The Ultimate Map of Gaudi Buildings Barcelona: Top 11 Architectural Marvels
Gaudi is arguably Barcelona’s most famous architect and a synonym of the architectural style of Catalan Modernism. He designed and developed several projects in the city and is also responsible for creating some of its most iconic landmarks, such as Park Güell, Casa Batlló, and the Sagrada Familia.
Yet, there are tons of other Gaudi-designed projects found around Barcelona that you might not have heard of.
Map of Gaudi Buildings Barcelona
Browse through the interactive google map below or explore our list of the top Gaudi buildings in Barcelona. Don’t miss the chance to take a picture next to one of these architectural gems on your next visit.
1. Casa Vicens
Casa Vicens was Gaudi’s first project in 1883. Manuel Vicens I Montaner, a Girona businessman, commissioned Gaudi to design this project. Gaudi’s work on the building began in 1885, and the construction on the building finished in 1888. The building is an example of Gaudi’s early career before being commissioned for major projects including Park Güell or Sagrada Familia.
Gaudí’s style changed considerably from his early gothic work at Casa Vicens to a more modernist style for Park Güell and Casa Batlló, among other buildings built later in his career. The irregularly shaped building has a façade covered in dark red trencadís tiles, while the roof has red tiles and green lead.
2. Casa Milà (La Pedrera)
The first draft of the project was done on paper in 1902. The final design was not completed until 1910. Construction began on October 5 of that year, and on February 24, 1914, Gaudí took his last walk through the finished building.
He made the building of load-bearing brick with cut stone trim. Its façades are decorated with ceramic in various shades of orange and yellow, which were inspired by the Catalan flag. The roof covers are orange ceramic tiles shaped to look like large leaves; at either end are chimneys with tall pots that serve as ventilators for the kitchen stove inside that still operate today.
Steel frames and stone facades supported the nine-story building, enabling Gaudi to experiment freely with curves, including an attic filled with 270 different parabolic arches. As with many other Gaudi works, this was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984. The facility is now a museum with guided tours available to the public.
Casa Milá is one of the most extravagant houses you can imagine. Find out everything you need to know to visit and skip the waiting line.
3. Park Guell
Gaudi’s design was not just avant-garde but he wanted to create a garden landscape that was wholly unique and innovative and intended to provide Barcelona with beauty, peace, drama, stability, and movement.
Park Güell is a must-see for every tourist, with its curved chairs shaped like sea serpents and walkways leading up to a viewpoint with a magnificent panoramic view of Barcelona. Gaudi spent decades in his home here, La Torre Rosa, during the latter part of his life. Tourists may explore the inside and view some of his original furniture designs.
4. Colonia Güell
When Gaudi’s long-time patron and businessman Eusebi Güell started the construction of Colonia Güell in 1898 on a suburban development for his employees, he commissioned Gaudi to build a neighborhood church.
By the time the Güell family abandoned the project in 1914, he had only finished the lower nave or crypt. However, even though the structure was only half constructed, it displayed Gaudi’s architectural ability and structural innovations.
5. La Sagrada Familia
La Sagrada Familia is the most important tourist attraction in Barcelona because of its unusual design and size. The building began in 1882 and is up for completion in 2026.
The architect’s goal was to create a perfect, pure form of God’s house on Earth as a temple dedicated to his faith. To achieve this, he used nature as his guide for its design and construction, even going so far as copying tree roots for building pillars.
The design of La Sagrada Familia includes three large basilica naves that form a cross shape with an immense central nave which reinforces the impression that it’s built on solid ground rather than suspended in the sky.
Gaudi’s original sketches for the church continue to be displayed in the National Art Museum of Catalonia.
The main building comprises multiple towers, one for each apostle and three over the transept crossing representing the Holy Trinity, and a large central buttress symbolizing a mountain from which flows a river. Inside, visitors will find many biblical scenes depicted through mosaic figures on walls and ceilings.
