Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Spain. Known for its rich history, lively culture, and fanciful architecture, the city has something to offer for everyone. We decided to explore some of Barcelona’s most fascinating attractions, including Casa Batlló, La Pedrera – Casa Milà, Park Güell, and the Sagrada Familia.
Casa Batlló
One of the most iconic sights in Barcelona is Casa Batlló which is one of Antoni Gaudi’s most famous works and is known for its unique and whimsical design. The photo at the top of this post is actually from the tiny high balcony where the railing is shaped like the petals of a flower. Interestingly, the building could also be interpreted more grimly and was once known locally as the “House of Bones” due to its skeletal-like appearance. Some of the balconies could be interpreted to resemble skulls and the undulating lines of the façade might resemble ribcages. The building was also once considered controversial due to its unconventional design, with some locals even protesting against its construction. However, over time, Casa Batlló has become one of Barcelona’s most popular tourist attractions and is now recognized as a masterpiece of modernist architecture. I found it beautiful and inspiring.
Note the mullusk designs in the windows
This is the main atrium with blue tiles that gradually shift from light to dark as you go up the stairs and interior windows that glow with a warm yellow light.
Note how the glass gives the appearance of water
Bi and Sydney walking down the lighted archway corridors
The house feels surreal like you are stepping into a dream. The mollusk designs in the stain glass and the undulating railings and water-like glass near the elevator make it feel like a house under the sea. There are unusual heavy wooden doors with curious gold symbols above them that add to the effect and the rooftop ridge has scales like the back of a massive dragon. Today, visitors can take a tour of the building and admire the unique details and creative design elements that make Casa Batlló such a fascinating work of art.
Carved wooden doors with gold symbols
The dragon scaled roof of Casa Batllo
La Pedrera – Casa Milà
La Pedrera – Casa Milà is another building designed by Antoni Gaudí. It was commissioned by the Mila family and constructed between 1906 and 1912. The building is known for its stone façade where each floor seems to curve around the building like a snake and balconies with wrought iron railings that look like crumpled leaves in the fall. I actually found the outside of the building fairly underwhelming and did not even bother to take photos of it (The photo below is of a model of the house that was displayed in the attic and actually looks much better).
La Pedrera – Casa Mila
However, I really did like a few aspects of the building like the impressive doorway that looked like foamy glass bubbles trapped in iron.
The front iron doorway with bubbly design
The atrium
Staircase in the atrium
The atrium is also quite interesting with a staircase and hand crafted iron railings that curve around the open air skylight.
The attic of Casa Mila
One of my favorite areas was actually the attic which was designed to resemble the inside of a giant animal, often interpreted as a whale. The columns and arches of the attic give the impression of a series of rib bones, while the vaulted ceiling appears to be the underside of a massive creature. These features evoke the sensation of being inside the belly of a giant animal, such as a whale or a prehistoric beast. The rooftop is often noted as having stunning views but I found it rather uninspiring. In general, I felt the building was interesting and unique but not as worthwhile to visit as Casa Batllo.
The Sagrada Familia
The Sagrada Familia is perhaps Barcelona’s most famous attraction. This massive basilica, also designed by Antoni Gaudí, has been under construction since 1882. The construction has been ongoing for over a century and is still incomplete. The basilica features soaring towers, intricate carvings, and stunning stained glass windows. The church is filled with religious symbolism and features a unique blend of Gothic and Art Nouveau styles. Its towering spires and intricate facades are meant to represent various biblical stories and themes, while its colorful stained-glass windows evoke a sense of spiritual wonder and awe. I loved the main nave of the church with its enormous columns that rise and branch like trees to the vaulted ceiling while light pours in through the multicolored stain glass windows that go from shades of red to orange to gold, to green and then blue. It’s absolutely gorgeous to behold.
Notice how the columns branch out near the top like enormous trees stretching up to the sky
The gradation of colours in the stained glass have a wonderful affect on the light and feeling of the space
Sydney said it’s a must see
Obviously, Gaudi never actually saw the basilica completed. He passed away after being run over by a tram and seriously injured. Apparently, he dressed so simply that people believed he was destitute so he was left in the street for hours before being taken to a hospital for prostitutes and the poor. There he passed away due to the magnitude of his injuries and the lack of care. The Sagrada Familia was his masterpiece and I cannot imagine entering it without feeling a sense of awe and wonder. It is definitely one of the most beautiful and unique cathedrals I have ever visited. In my view, it is a must see for any visit to Barcelona.
Park Güell
Park Güell was originally designed as a residential complex intended to promote health and fresh air. Count Eusebi Güell commissioned Gaudi to design the park which was built between 1900 and 1914. Although it was built as a residential complex, only two houses were ever constructed and Gaudi ended up buying one of them himself and living there for 20 years. Interestingly, even though Gaudi designed the park, he did not design the house that he lived in.
Antoni Gaudi’s House from 1906-1926
Bust of Antoni Gaudi
The central staircase of the park is split by a large tile mosaic salamander that has become known as “the dragon”.
One of the main attractions of Park Guell is the terrace, which offers stunning views of the city of Barcelona. The terrace is surrounded by a long bench that is decorated with colorful ceramic tiles arranged in a mosaic pattern. The bench is also famous for its unique shape, which is said to have been inspired by the waves of the sea.
Another highlight of the park is the Sala Hipostila, which is located under the main terrace and has 86 massive Greek columns that support a beautiful vaulted ceiling. The columns are made of stone and are decorated with intricate carvings and the ceiling displays colorful mosaics. The area was originally intended to be used as a market, but it is now used for cultural events and exhibitions.
The colonnaded pathways with curved columns meant to give added support to the road and above were also quite nice. The way he used irregularly shaped stones in the columns gave them an almost natural feeling and made them blend in with the surrounding trees and plants.
These are just of few of the sites within the park but there is much more to explore there. The park has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is considered to be one of the most important works of Antoni Gaudi. It is absolutely a wonderful area to walk around and the design of the park will surely spark some interesting conversation.
Summary
In conclusion, Barcelona is a city with fascinating architecture, gorgeous cathedrals, and wonderful parks. You are bound to see at least some of the Gaudi’s influence as you wander the city and perhaps it will inspire you to reminisce on the fairy tales and legends of your youth.
I found the architecture and your descriptions of it sooooo fascinating.
Thanks! It was quite interesting from an architectural standpoint. The designs seem eccentric now so I imagine how much more so they must have been back in 1900!