Architect spain barcelona. Barcelona - the cradle of the architectural genius Antonio Gaudí

In the 70s of the 19th century, the young Gaudí moved to Barcelona. After 5 years of preparatory courses, Gaudí was admitted to the Provincial School of Architecture, from which he graduated in 1878.

In 1870-1882, Antoni Gaudí worked as a draftsman, unsuccessfully participating in competitions. He studied crafts, doing many small jobs (fences, lanterns, etc.), designing furniture for his own home.

At this time, an extraordinary flowering of neo-Gothic style began in Europe, and the young Gaudí enthusiastically followed advanced ideas. The declaration “Decorativeness is the beginning of architecture” proclaimed by the followers of the Neo-Gothic completely coincided with the ideas of Gaudi, who over time developed his own, completely unique architectural style.

Gaudí architecture

At the beginning of Gaudi's work, being influenced by the architecture of Barcelona and the architect Martorel, he builds his first buildings, richly decorated: "stylistic twins" - the elegant House of Vicens () and the quaint El Capriccio (Comillas, Cantabria); also the compromise Calvet House (Barcelona) in pseudo-baroque style. At the same time, Gaudí is making a project in a restrained Gothic, even “serf” style - the School at the Monastery of St. Teresa (), as well as an unrealized project for the buildings of the Franciscan Mission in Tangier; Neo-Gothic episcopal palace in Astorga (Castilla, Leon) and Dom Botines (Leon).

A decisive role in the implementation of Gaudí was played by the architect's meeting with Eusebi Güell, with whom he became friends. This textile magnate, the richest man, not alien to aesthetic insights, could afford to order any dream, and Gaudi got what every creator dreams of: freedom of expression without regard to estimates.

Gaudí designs the pavilions of the estate in Pedralbes near Barcelona for the Guell family; wine cellars in Garrafa, chapels and crypts of Colonia Güell (Santa Coloma de Cervello); fantastic().

Over time, Gaudi developed his own style, where there was not a single straight line. The construction of the Palau Güell turned Gaudí into Barcelona's most fashionable architect, soon becoming "an almost unaffordable luxury". For the bourgeois of Barcelona, ​​he built houses one more unusual than the other: a space that is born and develops, expanding and moving like living matter - the House of Mila; a living quivering creature, the fruit of a bizarre fantasy - Casa Batllo.

Customers, ready to throw half a fortune on the construction, initially believed in the genius of an architect who paves a new path in architecture.

Death of Gaudí

Gaudí died at the age of 73. On June 7, 1926, he left the house, setting off on his daily journey to the church of Sant Felip Neri, of which he was a parishioner. While walking absentmindedly along Gran Via de las Cortes Catalanes between Girona and Bailen streets, he was hit by a tram and Gaudí lost consciousness.

The cab drivers refused to take an untidy, unknown old man without money and documents to the hospital, fearing non-payment for the trip. Still, Gaudi was taken to a hospital for the poor, where he was given only primitive medical care. Only the next day he was found and identified by the chaplain. By that time, Gaudí's condition had already deteriorated so much that the best treatment could not help him.

Gaudí died on June 10, 1926 and was buried two days later in the crypt of the unfinished cathedral.

Gaudí architecture in Barcelona:

Casa Batlló y Casa Novas

Casa Batlló(cat. Casa Batlló), also called "House of Bones"- a residential building built in 1877 for the textile magnate Josep Batllo y Casanovas at , 43 in the district, and rebuilt by the architect Antoni Gaudí in 1904-1906.

Before finishing the construction work, Gaudi received an order to remake an apartment building owned by the family of a wealthy textile manufacturer, Josep Batllo y Casanovas, and located next to the modernist house of Amalie. The owner of the house intended to demolish the old building of 1875 and build a new one in its place, but Gaudí decided otherwise.

