Architecture in Barcelona

Introduction  

Barcelona is a city famous worldwide for its outstanding examples of architecture, particularly for periods including Gothic, Modernism and Art Nouveau. Undoubtedly, the work of Antonio Gaudi is by far the most famous, and deservedly so, having created many of the unique and iconic buildings in Barcelona that attract tourists from all over the world today. If you've come to Barcelona to see the works of Gaudi, chances are you'll be equally impressed by other architectural wonders of different periods that can be found concentrated within easy walking distance from one another in the old part of the city. Here are the highlights of Barcelona's architecture...  

The Cathedral, Barcelona  

El Catedral de Santa Creu i Santa Euhàlia is one of the most impressive buildings in the city and well worth a visit. It is situated facing Plaça de la Seu in the heart of the Gothic area of the city, surrounded by a labyrinth of old city streets and various interesting building details and walls from the Roman and Medieval periods.   Construction of the cathedral began in 1298 and continued throughout the rein of King Jaume II, right up until the end of the last century. Unfortunately for the past several years, the entire front of the building has been covered by green scaffolding. Progress is slow mainly due to a lack of funding, but it's still worth a look from the front to get an idea of it's size and detail.  Inside there is a garden, fountain and pond with geese, however it remains unclear as to why the geese are there.

One theory is that there are 13, each one representing a year of the life of Santa Euhalia, the patron saint of the Cathedral, who was crucified for her refusal to recant her Christianity. Her remains are stored in an alabaster coffin inside the Crypt.   Several ornately decorated alters are located around the edges of the garden. It is also worth looking at the main chapel, which  hosts an impressive collection of stained glass windows.  At certain times of the year, entry is by donation and may be refused if you are considered inappropriately dressed (without shoulders covered or without shoes).  In the streets surrounding the cathedral, you will find musicians performing everything from Opera to Jazz, street vendors and local artists, cafes, gift shops and restaurants. It's a great place to spend a few hours walking around and experiencing the atmosphere of the city.

 Other highlights in the Gothic quarter that are well worth a visit include:  

•  Església de Santa Maria del Pi: Another beautiful Gothic Cathedral

• Plaça de Reiál: A sunny tree- lined plaza with fountain and some of the best restaurants in town.

• Placa de Sant Jaume: Home to two of the most important government buildings like Palau de la Generalitat and Ajuntament de Barcelona.

Visit the archiseek website for further information on these and other buildings in Barcelona.  

Antonio Gaudi, Modernism and Art Nouveau in Barcelona 

Antonio Gaudi was born in 1852, to a local copper-smith. Throughout his life, he studied and worked mainly in Barcelona, where he left behind many of the most famous works of his career when he was killed in a tram accident in 1926.   Gaudi's work is famous for it's unique style: colourful, organic and said to be inspired by the natural lines and curves of nature.  Historians have since named his work as the hallmark of Modern Architecture in Spain and the inspiration for the Spanish Art Nouveau movement, including the work of his contemporaries, such as Domenech i Montaner.  The streets above Placa Catalunya known as Eixample (pronounced "ei-scharm-pleh") have some of the best boutique shopping opportunities and some of the finest examples of architecture from the Modernist period in Barcelona, including two of Anotnio Gaudi's most famous projects: Casa Batlló and Casa Milà.  

In addition to the construction of Eixample, the "new town" of Barcelona, other famous sites in Barcelona's history were also constructed during this period: The University, El Gran Teatre de Liceu on La Rambla and the famous La Boqueria market that is still a busy attraction for tourists, and locals out to do their fresh food shopping.

 Casa Batlló by Antonio Gaudi, Eixample, Barcelona

Gaudi drew his inspiration from patterns and organic shapes in nature for most of his work and Casa Batlló, which was inscribed in UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2005, is no exception.    Built for the Batlló family between 1904- 1906 it features a green-blue facade with bone-like details in the balconies and supporting pillars. Inside, the house has several different rooms with oval shaped windows, curved and organic lines throughout, as well as a mosaic decorated terrace, said to resemble the colourful, curved back of a dragon.   There are also two beautifully decorated houses immediately to the left of Casa Batalló which are also worth a look while you are there. 

 Open: Every day between 9am and 8pm. Entry may be restricted if a function is being held inside. Phone ahead to book or check availability: 93 216 0306.

 Admission: 16.50€ per person for entry, with audio guide included. Getting There: L3 (Green) Metro line at Passeig de Gràcia.  

Casa Milà by Antonio Gaudi, Eixample, Barcelona  

Casa Milà was built between 1905-1910 on the same street as Casa Batlló. It is locally known as La Pedrera, which is Catalán for ‘The Quarry' and refers to the carved stone facade on the house's exterior. It is also listed on UNESCO's World Heritage list.   The house is very different to Casa Batlló in style and design. The shape and structure of the facade has been likened to beehives, sand dunes and African desert houses built into cliff faces.  The main feature of this house is the sculpture garden on the rooftop, which is accessible by a lift however, there are still some steps and uneven ground once you get to the top which can make it difficult to navigate your way around if you are not strong on your feet.  As well as the sculptures, the roof offers a fantastic view of the city, including the spires of La Sangrada familia and the wide avenues of Eixample directly below.  

Open: Winter:  November to February (inclusive):Monday to Sunday from 9 am to 6.30 pm (last entrance at 6 pm) Summer: March to October (inclusive): Monday to Sunday from 9am to 8pm (last entry at 7:30pm).