6. Palau Güell
This private residence for Eusebi Güell, one of Gaudi’s first works, was a pinnacle of Catalan Art Nouveau architecture when it was completed in 1888, just in time for the Universal Exhibition that came to town that year.
Guests would arrive through carriages via a pair of gigantic wrought-iron gates inspired by seaweed and horsewhips and then continue through a succession of well-appointed rooms to a towering main parlor designed for entertaining. And inside, you’ll see a parabolic pyramid with a vast domed roof.
7. Finca Güell
In 1884, the Güell family commissioned Gaudi to design this building.
Because of the architecture and unique design, it has become a major tourist spot. Gaudi has constructed the building in a rationalist style influenced by neo-Gothic and art nouveau.
Vertical lines and terraces with asymmetrical openings on its facades, exterior walls, windows, door frames, and arches characterize Finca Guell. There are also two towers at either end of the facade facing each other from opposite directions, creating an appearance similar to that found on Arab mosques or cathedrals.
The architect Antoni Gaudi gave his name to one of these towers as he admired Moorish architecture. The towers symbolized conquest but they eventually removed them to create more space for the family’s home on the upper floors (which it still is).
8. Casa Batlló
In 1904, this refurbished mansion for Joseph Batlló was a landmark structure in the prestigious Passeig de Gracia neighborhood.
Gaudi’s outlandish design drew the attention of passersby, with a roof resembling the back of a dragon, a series of tile mosaics that appear to change color as you walk by, and columns and balconies resembling the discs of a spine.
The architecture is a fever dream of design, with authenticity by an unconventional architect.
Casa Batlló is an incredible work of art inspired by marine life and nature. Find out more about its history, tickets, and more!
9. Casa Calvet
Casa Calvet is a building built by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. He constructed it in 1906 for Pere Joan and Francesca Solé Turra, one of the famous Catalan textile families that migrated to France after the Spanish Civil War.
The house was an experimental work in which Gaudí experimented with new ideas that would later become characteristic of his mature style: structural sculptures integrated into walls, a large courtyard, interior decoration with natural details such as trees and plants.
10. College of Teresians
In 1899, Gaudi took over this institutional project, which consisted of a rectangular structure with classrooms, nuns’ quarters, and a beautiful wrought-iron gate. The ground floor facade is very sober and austere while the upper floors have elaborate decorations giving it a playful appearance.
The large windows are decorated by sculpted reliefs with biblical scenes, angels, and arabesques, while other windows have stained glass panels depicting biblical figures or myths from Antiquity.
The College of Teresians has very rich neo-gothic interior decoration thanks to Gaudí’s innovative brickwork, which allows its multiple floors to stand out from one another. The stained glass windows and the wooden furniture, including the pews and pulpits in the chapel, are particularly elaborate.
He also wanted to reduce weight on the walls by using massive flying buttresses (attached to a thin wall) that served only one purpose: provide symmetry.
11. Bellesguard
Built between 1900 and 1909 on the hilltop site where a royal summer residence once stood, Bellesguard (“beautiful view”) is a modernist stone manor house that serves as Gaudi’s version of a castle.
While it is crowned with gargoyles and a red-and-gold Catalan flag, the structure reflects Gaudi’s design in a very traditional, rectilinear manner.
Author’s Note
Gaudi’s work provides the inspiration and goals of many travelers who visit Barcelona. His designs are pure and beautiful in their form, including the Bellesguard manor structure with a medieval theme. Gaudi has left a legacy of incredible architecture in the city.
His work has been preserved for future generations and has served as a testament to his genius. The Gaudi Barcelona map at the top of the page will help you locate some of Gaudi’s interesting buildings on your trip to Barcelona.
For another take on which are the best Gaudi buildings to visit in the city, along with full biography of the architect, head over to Barcelona Life.
10x Antoni Gaudí – Barcelona Buildings & Architecture
Barcelona / Gaudi architecture
Buildings, structures, houses and architecture of Gaudí in Barcelona
Antoni Gaudí
When you hear Barcelona, you immediately think of Antoni Gaudí.