Architecture of Casa Batlló

Gaudi retained the original structure of the house, adjacent to the side walls of two neighboring buildings, but designed two new facades, the main one from the side, and the back one - inside the block. In addition, Gaudí completely redesigned the ground floor and the mezzanine, making original furniture, and adding a basement floor, an attic and an asotea (stepped roof terrace). Two light shafts were combined into a single courtyard, which improved daylight and ventilation of the building. The idea of ​​giving a light yard special significance, first realized in Casa Batlló, was used by Gaudi during the construction Houses of Mila.

Many researchers of Gaudí's work recognize that the reconstruction of Casa Batllo is the beginning of a new creative stage for the master: from this project, Gaudí's architectural projects will be based on his own vision, without regard to accepted norms and styles.

Features of Casa Batlló

A distinctive feature of the Casa Batlló is the almost complete absence of straight lines in its architecture. The decoration of the façade is made of hewn stone, quarried on Barcelona's Montjuïc hill, as well as the interior design - everything is done on the basis of wavy lines. very different interpretations appearance facade, but in general they agree that the main facade is an allegory for the dragon - a favorite character of Gaudi, whose image was used in many of his creations. The victory of the patron saint of Catalonia, St. George, over the dragon may be an allegory for the victory of good over evil. The sword of St. George, thrust into the "backbone of the dragon", is presented in the form of a turret topped with a St. George's cross, the facade of the building depicts the sparkling "scales" of the monster and is littered with the bones and "skulls" of its victims, which are guessed in the forms of the mezzanine columns and balconies.

As is characteristic of Gaudí, every detail in the Casa Batlló is carefully thought out. Pay attention to the design of the light palace, where Gaudí created a special play of chiaroscuro. To achieve uniform lighting, the architect gradually changes the color of the ceramic cladding from white to blue and blue, deepening it as it goes from bottom to top, creating a real splash of azure in the finishes of chimneys and ventilation pipes. For the same, the size of the windows overlooking the patio also changes, which gradually decrease with height. The elegant attic of the house is based on the parabolic arches used by Gaudi and other projects.

Decor of Casa Batlló

All home decor is made by the best craftsmen. The forged elements were made by blacksmiths, the Badia brothers, the stained-glass windows were made by the glass blower Josep Pelegri, the tiles were made by P. Pujol-i-Bausis son, other ceramic details were made by Sebastian-i-Ribo. The cladding of the main façade was entirely made in Manacor (Mallorca). The furniture created by Gaudí during the interior design is now included in the collection in Park Guell.

Casa Batllo, together with the House of Amalle and the House of Lleo Morera, is part of "Quarter of Disagreement", so named because of the stylistic heterogeneity of the modernist buildings that form it.

In 1962, Casa Batllo was declared an Artistic Monument of Barcelona, ​​in 1969 - a monument of national importance, in 2005 it was included in the list.

Visit Casa Batlló in Barcelona:

• Website: www.casabatllo.es
• Opening hours: daily 9 - 19 (last entry at 20:00)
• Directions: 7, 16, 17, 22, 24 and 28. Barcelona Tourist Bus (North & South) stop Casa Batlló – Fundació Antoni Tàpies.| Barcelona Tourist Bus (North & South) stop Casa Batlló – Fundació Antoni Tàpies.| Metro: Station Passeig de Gràcia: L2, L3 and L4.
• Audio guide - included in the ticket price. There is in Russian.
• Entrance:
  • adults: 21.5€
  • students and pensioners > 65 years old: 18.5€
  • 7 - 18 years old: 18.5€
  • children under 7 years old - free of charge
  • Night visit (21:00) - 29€

House Mila

On the corner with Carrèr de Provence (Provence St.) stands the main boulevard - Mila's house(Casa Milà, Provença, 261-265, Passeig de Gratia, 92). This building by Antoni Gaudí is more like a piece of sculpture than a piece of architecture.

Architecture of the House of Mila

The six-story house looks like a huge rock, its window and doorways resemble grottoes, balcony forged gratings made in the form of fantastic plants. The house is often called La Pedrera, meaning "The Quarry". Gaudi erected it in 1906-1910. for the richest Mila family; the owners' living quarters, an office were located here, and some of the apartments were rented out. Now, in addition to the bank CbutixbutdeCbuttbutlunybut, who allocated funds for the restoration of the building, the house houses the Gaudí Museum.

