiful stone galleries, the columns of which resemble palm trunks, and the pointed backs of the benches resemble plant leaves. Thus, the boundaries between nature and stone structures seem to be erased.

Sagrada Familia

But the most important creation of his life, Antonio Gaudi considered the grandiose Expiatory Church of the Sagrada Familia, which was to become the main Christian shrine of the whole world. Work on the construction of the Sagrada Familia began in 1882 and was interrupted in 1926 due to the death of a talented architect. At that time, only 4 towers of the facade of the Nativity of Christ were built out of the planned 12, which were supposed to symbolize the 12 apostles. Gaudi planned to build 2 more facades of the Passion of Christ and the Resurrection of Christ, and the grandiose building itself was to be crowned with a huge dome tower, symbolizing the Savior of the world Jesus. The temple was built slowly, and Antonio himself liked to repeat the phrase: “My customer is in no hurry,” meaning God. In the 20th century, several attempts were made to continue construction according to the extremely intricate drawings of Gaudi, who was buried in the crypt of the Sagrada. Active work on the construction of the temple began at 90 years and continues to this day. The final date of construction is supposedly called 2026. But the unfinished Sagrada Familia, surrounded by cranes, is a grandiose sight.

7 of Architect Antoni Gaudí’s Most Influential Modernist Designs

Sagrada Familia

Casa Milà

Casa Batlló

Casa de los Botines

Park Güell

The Church of Colonia Güell

Episcopal Palace of Astorga

Antoni Gaudi: Biography, Buildings, Architecture