Antoni Gaudí i Cornet (1852 – 1926) was an architect whose work was part of Catalan modernism (known abroad as Art Nouveau or Jugendstil). Born in Reus as the son of a copper smith, he went to Barcelona to study architecture. Antoni Gaudí died on 7 June 1926 at the age of 73 after being struck by a tram. He was buried in the Sagrada Familia.
In addition to the Sagrada Familia and Park Guell, Gaudi designed many more buildings, houses and structures in Barcelona. A lot of the buildings were commissioned by Eusebi Güell; a rich textile magnate who had also become one of his closer friends. All these structures are each certainly worth a visit for architecture lovers.
Gaudi buildings and structures in Barcelona
No.1 Architecture: Sagrada Familia
(1882 – 2026?) The absolute highlight of Barcelona and Spain is the unfinished church of the Holy Family, or the Sagrada Família.
This masterpiece designed by Antoni Gaudí has to be part of your city break in Barcelona. Please be sure to buy your tickets in advance, as the Sagrada Familia is usually sold out for the following day.
- More Sagrada Familia
Park Güell
(1900 – 1914) The popular Park Güell with its salamander and the mosaic benches was commissioned by Eusebi Güell. Intended as a luxury residential park, only a few houses were sold, including Antoni Gaudi’s own home that is now Casa Museu Gaudi. In order to visit the park, it’s necessary to buy tickets in advance.
- More Park Güel
Casa Batlló
(1904 – 1906) Josep Battló i Casanovas commissioned Gaudi to build an apartment complex on the Passeig de Gràcia. Nothing in the building is angular; it’s all flowing lines. The roof full of mosaics represents the back of a dragon. One of Antoni Gaudi’s most beautiful UNESCO buildings to visit.
- More Casa Batllo
Houses: Casa Mila – La Pedrera
(1906 – 1910) This apartment complex on the Passeig de Gràcia is one of Antoni Gaudi’s most famous buildings and is on the UNESCO list. Because of its appearance without any straight lines, the building is also referred to as ‘La Pedrera’, or the stone quarry. It’s roof terrace is a particularly popular photo spot.
- More Casa Mila
Palau Güell
(1886 – 1890) Near the Ramblas, Eusebi Güell had a large and dark residential palace built for his family. The decorations are certainly very special. The roof (pictured) has spectacular lighting and the roof terrace is characterised by the mosaic chimneys. This UNESCO building is certainly worth a visit and not as crowded as the other Gaudí works.
- More Palau Güell
Crypt of Gaudi (Colonia Güell)
(1908 – 1914) 23 kilometres from Barcelona, Eusebi Güell had Colonia Güell built; a community for the workers of his textile factory there.
He commissioned Antoni Gaudí to design a church there. Because of a lack of funding, the church was unfortunately never completed and construction stopped after Gaudi’s crypt, which is certainly worth a visit.
- More Crypt of Gaudi
Houses: Casa Vicens
(1883 – 1889) Casa Vicens was Gaudi’s first important design and is also on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The colourful building is located in the Gràcia district and was built by tile manufacturer Manuel Vicens i Montaner. The building is a mix of Spanish and mudejar style and clad with ceramic tiles. Casa Vicens recently opened to visitors. Daily opened 10am – 10pm.
- More Casa Vicens
Finca Güell
(1884 – 1887) Originally, Finca Güell was the luxury holiday home of the Güell family on a large plot just outside Barcelona (on Av. de Pedralbes 7). Gaudi designed the stables, the two watchmen houses, and the cast-iron entrance gate with the mythical dragon.
Very little is left of the estate, but the entrance, and a small part of the old garden can still be visited. Admittance is 5 €, and it is open daily from 10:00 – 16:00. Many tourists find a visit to Finca Güell underwhelming.