In one of the apartments there is a kind of museum of life of the Art Nouveau era; note that there are no straight lines here! You can also climb up to the fantastic rooftop, where giant multicolored chimneys resemble medieval knights. It was on this roof that the shooting of M. Antonioni's famous film "Profession: Reporter" took place.

Religious motifs in the architecture of Gaudí

The house was built on the site of the temple of the Virgin Mary of the 11th century, and therefore its entire appearance is permeated with religious motifs. The building was to be crowned by a colossal figure of the Madonna (12 m) with angels - the entire building of Mila's house would then be perceived as her grandiose pedestal. However, the Madonna was never installed because of the anti-church riots of the Tragic Week of 1909, when the crowd smashed and burned churches and monasteries. Religious symbols are present in all the buildings of Gaudí; “silent wave of the blue mountain” (as the English art critic D. Ruskin called Mila’s house) was supposed to capture the “soul of Catalonia2 and remind monastery of Montserrat.

But it must be remembered that Gaudi intended to somewhat soften the impression of the harsh power of this house - the residents had to decorate their balconies with creeping and hanging flowers, cacti, palm trees, thereby complementing the architecture and sculpture with living vegetation. The most important role in the construction of the Mila House was played by Gaudí's permanent assistant J. Jujol, who designed the wrought-iron grilles of the building's balconies.

Visit Casa Mila in Barcelona:

• House Mila - on the list
• Address: Provença, 261-265, Barcelona
• www.lapedrera.com
• Directions: metro: L3 and L5 stop Diagonal.| buses: 7, 16, 17, 22, 24, 39 and V17.| FGC trains: Provença station.| Barcelona Bus Turistic: stop Pg. de Gracia-La Pedrera.
• Working hours:
• November - February: La Pedrera in the afternoon: daily 9 - 18:30, last admission 18 hours. The Secret Pedrera: Wednesday - Saturday 19 - 22:30, choice of tours and languages.
• March - October: La Pedrera by Day: hedgehog. 9 - 20, last entrance 19:30. The Secret Pedrera: hedgehog 20:30 - 0:00, choice of excursions and languages.
• Closed: 25 December and 1 week in January.
• Entrance: AFTERNOON: adults €16.50, students: €14.85 disabled: €14.85, children (up to and including 6 years old): free, children 7 - 12 years old: €8.25
• Entrance IN THE EVENING: adults: 30 €, children 7-12 years old: 15 €, children under 6 years old inclusive - free of charge.

Sagrada Familia (Sagrada Familia)

It was one of his first buildings, which Antonio Gaudí built in 1886-1889. for his patron, the textile magnate Eusebio de Güell Bacigalupi. Probably, it was thanks to close friendship with him that Gaudi managed to achieve unprecedented architectural perfection: Guell did not count the money that he allocated for Gaudi's buildings and their constant restructuring, he settled numerous legal problems, and as a result, Gaudi became, in fact, the family architect of the Guells. He built everything for them - from clothes drying devices on the roof of a city house, and a mansion, and a church, and a whole park.

The architect and the industrialist had much in common: they were both from the neighborhood, both were fanatical patriots. Be sure to visit the palace; Fireplaces, bat-shaped weathercocks, parabolic arches, neo-Byzantine living rooms, spear columns on the second floor, multi-colored ceramic chimneys on the roof are unlikely to leave you indifferent (according to legend, to achieve the desired effect, Gaudí smashed objects of an extremely expensive Limoges service).

Interior of the Palace Güell

The decoration of the rooms was fabulously expensive - carved ceilings of rosewood and oak are decorated with false leaves of gold and silver, inlaid with ivory and tortoiseshell; candlesticks were attached to the marble walls. Some art historians believe that the drawing of the mansion resembles a plan in; others note similarities with Babylonian ziggurats. The mansion was front official residence Güell - even before the completion of construction work, he was visited here by the Queen Regent Maria Cristina.

