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viernes, 13 de enero de 2012

BARCELONA MODERNISM: ANTONI GAUDI

Today I would like to talk about the brilliant catalan architect Antoni Gaudi and suggest you a route to visit his most important modernist masterpieces. Some time ago I published a Modernist Route in Barcelona where you can admire more modernist buildings designed by other fantastic architects like Puig i Cadafalch or Domènech i Montaner.

Hologram of Antoni Gaudí
Hologram of Antoni Gaudí in La Casa Batlló, one of the most beautiful modernist buildings he designed

Gaudi was an architect with an innate sense of geometry and volume, as well as a great imaginative power which allowed him to mentally project the majority of his works before passing them to planes. Actually, he rarely performed detailed drawings of his works, preferring to recreate them on three-dimensional models.

Endowed with a strong intuition and creativity, Gaudí conceived his buildings in a global way, searching for structural, functional and decorative solutions.  He studied his creations to the smallest detail, integrating to the architecture a wide range of handicrafts which he mastered to perfection: ceramics, glass, iron forging, carpentry etc. He also introduced new techniques in the treatment of materials, such as his famous "trencadís" made with scrap pieces of pottery.

Below you can see the modernist masterpieces Antoni Gaudí designed:

  • Sagrada Familia
  • Park Güell
  • Casa Vicens
  • Casa Milà (also known as La Pedrera)
  • Casa Batlló
  • Palau Güell
  • Casa Bellesguard and Viaduct
  • Col·legi de les Teresianes
  • Casa Calvet
  • Güell Pavilions in Pedralbes
  • Cripta de la Colonia Güell
  • El Capricho (built in Comillas, a lovely village in Cantabria)
  • Bodegues Güell



La Sagrada Familia


Sagrada Familia Basilica in Barcelona
The Nativity façade of La Sagrada Familia is the one of the transept facing east and consisting of four towers with three doorways. It's dedicated to the birth of Jesus and was the first to be built

Detail of Sagrada Familia Basilica in Barcelona
Detail of the Nativity façade of the Sagrada Familia

Ceiling of the main nave of Sagrada Familia Basilica
  Ceiling of the main nave of the Sagrada Familia, the most impressive masterpiece designed by Gaudí and the most beautiful modernist building in Barcelona

Curved line inside the Sagrada Familia Basilica
Curved line inside the Sagrada Familia

Park Güell


Park Güell in Barcelona
Main entrance of the Park Güell in Barcelona

Gaudí dragon fountain in Park Güell
The Gaudi dragon fountain is at the entrance to the Park Güell. This dragon is adorned in beautiful coloured tiling and is one of the most famous images of this park

Terrace of the Park Güell in Barcelona

 Doric columns support the roof of the lower court which forms the central terrace of the Park Güell, with serpentine seating round its edge



Casa Vicens


Casa Vicens designed by Gaudí in Barcelona
Main façade of La Casa Vicens, a modernist building located in El Barri de Gràcia

Casa Vicens is a modernist house designed by Gaudí
Wrought iron railings of La Casa Vicens, one of the first buildings designed by Antoni Gaudí


Casa Vicens in Gràcia district
Colorful look of the façade of La Casa Vicens


Casa Milà



Chimneys of Casa Milà in Barcelona
Chimneys of La Pedrera are the element which impressed me the most of the roof of this fantastic modernist building designed by Gaudí

Chimneys-shaped warriors of Casa Milà
 A closer view of these spectacular chimneys-shaped warriors of La Pedrera



Casa Batlló


Casa Batlló lit at night
Main façade of La Casa Batlló, a beatiful modernist building designed by Gaudí

Inside Casa Batlló in Barcelona
I really liked the warm colors of the floor, doors and windows in the noble floor of La Casa Batlló

Tiles in roof terrace of Casa Batlló
 The roof terrace of La Casa Batlló is dominated by tiles of different colours on one side, and coloured using the trencadís mosaic technique on the side facing inwards towards the roof terrace

Palau Güell


Palau Güell designed by Gaudí
Main facade of El Palau Güell, located near La Rambla de Barcelona

Parabolic arches in Palau Güell
These parabolic arches are the main entrance of the Palau Güell and are a common feature of the Gaudí designs 

Central Hall of Palau Güell in Barcelona
Impressive dome over the central hall of El Palau Güell


Casa Bellesguard


 The height of Casa Bellesguard is enhanced by the conical turret, topped by a four-armed cross which is so characteristic of Antoni Gaudí’s work



Col·legi de les Teresianes



The religious symbology of Col·legi de les Teresianes in Barcelona is completed by the turrets at either end of the building, which are surmounted by a four-armed cross



Casa Calvet


Casa Calvet in Barcelona
Casa Calvet in Barcelona designed by Antoni Gaudí


Pabellons Güell in Pedralbes


Wrought iron dragon at the gate of Güell Pavilions
Wrought iron dragon at the gate of the Güell Pavilions in Pedralbes

Güell Pavilions in Barcelona

The dome of the longeing ring of the Güell Pavilions,  a complex of buildings in the neighborhood of Pedralbes and designed by the catalan modernist architect Antoni Gaudí


Colònia Güell Church


Church of Colònia Güell in Barcelona
Stained glass windows and bell tower of the church, the crypt actually, of La Colònia Güell

Crypt of Colònia Güell in Barcelona
Ceiling of the crypt of La Colònia Güell

El Capricho (located in Comillas, Cantabria)


El Capricho designed by Gaudí
El Capricho, a house built by the brilliant modernist architect Antoni Gaudi, is the most beautiful modernist building in Comillas

El Capricho designed by Gaudí
This combination of spanish and arabic colorful elements give a cheerful look to this building


Cathedral of Mallorca


Baldachin of the cathedral of Palma de Mallorca designed by Gaudí
Baldachin of the gothic cathedral of Palma de Mallorca designed by Antoni Gaudí


The brilliant architect Antoni Gaudí is buried in the crypt of the Sagrada Familia Basilica, his most ambitious masterpiece:


Tomb of Antoni Gaudí in the crypt of the Sagrada Familia Basilica
Tomb of Antoni Gaudí in the crypt of the Sagrada Familia Basilica



Clicking on the next links you will find more pictures of the most important buildings designed by Antoni Gaudí:


Besides, other modernist buildings you can visit in Barcelona are:



Finally, clicking on the next link you will find more links to other beautiful places in Barcelona, among them, more fantastic modernist masterpieces you can see along the Modernist Route.

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