Antonio Gaudi Buildings in  Barcelona

Antoni Gaudi was a Spanish architect of the Catalan region. By combining his two great loves, architecture and nature, he developed his own unique and distinctive style that is now recognized world over as a mark of genius. His style is most notable for its remarkable use of light, space, colors, natural shapes and whimsical designs.

Gaudi’s Barcelona

Gaudi has had a hand in the creation of most of Barcelona’s principal attractions. Here are the top picks in your tour of Gaudi’s Barcelona.

Parc Guell

Originally intended as a residential park for the elite of Barcelona, this is now a public park. Entirely inspired by nature, the flowing lines and use of natural colors and elements will leave you bemused between the natural and the man made. Also notable are the mosaic designs throughout the park which Gaudi created entirely from broken ceramics from a nearby factory without commissioning one single fresh piece. Parc Guell is a great place to begin your tour of Gaudi's Barcelona.

Casa Batlló

A short walk down the elegant Passeig de Gracia will bring you to this remarkable residential building completed by Gaudi in 1906. A remodeling of an older structure, Gaudi added a floor, refashioned the interiors and styled the exteriors such that this one house stands out uniquely in an entire row of houses of the same height. In keeping with his love for drawing inspiration from nature and religion, the façade of the house bears the colors and shapes of marine life and the roof is believed by many to be a rendering of St. George vanquishing the dragon. Don’t limit yourself to the exteriors for the use of light and space in the interiors is the real essence of Gaudi’s limitless talent.

Casa Mila

More popularly referred to as La Pedrera, this structure stands a few feet away from Casa Batlló and completed by Gaudi in 1910. He almost abandoned the project when building code infractions interfered with his use of religious symbolism in the design but he stayed on to complete the project. Casa Mila is most remarkable for its façade which is entirely styled to resemble rows of waves in the open sea. Originally intended as a complex of apartments and commercial offices, legend has it that the owners had great difficulty in letting the apartments as the shape of the façade and the rooms raised concerns on the feasibility of furnishing the interiors.

Sagrada Familia

Gaudi's Magnum Opus, this church has been under construction for a 100 years now and is expected to go on for another 100. Several other architects have claimed the helm since Gaudi’s death in 1926 but the principal design follows his vision. To really appreciate the brilliance of this work, tour the church and then spend some time in the little museum downstairs which describes the impossibility of the structure, Gaudi’s visioning process and the reasoning behind the design. You will come away with a whole new appreciation for his genius!