It is hard to miss Antoni Gaudi’s work when you visit Barcelona. Gaudi's buildings can be a little eccentric, some gothic, and truly one of a kind. While the exterior definitely catches your attention for being out of the ordinary, you will be mesmerized when you step inside. Each of his buildings has its own unique character, no two are the same - the work of a true artist. This self-guided tour takes you around the city of Barcelona to Gaudi's popular architecture marvels, all of which are listed as UNESCO's World Heritage Site (except for Casa Calvet).
Self Guided Walk
1 hour 46 minutes (not including visitation hours)
Gaudi was a Catalan architect and designer. Born on 25 of June 1852, son of a coppersmith, took to architecture at a young age. He attended school in Barcelona and earned a degree from Barcelona Architecture School. In addition to his architecture classes, he studied
French, history, economics, philosophy, and aesthetics. His grades were average and he occasionally failed courses. [1] When handing him his degree, Elies Rogent, director of Barcelona Architecture School, said:
"We have given this academic title either to a fool or a genius. Time will show."
[2] 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."
[1]Vargas, Judith Rodríguez. "Antoni Gaudí, la visión de un genio". Artes e Historia México (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 3 August 2008.
[2]Tarragona, Josep María (1999). Gaudí, biografia de l'artista (in Catalan). Barcelona: Proa.
Ironically, Park Güell, one of the largest green spaces in Barcelona (approximately 45 acres) located on Carmel Hill, was never intended as a park at all. Developer Count Eusebi Güell set out to create a housing development inspired by the English garden city movement popular in the 19th century. The plan was to have a self-contained community that combined residential and agriculture within a green space garden city. The park was built from 1900 to 1914. Sadly only two model houses were built, one by architect Juli Battllevell and the other by Gaudí’s assistant, Fransesc Berenguer. The failed housing development was later transformed into a modern-day wonderland by Antoni Gaudi. He eventually bought and moved into the house designed by his assistant. Today the house has been transformed into the Gaudi House Museum and is open to the public but requires a separate ticket from the park.
The park is an artistic combination of colors and elements of nature. As per the principles of natural creation, no straight lines are used in Gaudi’s designs, instead, you will find slanted lines or curves that mimic the objects such as trees, plants, shells, and rocks. For instance, many of its large columns around the park look like tree trunks. Gaudi was an early recycler often using already broken materials to achieve similar effects. Evident from his works at the park, he was not hesitant to utilize color and had great attention to detail which is impressive and admirable.
Photo Tip: If you walk up to the park’s highest point you will be able to get a complete view of the city and the bay, with the Sagrada Familia visible from a distance.
The "Forest Zone" is free admission and follows the park opening hours 9.30 - 18.00 h. The "Monumental Zone" requires a ticket that is assigned on the basis of time slots. I recommend planning ahead of time and purchase your tickets online beforehand due to the limited tickets sold for each time slot.
Casa Vicens was Gaudi’s first commissioned work after he graduated from college in 1883. Gaudi broke from the norm of the period by mixing together different styles. He drew inspiration from Hispano-Arabic styles of architecture while giving it an oriental touch. He introduced the integration of various materials, such as iron, glass, ceramic tiles, and concrete into his design. Thus making Casa Vicens an important historical prelude to Catalan modernism as well as the beginning of a successful career for Gaudi. Casa Vicens served as a private residence until 2014 and open its door to visitors in 2017 after some restoration works.
Casa Mila consists of two buildings, structured around two beautiful courtyards that provide light and ventilation to the nine-storey building which comprises a basement, ground floor, mezzanine, main/noble floor, four upper floors, and an attic. Famously known as La Pedrera (stone quarry) because the building’s features resemble an open quarry, it was said to be the subject of public mockery and ridicule at the time of construction. During its construction, Gaudi faced various challenges from financial to legal problems with the couple Pere Milà and Roser Segimon who commissioned the building. Casa Mila was Gaudi’s last civic work after which he dedicated all his time to the famous Sagrada Familia. Located on Passeig de Gràcia, reputedly the most fashionable and expensive street in Barcelona and Spain, you will enjoy a scenic stroll, as this street has several of the city’s most celebrated pieces of architecture.
Located just 400m down the street from Casa Mila, Casa Batllo is a remodel of an existing house which was originally built by Gaudi’s professor Emilio Sala Cortés in 1877. The initial plan was to demolish the building and start from the ground up however Gaudi ruled out that option and gave it a brand new facade, redistributed the internal partitioning, expanded the patio, and remodeled the inside, making the building both functional and an exceptional work of art. Nicknamed the “House of Bones” by the locals because the balconies look like skulls and the supporting pillars look like bones. The uniqueness of Casa Batllo is that the facade is covered with a colorful mosaic of green, blue and white which constantly changes in color as the day progresses. While the rooftop is covered in red, green, and blue tiles like the scales on the back of a dragon. You can take a virtual tour of Casa Batllo here.
