The city of Barcelona is characterized by the unusual, unique, and undeniably radical creations of Antoni Gaudi. The Catalonian architect was the best known practitioner of Modernisme, Catalan’s Art Nouveau movement. Some of the hallmark qualities of Gaudi’s highly imaginative and one-of-a-kind style include the use of stone and iron materials, ceramic and stained glass detailing, and a focus on vibrant hues and reflective lights.
Several of Gaudi’s works throughout Barcelona, from buildings to parks, have been designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites for their artistic and cultural significance. Many of these are accessible for visitors to marvel over, including the essential core four of Park Guell, Casa Batllo, Casa Mila, and Sagrada Familia.
Located in the heart of the city, Casa Batllo is a beautiful and fantastical residential townhouse. It has also been called Casa dels Ossos, of House of Bones, for the skeletal quality of its exterior. Within, Batllo’s interior consists of a rib cage-esque loft, curved walls, colorful mosaics, and stained glass oval windows. The building’s most striking feature is the rooftop terrace, where four colorful chimney structures stand. Just a couple of blocks away is the apartment building complex of Casa Mila, also referred to as La Pedrera, or ‘The Stone Quarry’. In contrast to the brightness of Batllo, Mila emulates a deeper atmosphere with its open courtyard, twisted wrought iron balconies, colorful murals with floral and mythological motifs, and a rooftop terrace that is home to chimney sculptures shaped after warriors.
Perched on top of Carmel Hill, Park Guell is an idyllic wonderland to take a stroll and admire Gaudi’s passions for architecture and nature. From the pathways that wind around the blossoming garden complex to the surfaces covered with mosaic ceramic tiles, including Gaudi’s iconic dragon sculpture, there is much to take in. The terrace boasts the most picturesque photo op in all of Barcelona, with a view overlooking the gingerbread houses and the cross tower at the base, and beyond to the city and the sea in the distance.
The magnum opus of them all is Sagrada Familia, Barcelona’s most iconic and most frequently-visited landmark. Iconic in how the spire towers dominate the city skyline. A creative spin on the Gothic cathedral, Sagrada Familia represents the birth, passion, and glory of Jesus Christ through its three grand facades and iconic spire towers of the Passion and the Nativity, which is a defining feature of the city’s skyline. Construction on the unfinished basilica began in 1892 and has been ongoing ever since; it is expected to be completed in 2030.
Here are a selection of photographs of Antoni Gaudi’s masterclass works in Barcelona, Spain.
All photographs courtesy of Elizabeth Rosalyn The unless otherwise stated.
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