Casa Calvet
(1898 – 1900) Casa Calvet is located in the quarter of Eixample (Carrer de Casp) and was built by textile magnate Andreu Calvet, who used it as a residence and commercial building. It is one of the less striking buildings by Antoni Gaudi in Barcelona and noticeably deviates from Gaudi’s typical architectural style (more symmetry and repetition). Casa Calvet is now home to a very fine restaurant and cannot be viewed without a trip to the restaurant.
La Torre Bellesguard
(1900-1909) At the base of the Tibidabo mountain is the mansion ‘Torre Bellesguard’, also called Casa Figueras. The residence has a Gothic Catalan style with modernist elements and used to offer a beautiful view (‘Bell esguard’) of the city.
This natural stone building with its castle-like appearance can be visited for €9 with an audio guide. Official website.
More structures designed by Antoni Gaudí in Barcelona?
You will encounter Antoni Gaudi in Barcelona in many ways, for instance:
- On Plaça Reial you will find a lamp post designed by Antoni Gaudi (photo). It was his first commission for the city of Barcelona.
- Near the entrance of Park Güell, you will find the Gaudi Experience; this 4D presentation shows you Gaudi’s life work in a unique way. Great for all ages.
- Gaudi Exhibition Center (closed?): This recently opened exhibition next to the cathedral presents the fascinating work by the great architect Antoni Gaudí through 22 audiovisual presentations, multimedia spaces, and technological aides. The exhibition ‘Walking with Gaudi’ shows a large collection of unique pieces, as well as models, objects, and documents from this modernist architect. This new concept of exhibitions helps you better understand the life of Antoni Gaudi, as well as his revolutionary ideas on architecture.
Our readers say
4.8
(95.83%) 13
reviews
February 28, 2023
Michael: “We had an amazing trip to Barcelona city because of the interesting local tips for sightseeing, activities and best things to do in Barcelona Spain.”
Park Güell
Barcelona things to do
Magic Fountain
Sagrada Familia
Picasso Museum
Camp Nou
Montjuïc
Casa Mila
Casa Batllo
Gaudí Architecture – 10 Wonders of Barcelona
Many tourists go to Barcelona to admire the architectural masterpieces of Antoni Gaudí. But you don’t have to fly to the Catalan capital. All his legacy …
The personality of Antonio Gaudi is enigmatic and mysterious.
The second person who, in my opinion, has a similar aura is not even a real person, but a character in the novel by Francis Scott Fitzgerald The Great Gatsby. And with the ease with which the hero of the novel charmed his audience with soirees, with the same ease Gaudí’s work captures our heart, soul and memory.
What is his genius?
Perhaps the answer lies on the surface. He is around us. Gaudi deified nature and drew inspiration from it. He was the first to decide to transfer the laws of nature to architecture.
.
Its church spiers are topped with sheaves of cereals and ears of corn, the arches of the windows are crowned with fruit baskets, and clusters of grapes hang from the façades; drainpipes meander in the form of snakes and reptiles; chimneys are twisted with snails, and fence grates are forged in the form of palm leaves.
Everything ingenious is simple!
During his lifetime, Antonio Gaudí created more than 20 architectural masterpieces, 10 of which are located directly in Barcelona.
I invite you to take a fascinating walk through the streets of Barcelona and get acquainted with the masterpieces of Gaudí’s architecture, which have no analogues to this day.
And you can stay in Barcelona in these hotels:
1. House of Vicens (Casa Vicens)
Casa Vicens was the first significant work of Gaudí. It was built between 1883 and 1888 by order of the owner of the ceramic tile factory, Manuel Vicens Muntaner.
For the first time inspecting the future construction site, Gaudí discovered a giant flowering palm tree surrounded by a carpet of yellow marigold flowers. All these motifs Gaudi later included in the design of the house: palm leaves found their place on the fence, and marigolds became the pattern of ceramic tiles.
Gaudí developed the design of the entire building, from the meticulous finishing of the exterior to the decorative interior solutions, up to the painting of the walls and stained-glass windows.
Since the house is a private property, it is closed to the public. However, one day a year, May 22, the owners of the house open its doors to guests.
