The legacy of Gaudí in Barcelona

If there is anyone who has placed their mark on Barcelona, it would be Antoni Gaudí.

His masterpiece La Sagrada Família is famous all over the world. A young Gaudí started his work on La Sagrada Família in 1883, but more than a century later, the cathedral is forever under construction. The architect was hit by a tram and died in 1926, and his remains are buried in the crypt below the cathedral. The eerie organic look of the cathedral is unique in the world.

Parc Güell entrance.

Another well-known work of Gaudí is the Parc Güell. It’s an architectural wonderland of strange designs. At the entrance we pass the gingerbread houses and a water-sprouting salamander before ascending the stairs and ending up at the famous terrace, where a long bench is surrounding the viewpoint like a colorful snake stretching out in the sun.

It seems that Gaudí had careful thoughts far beyond the visuals. The terrace is covered by gravel instead of plates, which makes the rain water drain to a tank, connected to the mouth of the salamander below. The park has small houses here and there, constructed in local material to better blend in.

The storm troopers of La Pedrera.

He also enhanced several buildings downtown. The most famous is the Casa Milà, also known as La Pedrera (meaning stone quarry). The building in itself is inspiring with wave-shaped walls and ornate balconies of wrought metal, but the real prize is the roof. The chimneys are reminiscent of the storm trooper helmets from Star Wars and according to legend George Lucas got inspiration from this balcony on his visit in the 1970s.

Casa Batlló facade.

Casa Batlló is another house where the strange mind of Gaudí had free reigns. The facade balconies are resembling fish skeletons and the roof is decorated with plates that looks like dragon scales. The plates are made of colorful trencadis, a Catalan type of mosaic. The interior is playful and the elevator passes through various shades of blue, to resemble a deep sea dive.

This is just a start, there are much more gems of Gaudí in Barcelona.