The name Gaudi will probably not be unknown to you. His full name is Antoni Gaudí i Cornet and this man was a Catalan architect. Around 1900 he designed particularly impressive buildings and objects. You will find most of these beautiful works in Barcelona, such as The Sagrada Família, one of the most famous works.
Works of Gaudi
The works of Gaudi consist of 7 buildings that are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. 6 of these structures can be found in Barcelona and one in Santa Coloma de Cervelló. Since 1984 the works of Gaudi have already been on the World Heritage List. UNESCO honors Gaudi for its creative contribution to the development of the architecture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The monuments have a personal style and symbolize Catalan modernism, a cultural and artistic movement. The next 7 (plus a bonus) works by Gaudi are definitely worth a visit.
Sagrada Familia
To start with the best known, the Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) is a great basilica and is seen as the absolute masterpiece of Gaudi and also the most important characteristic of Barcelona. The church has a length of 90 meters and an unfinished tower of 172.5 meters. The construction of the Sagrada Familia started in 1882 and according to the latest plans the church should be finished in 2026.
The Sagrada Familia is the most visited monument in Spain with about three million visitors a year! Tickets can be ordered in advance on the website, this way you avoid having to wait in line for a long time.
Casa Battlo
The Casa Battlo was built between 1904 and 1906 and again has an architecture based on inspiration from nature. The wavy shape of the facade are inspired by the waves of the Mediterranean Sea or on the winding forms of the mountains of Monsterrat. The roof has the shape of a dragon and is partly covered with ceramics, these are the scales of the dragon. The dragon symbolizes the dragon of Saint George. The cross on the roof is the lance of St. George, the wrought-iron balconies are skulls and the gallery on the first floor is the mouth of the dragon. The legendary dragon slayer St. Joris or Sant Jordi is the patron saint of the Spanish region of Catalonia.
Palacio Güell
The Palacio Güell or Palau Güell is a large mansion with a fairytale garden on the roof.
Park Güell
Park Güell or Parque Güell is a large city park in the Gracia district on the southern slope of Monte Carmelo in north-eastern Barcelona. You’ve probably seen this pictures of this place before. The architecture of the Park Güell is inspired by nature. Since 1926 it’s a public park. The Park Güell has an area of 17.18 hectares and has undulating shapes similar to rivers. It’s also covered in mosaic. The Dragonstairs is built around a fountain in the shape of a salamander. A terrace with a bank of over 100 meters in the shape of a snake is the central point of the park. The main road in the park is called the Rosary and there are many viaducts. The museum in the park has actually been Gaudi’s residence for a short time.
The Crypt of the Colonia Güell
The Crypt of the Colonia Güell is located in the Colonia Güell district in the village of Santa Coloma de Cervello. It’s the crypt of a church that has never been built. The crypt has a separate construction and colored stained-glass windows that symbolize the transformation of a butterfly as a resurrection from the dead.
Casa Vicens
Vasa Vicens is seen as the first major work of Gaudi (built between 1883 and 1885). The large and elegant house has an impressive façade. It was sold in 2014 and will be opened to the public after renovation.
Casa Mila (La Pedrera)
The Casa Mila is an apartment complex with undulating outside walls. Because of the irregular façade, the building is nicknamed La Pedrera (the quarry). The building has an area of 1323 square meters. On the roof there are 28 turned chimneys that give natural ventilation. On the sixth floor there is an apartment with furniture from the 1920s and in the attic there is a permanent exhibition.
Catedral La Seu (Palma de Mallorca)
One that is often not mentioned in the works of Gaudi is the Cathedral at Mallorca in Palma. It’s not a complete design by Gaudi, but he certainly has contributed and this is why we find it worth mentioning. In the beginning of the 20th century Antoni Gaudí led the renovation of the altar room of La Seu. Among other things, he left a gigantic chandelier hanging over the altar, and the ceramic walls were also introduced by him. Gaudi installed the canopy as well. The canopy is made of wrought iron and is illuminated by many lights.
As you have seen above, the works of Gaudi are quite impressive and certainly worth a visit. Since almost all of these works are located in Barcelona, a city trip to this wonderful city should definitely be a good idea, right? Do you want to discover Barcelona low-budget? Read our blog article about 15x budgetproof Barcelona!