2. Pavilions of the Güell Estate (Pavellons Güell)
It was on this project that two great men met who for many years to come determined the image of Barcelona: the architect Antoni Gaudí and Count Eusebi Güell. By order of Güell, Antonio had to reconstruct the patron’s summer country residence: remake the park and erect a gate with a fence, build new pavilions and design stables with an indoor arena. And in order to show a single idea for the entire project, the architect made all the buildings in the same style, using the same building material and a pattern resembling dragon scales.
It was during the construction of the pavilions that Güell Gaudí first used the trencadís technique – covering the surface with pieces of ceramic or glass of irregular shape. Later, we will meet this technology in the design of benches in the Park Güell and many other works of the architect.
Unfortunately, today only the entrance group with a gate decorated with a dragon has survived from the building. As conceived by Gaudi, the dragon guarded the garden with golden apples, giving eternal youth and immortality.
When the gate was opened, the head and paws of the dragon moved, frightening and surprising guests and passers-by. Today, you can approach the Dragon without fear – it will remain motionless and freely let you into the estate.
3. Palau Güell
The next large-scale project created by Antoni Gaudí for Güell is a residential building, or rather, a palace. This magnificent Venetian “palazzo” is squeezed into a small space of 22 by 18 meters.
It is impossible to fully assess the appearance of the entire Palau Güell from any point, because Carrer Nou de la Rambla is very densely built up. To surprise viewers who are at a great distance from the building, Gaudí designed unusual chimney towers.
Gaudí believed that a single architectural element cannot be a worthy decoration of a roof. Therefore, in the castle, the roof is designed according to the “scenographic” principle. Each chimney is made in the form of a whimsical turret, turning the roof into a magical garden. Gaudi uses this favorite technique in many of his future projects.
At the entrance, between two forged gates of the palace, Gaudí placed the coat of arms of Catalonia, and engraved on the gates the initials of Euzebi Güell – “E” and “G”.
4. College of the Order of St. Teresa (Collegi de las Teresianes)
“Collegi de las Teresianes” – a school at the monastery of St. Teresa – also became one of the architectural masterpieces of Antoni Gaudí. The college building was built between 1888 and 1890 by order of Enric d’Usso, the priest who founded the Theresian order.
The architect Juan B. Ponsom was initially entrusted with the development of the plan.
He worked on the project for a whole year, and even managed to build the building up to the second floor, when the construction was entrusted to Gaudi. The young brilliant architect managed to make significant changes to the initial design and complete the construction in less than a year.
This was an unusual project for Gaudí. Firstly, he had to work on a limited budget, so ordinary brick and imitation stone were used in the construction. And secondly, his fantasy was “framed”. Antonio first coordinated all his architectural and decorative ideas with the priest, and only after that he could bring them to life. Not surprisingly, most of the plans were rejected.
The architect did decorate the school as best he could. To do this, he used numerous neat arches and decorative elements on the battlements of the building, which look like professors’ hats.
5. Calvet House (Casa Calvet)
Another masterpiece of the architect Antoni Gaudi in Barcelona at first glance seems ordinary and unremarkable, but it is worth taking a closer look .
.. , in accordance with all the criteria of a “profitable” house. Shops were located on the first floor, the hostess herself lived on the second floor, and the remaining levels were given to tenants.
It’s a paradox, but the most “ordinary” creation of Antonio Gaudí immediately after its construction, in 1900, was recognized as the best building in Barcelona. For many, this came as a surprise, since by this time Antonio had completed several projects that looked more refined and sophisticated. However, the authorities of the capital of Catalonia, it was this creation that seemed the most worthy.
In the design of the facade, Gaudi thought through every little thing. So, honeycombs suggested the shape of the peephole to the architect. When creating it, the genius dipped his fingers into the clay mass several times, and then poured metal into the resulting shape.
And the knockers on the front doors hit the picture of the bed bug. Perhaps, according to the ancient Catalan custom, killing this insect brought good luck and prosperity to the house.