Also known as Palau Guell, it was commissioned as a family residence for Eusebi Guell the same man behind Park Guell. Built between 1886 and 1888, it is located in the Raval district, very near to the famous La Rambla street. This city mansion was also intended for entertaining high society guests. Upon arrival in horse-drawn carriages, the guest would proceed up the stairs to the receiving room while the horses would head to the palace basement used as a stable which could be accessed by ramps. The basement was built with proper ventilation and lighting with open hollows on the floor above and a patio well in the rear. Before greeting their guests, the residents could view them from the upper floor through the ornate walls and ceilings of the receiving room disguised as small viewing windows high on the walls. Gaudi installed 20 of his famous chimneys decorated with ceramics on the rooftop which serve to ventilate the house.
Good to Know: From 1st January 2016 Palau Güell will open its doors for free every first Sunday of the month.
Casa Calvet is deemed the most conservative of Gaudi's buildings. Built between 1898 and 1900 for Pere Màrtir Calvet, textile manufacture who wanted a space for his business and residence. Although the exterior may not be typical Gaudi style with the usage of straight and symmetrical lines, the interior doesn't disappoint. It has lavish arch doorways leading to the elaborate stairway, walls decorated with blue and white ceramic tiles, and incredible ironwork handrails and balconies. This building earned Gaudi an award by the city council for the "Best Building of the Year". Gaudi also had a hand in designing the furniture and the decoration inside the house, some of which are in display in the Gaudí House-Museum in Park Güell. Unfortunately, it is not open to visitors however, you can dine in Casa Calvet restaurant which is located on the ground floor to get a glimpse of what the inside of the building will look like. The restaurant has some good reviews online, serving national cuisine with an Asian influence. Prices are around 35 euros per person.
I’ve saved the best for the last, the magnificent Basílica de la Sagrada Família.
Sagrada Familia means Holy Family in Spanish. Started construction in 1882 and still ongoing till today. This project was initially designed by Francisco de Paula del Villar but it was taken over by Antoni Gaudi in 1883 when he was only 31 years old. The project then took a radical shift, making it Gaudi’s most ambitious project. Gaudi dedicated 12 years of his life to the Sagrada Familia till the day of his death due to an unfortunate accident on June 10, 1926. He was hit by a tram, lost consciousness, and was not given immediate attention as passer-by’s thought he was a beggar due to his shabby dressing. He was finally identified by the chaplain of the Sagrada Familia the following day at the hospital but it was too late to be given additional treatment as his condition had deteriorated severely and he passed away two days later. His funeral was attended by a very large crowd and he was buried in the Sagrada Família's crypt.
Photo Tip: For a good photo with a full view of the Sagrada Familia behind you, walk to the park located across the road from the Entrance (Nativity Facade). Walk past the small lake and you'll find the spot located in the middle of the park, there's even a brick bench if you want a picture seated.
Sadly, Gaudi only got to witness less than a quarter of its completion which was the Nativity facade and the crypt, but his models and documents have allowed the construction to continue, and its completion is estimated to be in 2026. During the early stages of construction, the Sagrada Familia was funded by private patrons. This was followed by funding from donations and alms. Until today there has been no support from government or church funds. This is one of the reasons why it has taken this long to complete.
The Basilica has three grand facades and 18 towers. The Nativity Facade which was completed first, represents the birth of Christ, the Passion Facade represents Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection and the Glory Facade which is still under construction represents Christ’s present and future glory. Each facade has 4 towers representing the 12 Apostles. The middle consists of another 6 towers, 4 tall towers dedicated to the evangelists, followed by the tower with a star on top representing Virgin Mary and the tallest tower dedicated to Jesus Christ.
If you decide to visit the Sagrada Familia, you have an option to include a ticket to access either the Nativity or Passion tower. The towers are accessible via elevators and descending is by stairs (300 steps). I would recommend you visit a tower. If you can’t decide which tower, go with the Nativity tower because it was completed under the supervision of Gaudi himself in 1935. A bridge connects the two towers of the Nativity facade, you can walk across and view the intricate work on the facades and diverse details of the towers up close while enjoying the view of the city.
If you would like to explore the basilica further, a virtual tour is available here.
Good to know: Every Sunday and on holy days of obligation, an international mass is held at 9 am. There is no charge for attending mass but capacity is limited and visitors are asked to dress appropriately and behave respectfully.
Points to take note of:
Plan ahead
If you need more time at each site, this self-guided tour can be done over the course of a few days
Purchase tickets online, it is cheaper and you will avoid long queues. Tickets can be purchased from the links provided below
No need to print tickets, digital copies are accepted
Truly marvellous!
Like that one about..."academic title either to a fool or genius" 😊
Enjoyed the virtual tour.
Thanks
Thanks Sharralah.
Lovely photos and great tour. Wish I could have been there.
I like the explanation and facts.
Lovely! ⭐