Antoni gaudi architecture buildings
Gaudi's property for rent and last civil works, which summarizes the stage of maturity of the artist. Although its official name is Casa Mila - because it had been a real estate initiative of this family -, it is popularly known as La Pedrera, nickname that refers ironically to the external aspect, very similar to that of an open quarry. With an imposing undulating stone facade and wrought iron balconies formed by recycled elements, La Pedrera is the most innovative building of Gaudi, both for structural design and for decorative elements. Resolved around two large courtyards, in the apartments the structure is made of stone and brick pillars, in a precursor free floor system. The attics, that housed the utility bins and the clothes racks, are constructed by means of a set of multi-strand catenary brick arches, which determine the different levels of the roof. The roof follows the scheme used at the Palau Güell and Casa Batlló. Here, however, the buckets or scale boxes are covered with stone, marble and ceramic-monochrome and recycled trencadís, and the two vents and chimneys are stuccoed, less a group that presents pieces of green bottles. It is necessary to emphasize the plaster ceilings, the paintings of the lobbies and the access doors.
Antoni Gaudi the Great
No trip to the Catalan capital is complete without paying homage to the city’s star man! We look at the fascinating life of Gaudi, and review ALL 12 of his Barcelona buildings, including which you simply must visit. For each sight, we recommend the best place to buy tickets, as well as recommended guided tours and tourist passes.
This article was last updated in April 2024.
Rarely has a man become so synonymous with a city as Antoni Gaudi has with Barcelona. His incredibly expressive and individual style of architecture, part Modernisme (the regional Catalan take on art nouveau), part neo-Gothic and drawing on aspects of cubism and surrealism, has come to define the city’s aesthetic.
Rarely has a man become so synonymous with a city as Antoni Gaudi has with Barcelona…
It is intensely human, full of the imagery of nature and religion, and defiantly original – an apt reflection of the Catalan soul.
Read on for a comprehensive list of ALL of Gaudi’s buildings and architecture in Barcelona, museums featuring his works, plus selected guided tours.
But let’s start with his biography…
Biography of Gaudi’s Early Life
The 20th century’s most famous architect was born in Reus (or just outside, depending on what account you believe) in the Tarragona province of Catalonia, 80km south of Barcelona. After enduring a childhood troubled by rheumatism, the son of two coppersmiths travelled to the Catalan capital to enrol as an student at the Escola Tecnica Superior d’Arquitectura, where he duly studied from 1873 to 1877.
“Who knows if we have given this diploma to a nut or to a genius? Time will tell.”
Even then his professors did not quite know what to make of his work, and when he was awarded the title of architect in 1878, Elies Rogent, the director of the school, declared: “Who knows if we have given this diploma to a nut or to a genius? Time will
Architecture Guide: 10 Must See Gaudí Buildings in Barcelona
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In this Barcelona guide, we have rounded-up the architecture of probably the best known and most influential architect from the beginning of the century in Spain, Antonio Gaudí. Gaudí spent most of his life in Barcelona and the city boasts the largest concentration of his works in the world. His style is unique, often imitated but never matched.
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Gaudí´s ideas shaped the way of thinking about architecture for a whole generation. His influence on Catalan modernism was immense, creating a unique style that many have tried to replicate. It is difficult to find a person who doesn´t at least know Gaudí by name. Of the 10 most visited attractions in Barcelona, 4 are buildings by Gaudí. In this guide, we wanted to compile the 10 essential Gaudí buildings, all located in Barcelona, necessary to gain an appreciation of his work. The first 7 building are considered heritage of humanity.
Casa Milà
Provença, 261-265
Casa Battló
Passeig de Gràcia, 43
Casa Vicens
Carrer de les Carolines, 24
Park Güell
Palau Güell
Carrer Nou de la Rambla, 3-5
Colonia Güell
Calle Claudi Güell, Santa Coloma de Cervelló
Sagrada Familia
Carrer de Mallorca, 401
Torre Bellesguard
Carrer de Bellesguard, 16
Casa Calvet
Carrer de Casp, 48
Colegio Teresiano de Barcelona
Carrer de Ganduxer, 85
Si quieres conocer más de Barcelona, te recomengadmos la siguiente guía de Arquitectura.
Editor's note: This article was originally published on September 09, 2017.
Barcelona Gaudí Architecture
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On this page you'll find an introduction to Barcelona Gaudí Architecture and find out why his work is so important in Barcelona.
| Barcelona Gaudí architecture the giant Sagrada Família basilica | Iron gate entrance to Gaudí's Palau Güell |
Gaudí's work is admired by architects around the World as being one of the most unique and distinctive architectural styles.
His work has greatly influenced the face of Barcelona architecture and you will see stunning examples of Gaudí's work all around the city centre.
Antoni Gaudí was born in Reus in 1852 and received his Architectural degree in 1878.
From the early beginnings his designs were radically different from those of his contemporaries. Gaudí was not so much influenced by other architect's ideas but more by forms of nature.
You will see that most of Gaudí's constructions have an organic look to them. This basic concept of using nature as the primary influences for his creativity is reflected in the use of the natural curved construction stones, twisted iron sculptures, and organic-like shapes - all of which are characteristic traits of Gaudí's architecture.
If you look at the Façade of Casa Batlló for instance you will see that the balconies look like skulls and the supports on the windows look like bones. The multicoloured tiles that are used to decorate the walls of Casa Batlló were taken from the colours of natural corals.
Gaudí adorned many of his buildings with coloured tiles arranged in mosaic patterns. This adds another important dimension to his buildings which is so often overlooked by architects - the use of colour. The combination of original design, interesting shaped stonework, and vibrant colours in Gaudí's work give the viewer a truly breathtaking visual experience.
| Gaudí dragon fountain at Park Güell. |
| Park Guell: Colonnades designed by Gaudí |
To give you an outline of Gaudí's style we have prepared separate pa