Or maybe Antoni Gaudí just didn’t like pests.
Today, the Kalvet house is still used for its intended purpose: the basement is reserved for warehouses, the first floor is occupied by an office, and residential apartments are located on the remaining floors.
6. Figueres House on Bellesguard Street, Barcelona (Casa Figueras)
At the beginning of the 15th century, King Martí the Humane built a magnificent palace on the slopes of Mount Tibidabo, which he called Bellesguard, translated from Catalan as “beautiful view”. Five centuries later, in 1900, a completely different, more modest neo-Gothic palace by the architect Antonio Gaudi arose on the same site. Subsequently, he received the name of the House of Figueres.
The house turned out in a rather bizarre style. The structure seems to be directed upwards, although the structure itself is far from being high. Gaudi achieved a similar effect by using a sharp spire in the construction, as well as by deliberately overestimating each part of the house.
The height of the basement was 3 meters, the first floor – 5 meters, mezzanine – 6 meters. The total height of the house reaches 33 meters and it looks completely completed in the vertical direction.
In the course of the construction work, Gaudí slightly displaced the medieval road and placed it on vaults with inclined columns. He also uses this technique in Park Güell.
Until 2013 the house of Figueres was closed to the public, but since the owners needed funds for renovation, they decided to open it to tourists.
Slowly, we are approaching the most interesting. These are the famous and popular sights of Barcelona by the hands of Antonio Gaudí, and the first of them is Park Güell.
7. Park Güell. Garden City (Parc Güell)
Probably, each of us has seen Gaudí’s gingerbread houses at least once – one of the symbols of the capital of Catalonia, which is found on postcards, magnets and other souvenirs. You and I can find them at the entrance to Park Güell, or sometimes it is called “Gaudi Park”.
Once upon a time, this popular park in Barcelona began its development as a commercial project. After a trip to England, Güell was impressed by the park areas and set about creating something similar in Barcelona. To do this, he purchased a large plot on a hill and asked Antoni Gaudí to take over the project. According to Güell’s idea, the park was to become a residential community for the Catalan elite. But the inhabitants of the city did not support his efforts. As a result, only 3 exhibition specimens were built from residential buildings, in which the authors of the project themselves – Güell and Gaudi, as well as their lawyer friend, settled. Later, the Barcelona City Council bought the property from the heirs of the patron and transformed it into a city park, and opened a municipal school and a museum in two houses. The lawyer’s house still belongs to his family.
The architect did an excellent job. He designed all the necessary communication systems, planned streets and squares, built viaducts, ramparts, entrance pavilions and a staircase that leads to the 100 Columns Hall.
On the roof of the hall there is a large square, surrounded by a bright curved bench around the perimeter.
8. Casa Batlló
House of bones, house of dragons, house of yawns are all names Barcelona.
This attraction is located in the very center of Barcelona, and no matter how hard you wish, you can’t pass by without noticing it. A humpbacked roof that looks like a dragon’s spine, a mosaic facade that changes color depending on the light, balconies that resemble the faces of big-eyed flies or skulls – all this makes an indelible impression.
An order for the reconstruction of the house Antoni Gaudí received from a textile magnate who planned to completely demolish the old building. Keeping the original structure of the house, the architect designed two new facades. The main one overlooks Passeig de Gracia, the back one goes inside the quarter.
To improve the lighting and ventilation of the building, Gaudí combined the light shafts into a single courtyard.
Here, the architect created a special play of chiaroscuro: in order to achieve uniform lighting, Gaudí gradually changes the color of the ceramic cladding from white to blue and blue.
Part of the façade is covered by a mosaic of broken ceramic tiles that starts in golden hues, continues in orange, and ends in blue-green.
The roof of the house, according to tradition, is decorated with author’s chimney towers.
9. Casa Mila – Pedrera (Casa Milà)
Casa Mila is Antonio Gaudí’s latest secular project. After its construction, the architect devoted himself entirely to the main masterpiece of his life – the Sagrada Familia Cathedral.
