Antoni Gaudi, the Catalonian architect born in 1852 is admired around the world with his highly individualized masterpieces. If you want to learn about the master architect on your own tour, you might take the following tour as reference to learn about the intricate designs and colors that this architect embraced.
1. Casa Mila
Built between 1906 – 1912 is a building design by Gaudi and commissioned by Pere Mila and Roser Segmon. Thus the name comes from the fact that is was the new home of the Mila family. The couple occupied the main floor and rented out the other apartments.
The front of the house looks like a massive rock, broken only by wavy lines and iron ornaments. The bright stone and colourless façade of this building distinguishes it from Gaudi’s other works and looks very expressionistic.
The curved façade shaped from wavy lines and iron ornaments is a huge contrast from Casa Batllo, with its colourful and playful façade. Gaudi deliberately focused on the design of the building, using a colourless façade and natural materials. It is a total work of art inside and outside.
2. Casa Batlló
Casa Batlló is one of Gaudì’s masterpieces, which was commissioned to him by Josep Batlló and built between 1904 and 1906; the building was to be used by Batlló and his family as residences. Located in the middle of Passeig de Gràcia, with the original building quite sombre and plain, Gaudi transforms it into the fantastical structure that it is today.
As we already know Gaudì was inspired highly by nature and the Mediterranean sea, shown in the wavy shapes and shades of blue. The exterior is just weirdly brilliant! You can interpret the different shapes in many ways – for example, the balconies can be seen as skull eye sockets or masquerade masks, its all up to you and your imagination!
3. Park Güell
Park Güell - originally to become an estate with houses designed for the wealthy to live in within landscaped gardens. Unfortunately the project was unsuccessful and dismissed in 1914, since then Guadi had already built three kilometres of walkways, roads, a plaza, steps and two gatehouses. And in 1926 the miniature city was opened as a public park, which is located on Carmel Hill in La Salut, a neighbourhood of Barcelona.
You are welcomed by two ‘Hansel and Gretel’ style gatehouses at the entrance of this enchanting park. As you carry on walking into this garden and up the stairs, you are then greeted with a large mosaic dragon/lizard that guards the entrance. A series of steps lead to the Doric Temple, which comprises of 88 stone columns and interesting mosaics built in the ceiling.
Taking a stroll through the park, you will begin to envision Gaudi’s plans of combining nature, art and architecture of what façade an extravagant miniature city. As you head upwards towards the terrace, a combination of form and function there is a gigantic sea serpent bench that awaits for you to sit on and admire the views of Barcelona on a clear day.
The park is also home to the Casa-Museu Gaudí, where the architect lived before he moved to Sagrada Familia so that he could keep an eye on the parks process. The house now contains furniture made by Gaudí himself and other fascinating Gaudí memorabilia.