Contact: 902 400 973
Admission: 8€ adults, 4.50€ concession (audio guide included)

Getting There: L3 (Green) Metro line at Diagonal.  

Parc Güell by Antonio Gaudi, Barcelona

Parc Güell is the postcard image of Barcelona, with its colourful, undulating mosaic "serpentine" wall, groomed gardens, and tranquil pathways. Many of Gaudi's earth coloured walkways, arches and decorative walls  throughout the park appear almost natural themselves, adding an interesting texture and contrast to the park's green vegetation.   It's a great place to spend a lazy afternoon away from the crowds, although the main entrance with the famous lizard fountain, columns and gingerbread style houses and is hard to find without a cast of thousands with cameras and maps, and local artists selling crafts.

 The park was designed and built by Gaudi between 1900- 1914 and was originally intended to be a housing site. Count Eusebi Güell, a patron of Gaudi had the idea to develop a tranquil park for all to enjoy. The project was never finished as planned, but still remains one of the most visited attractions in Barcelona.  On the weekends you may be lucky enough to find a local Spanish classical guitarist, Ernesto Nebuloni, who spends hours strumming beneath the columns. He also sells CD for 10€, and is more than happy to take a break and help you with your Spanish.  

Admission: Free

Getting there: You can access the park from either Lessepps or Vallcarca Metro Stops on L3 (Green) line, although you will find a 20 minute walk from either to reach it. Both routes are well sign posted.  

La Sagrada Familia by Antonio Gaudi, Barcelona    La Sagrada Familia ("the sacred family") is one of the most visited sites in Barcelona. It was Antonio Gaudi's final project, and all but consumed the last 15 years of his life before his death in 1926.   In 1935 during the Spanish civil war, the plans and drawings of the unfinished building were destroyed in a fire, and since then the project has been further developed by various architects and more recently, computer modelling.  This explains the difference in the style of the detail on the two sides of the main entrance. The Nativity Facade, most heavily influenced by Gaudi features highly detailed carvings, very similar in style to his other work, yet the West-facing Passion Facade is distinctly more cubist in style, and was developed by Josep Subirachs and finally finished in the 1930's. The expected, and fiercely debated date of completion is in 2026, to mark the 100^thofficial website: http://www.sagradafamilia.org/   anniversary of Gaudi's death.  A visit inside the temple is highly recommended, as there are various permanent and temporary exhibitions on the development of the project and about Gaudi himself. For more information, visit the

Open: October to September from 9am- 6pm and between April- September from 9am-8pm. Admission: General ticket 8€ euros, 3.5€ with an audio guide. Guided tours are available for an extra 3.5€.

Getting There: Either the L5 (Blue) line or L2 (Purple) line, Metro stop Sagrada Familia. 

Palau de Musica Catalana, Barcelona   

One of the most impressive creations of the Art Nouveau movement is the Palau de Musica, built by Domènech i Montaner between 1905- 1908. The decorative mosaic columns, the detailed facade and the stained glass skylight in the main concert hall continue to delight admirers from all over the world.  All genres of music are performed here, from jazz to classical and contemporary, and many of the world's finest musicians and instrumental groups have performed here over the years, including Ella Fitzgerald and José Carreras.   This place is definitely worth a visit  even if only to appreciate the beauty of the building, but for those that want to experience this incredible venue as one of the world's iconic concert halls, bookings can be made through the website for current performances: http://home.palaumusica.org/   Open: 9:30am- 3:00pm daily, but may be closed due to performances running at the time. Admission: Adults: 9€ , Concession 8€

Guided Tours: Lasting 50 minutes in Catalan Spanish and English from 10am- 3:30pm every half hour.

To enjoy the city like the locals do, consider one of our Barcelona apartments.

Enjoy the architecture in Barcelona

Maybe you have finally gotten to the point that you can finally take the dream vacation to Barcelona Spain. Maybe you are being sent there on business or you are going to simply visit family. Either way, you want to make sure that you are taking some time to view the land and to take in some of the architecture sights. It has been said to be one of the most beautiful places on earth and once you are there for yourself, you will be able to make that call for yourself. You might just be surprised at what you find.

One thing that you have to do though before you get ready to take off is to book accommodations. Many people automatically reach for the phone to call a hotel, but you want to stop right there and refrain yourself from doing that. You want to make sure that your vacation or holiday travel is as comfortable and as peaceful as possible, right? Then what you will want to do is to take a look online at all of the holiday rentals in Barcelona that you could rent out. This kind of accommodation in Barcelona would surely be a much better way to spend your time in the city.

One thing you can say about the buildings in Barcelona is that they are bold. They are certainly created in a manner to make sure that a statement is being made. They are strong, beautiful and sometimes a little intimidating at the same time. If you are traveling through the area, make sure that you are hooking up with a tour bus of some sort that will take you through all of the various places. Many of the most famous architectural places cannot be toured on the inside, but looking at the beauty that is on the outside is surely worth it.

Research all of the places that you will want to visit or see before you head out for your vacation. This is the best way to make sure that you are getting to do and see everything that you want. Without that kind of planning, you might just find yourself overwhelmed, especially since there is just so much to do.

As you can see, there is so much history in Barcelona, and in all of Spain for that matter. You will want to make sure that you are taking your time to see everything that you possibly can. Even then, you will most likely find yourself drawn to the land time and time again. Some people have fallen so deeply in love with the land that they bought a second home there. Who knows, maybe you will be the next person to set up a home in the lovely area of Barcelona.