Initially, the people of Barcelona did not accept Gaudí’s new creation. Mila’s house was nicknamed “Pedrera” which means “stone quarry” for its uneven and ponderous appearance. Builders and owners of the house were even fined several times for non-compliance with generally accepted standards.
But soon the passions subsided, they quickly got used to the house and began to treat it as another creation of a genius.
In the construction of Pedrera, Antoni Gaudí used technology that was far ahead of its time. Instead of the classic supporting and load-bearing walls, it used an irregularly shaped steel frame reinforced with arches and columns. Thanks to this, it was possible to give the facade of the house an unusual floating shape, and the layout of the apartments, at the request of the owner of the house, could change at any time. This technology is also very popular among modern builders who use it in the construction of monolithic-frame houses. But more than a century has passed!
But the architect’s talent was fully revealed on the roof of Mila’s house. Here, Gaudi created a special, fairy-tale world, decorating chimneys and elevator shafts with unusual sculptures.
Despite its cultural value, Mila’s house is still residential today.
Only the exhibition hall with the works of Antonio Gaudi, an apartment reflecting the life of that time, and the roof of the building are open for inspection.
10. Sagrada Familia (Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família)
The Sagrada Familia is Antoni Gaudí’s main masterpiece, the project of his whole life, to which he devoted 43 years. The construction of the cathedral began in 1882 under the direction of the architect Francesco del Villar. But a year later, young Gaudi was appointed in his place. According to his idea, the height of the cathedral should be only one meter lower than the highest mountain in Barcelona – 170 meters. With this, the architect wanted to show that what was created by human hands cannot be higher than what God created.
Sagrada Familia, like many other creations of Gaudí, is designed in the spirit of the philosophy of unity with nature. The building should be crowned with 18 towers – this is a symbol of the apostles, evangelists and Jesus Christ.
The facades of the cathedral are already decorated with sculptures depicting not only biblical characters, but also animals, grapes and various symbols reflecting facts from the lives of saints.
It is noteworthy that the figures of animals were created by Gaudí himself. He put his “models” to sleep and created their exact sculptures.
The interior of the cathedral is also thought out to the smallest detail. Gaudi assumed that from the inside the cathedral would resemble a forest, with stars visible through the branches of trees. As a reflection of this idea, multifaceted columns appeared in the cathedral, supporting the high vaults of the temple.
Closer to the vaults, the columns change their shape and branch like trees. The stars in this grandiose project were window openings located at different heights.
The death of Antonio Gaudi was as extraordinary as his whole life, as well as his work. 7 June 1926 years old, at the age of 73, he was hit by a tram.
The architect lost consciousness, but the cabmen were in no hurry to take him to the hospital: he had neither money nor documents, and he looked extremely untidy. As a result, he ended up in a hospital for the poor.
Gaudi died on June 10, 1926 and was buried in his favorite place – in the Expiatory Church of the Sagrada Familia.
Gaudí and Barcelona: in the places of a brilliant architect
The architecture of Barcelona is so integral that it seems as if it came down to earth at once with the light hand of Antoni Gaudí. It is worth coming here just to see with your own eyes all those masterpieces, the mysteries of the structure of which modern science is still unraveling. We will help you to take a tour of Barcelona and not forget any memorable place associated with the key architect of modernism.
House Calvet
At Casp, 48 (Carrer de Casp, 48) you can immediately notice the building that stands out against the background of the general architectural ensemble.
Initially, the building was created as an apartment building: the lower floors were reserved for commercial premises, and the upper ones were rented out. Gaudí abandoned Gothic and medieval allusions and used baroque elements, thanks to which one of the architect’s most traditional creations harmoniously blended into the overall architecture of the area. Now it is a residential building, so you can admire the external facades with thoughtful details, each of which tells about the owner, only from the outside.