In the 1880s, when construction was underway Palace Güell, the southeast side was considered unsuitable for a fashionable life - this cereal area was then called Chinatown and was teeming with prostitutes, alcoholics, syphilitics; it was here that the French writer Jean Genet lived, creating his "Diary of a Thief" - a chronicle of the life of the Barcelona "bottom". Now this area is populated mainly by emigrants from Latin America and is still considered the slums of Barcelona. By the way, if you want to live close to the center of Barcelona and very cheap, and you are not too scrupulous, then this place will be perfect - lots of cheap restaurants around, within walking distance…

Visit Palau Güell in Barcelona

• Palau Guell
• Address: Carrer Nou de la Rambla, 3-5
• Tel: +34 934 72 57 75
• Working hours:
• Open from Tuesday to Sunday, both days inclusive.
  • Summer work schedule (from April 1 to October 31): from 10 am to 8 pm (ticket office closes at 7 pm)
  • Winter work schedule (from November 1 to March 31): from 10 to 17:30 (the box office closes at 16:30)
  • Day off: Monday, excluding holidays, December 25 and 26, January 1 and from January 6 to 13 (for prevention)

• entrance:
  • adults: 12€
  • other options:
  • The audio guide is included in the ticket price.
• Buy ticket to Vdorets Güell:
  • Tickets can be purchased at the box office of the Palau Güell, located on the street. Nou de la Rambla, 1, 20 meters from the main entrance to the Palau Güell. Tickets can also be purchased in advance for a specific time and date.

The unusual architecture of Antonio Gaudí is the decoration of Barcelona. In the capital of Catalonia, 14 buildings of the master of modernism have been preserved: Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, houses, small architectural forms. All the masterpieces of Gaudí in Barcelona with a map and description. Addresses, opening hours, ticket prices, what to watch for free and how to avoid standing in lines.

Before you go to see Gaudí's creations, plan your time and calculate your budget. The sights of Barcelona are among the most popular and expensive in Europe. You can spend 2 hours waiting in line at the Sagrada Familia, and a ticket to Casa Batlló costs €23.50.

What to do? Choose only the best interesting places with an entrance fee and book your tickets online. In many cases, you can limit yourself to an external examination or visit a free part.

Barcelona transport and discount cards

Casa Batlló

A feature of the Casa Batlló is the almost complete absence of straight lines. The facade of the building depicts the shining scales of a monster with the bones and skulls of its victims.

• the address: Passeig de Gracia 43
• opening hours: Mon-Sun 9:00-21:00
• tickets: €23.50/€20.50
• 20% discount with Barcelona City Pass

House Mila (Casa Milà, La Pedrera)

The last secular work of Gaudi, an example of Catalan modernism. The panoramic rooftop terrace is decorated with sculptures of mythological creatures that perform the practical function of ventilation.

• the address: Carrer de Provenca 261
• opening hours:
  • from March 3 to November 1 Mon-Sun 9:00-20:30
  • from November 2, Mon-Sun 9:00-18:30
• tickets: €22/€16.50/€11
• Mila's house at night - night tour, projections in the rooms, audiovisual show on the roof of the terrace, a glass of champagne.
• 20% discount with Barcelona City Pass

Online tickets without queues

House Vicens (Casa Vicens)

Built in Mudéjar style with ceramic finishes and a parabolic arch. Gaudí's first major order from manufacturer Manuel Vicens. Listed world heritage UNESCO (2005). For a long time it was privately owned, opened to the public in November 2017.

• the address: Carrer de les Carolines 24
• opening hours:
  • Mon-Sun 10:00-18:00
• tickets: €16/€14

The Spanish architect Gaudi and his houses, which have become iconic in world architecture, have turned the capital of Spain, Barcelona, ​​into an architectural gem. In what style did a unique, gifted person work, who additionally combined an artist, sculptor and builder? What is the secret of his work? What is the fate of a genius?