Casa Batlló
In the Eixample district at Passeig de Gràcia 43 (Passeig de Gràcia, 43), the colorful Casa Batlló flaunts, at first glance resembling a skeleton. It all started with the fact that in 1904 Antonio Gaudí received an order to remake an apartment building owned by the textile manufacturer Josep Batllo. The architect left only the side walls, radically changing everything else. There are practically no straight lines in the house: it seems that its curved plant and animal forms are created by nature itself.
One of the legends says that the main facade embodies the story of the slaying of the dragon by the patron saint of Catalonia, St. George.
The ticket price for an adult will be about 18 euros.
House of Mila
Going up the Passeig de Gracia and see the last secular order of the architect – the House of Mila. For the heavy and textured facade, the people of Barcelona dubbed the new creation of Gaudi “pedrera” – a quarry. Now this universally recognized masterpiece is a favorite place for tourists. The innovation of the building was the thoughtful natural ventilation, which made it possible to abandon air conditioners. We can say that this is a transforming house, because it does not have load-bearing walls and partitions between apartments can be changed at will. Entrance to this outlandish place for adults will cost about 30 euros.
House of Vicens
House of Vicens is the next masterpiece left to us by Gaudí. This was his first serious order, received almost simultaneously with the graduation from the Higher School of Architecture, from the wealthy industrialist Manuel Vicens.
The house was built from raw stone and ceramic tiles, laid out in a checkerboard pattern with floral ornaments. This house, built in the style of modernism, stood out sharply against the backdrop of the prevailing eclecticism at that time. From the very beginning, Gaudi strove to create an architectural ensemble, carefully considering every detail: the original gate bars, windows, gates, interiors. Even then it was said that Gaudi was either a genius or a madman.
Parc Güell
Seeing all of Gaudí’s heritage in one day is difficult, but possible! A panoramic tour will help us with this, which includes the famous Park Güell with its mouth-watering “gingerbread houses”, the longest bench in the world and a colorful mosaic lizard. It was an order from a friend of Gaudí, industrialist Eusebi Güelem. He brought the city-planning idea of a garden city from England and wanted to implement it in Barcelona, rebuilding a green quarter for private mansions. But in economic terms, the idea turned out to be a failure, and the park became what we can see it now: a small paradise for tourists.
An adult ticket will cost 8 euros.
Sagrada Familia
The tour culminates in Antoni Gaudí’s most famous creation, to which he devoted 43 years of his life, the Sagrada Familia. The idea of creating a cathedral dedicated to the Holy Family (Virgin Mary, baby Jesus Christ and Joseph the Betrothed) arose back in 1874 and is embodied to this day with donations from parishioners and tourists.
Gaudi gave his all to this cause, because he considered God to be his main customer. He spent the last years of his life at a construction site, making models right there and giving all his salary as a donation to the Cathedral. For Gaudi, it was important not to interfere with the Creator’s plan (that’s why he didn’t even wear glasses, although one of his eyes was far-sighted and the other short-sighted). He considered his task to be “bringing planes and volumes into the light of day.” This is how the walls of the Cathedral were born, through which the wind itself sings melodies.
During his lifetime, he managed to complete only one facade of the Nativity of Christ, leaving a few drawings for later work. Completion is planned for the 100th anniversary of Gaudí’s death (2026). It is believed that while the temple is being built, Barcelona is atoning for its sins, so the locals throw another hundred years to the estimated date. In 2010, Pope Benedict XVI consecrated the Cathedral and since then it has been open for daily worship. The cost of an entrance ticket without a guide for an adult is 12.50 euros. You can get to the Cathedral by metro, reaching the Sagrada Familia station.
Palau Güell
Let’s gather our strength, because there are very few places left connected with Antoni Gaudí and his brilliant work that every self-respecting tourist should visit. So, we take the metro to the Liceu station, pass through the most crowded quarter of Barcelona, the Rambla, and see the Palau Güell. This is one of the first works of Gaudí, in which he tries to find new forms that are different from eclecticism and finds them in a combination of Art Nouveau, Gothic and Islamic motifs.