Gaudí - style at the service of tradition

The founder of his own architectural style Antonio Gaudí i Cornet

The Catalan architect, born on June 25, 1852, expressed in his work the peculiarities of the culture of his homeland through the merger architectural styles and traditions. It does not fit into any architectural trend. His work is unique and completely different from generally accepted concepts. And the power of the aesthetic experience of the creations of Gaudí only becomes greater with time.

There is not a single straight line in its structures. Architectural forms flow from one to another. He modestly built according to the laws of Nature and did not seek to surpass it.

What is the originality of Gaudí's style?

In 1878, the director of the Barcelona School of Architecture, Elies Rogent, said of Antonio at the graduation ceremony: “We have given this academic title either to an idiot or a genius. Time will show". At first, Gaudi unsuccessfully participated in competitions, studied crafts, designed fences, lanterns, and furniture.

“There is nothing invented, everything originally exists in nature. Originality is a return to the origins,” said the master about his works. The hallmark of Gaudí's style was the expression of natural forms in architecture.

Gaudí's style is

• the world of uneven surfaces that we see in nature;
• design solutions proposed by nature;
• decorativeness that exists in nature;
• continuation of the space created by nature.

Five years after graduating from the Barcelona School of Architecture, he received his first important commission from the owner of a ceramic factory, Manuel Vicens.

Dashing trouble - the beginning: the house of the magnate-ceramist Vicens

Casa Vicens (1883-1888) is a residential building for the owner of a ceramic factory, which is clearly reflected in the "trencadis" facade (i.e. the use of ceramic waste). Gaudí decorated the facade of the house with a mosaic of tile pieces, which was quite unusual in the use of building materials.

At this time in Europe, there was an interest in the neo-Gothic style with the motto "Decoration - the beginning of architecture." Gaudí also adhered to this rule in his works. His work at the time resembled the Moorish (or Mudéjar) style of architecture, a unique blend of Muslim and Christian design in Spain.

The private house once a year, on May 22, opens its doors to visitors. Everyone can appreciate the detailed design of the building, from the exterior mosaics to the stained-glass windows and wall paintings.

Incredible luck and the only unrequited love of Gaudí

In 1878, Antonio Gaudí decided to showcase his work at the Paris World Exhibition. His work made an impression on the richest man in Catalonia, esthete and philanthropist, Eusebi Guella. He gave Antonio what every creator dreams of: complete freedom of expression with an unlimited budget!

Gaudí carries out projects for the family

• pavilions of the estate in Pedralbes near Barcelona;
• wine cellars in Garraf,
• the chapels and crypt of the Guell colony (Santa Coloma de Cervelho);
• fantastic park Guella and its palace in Barcelona.

It was the best and at the same time the saddest period in personal life architect. The only girl who turned out to be worthy of his attention, Joseph Moreu, did not reciprocate. Accepting fate, Gaudí devoted himself entirely to creativity and religion.

Royal garden in the style of Gaudí

Gaudí's first large-scale project, carried out for his great patron, Eusebi Güell, was the pavilions of the estate. Construction took place between 1883 and 1887. landscape design the count's summer residence park, which has become a park today Royal Palace, entrance gates, pavilions, stables bear the characteristic features of the early period of creativity.

The most interesting work in the complex was the northern iron gate. They are decorated with floral motifs in the style , and a medallion with the letter "G". An impressive feature is a large wrought iron dragon with glass eyes.

This is the same Ladon who turns into the constellation of Serpenes for stealing golden apples. Its figure corresponds to the location of the stars in the constellation.

Palace Guella (Palau Güell) (1885-1890)

The residence of the patron's family became the first building of the architect, in which the structural elements also perform a decorative function. Antonio uses steel supporting structures as decor.

Two pairs of large gates stand out on the facade of the building, through which horse-drawn carriages and carts could go directly to the lower stables and cellars, while guests could climb stairs to the upper floors.

The soul of the creator is looking for new forms. From the outside, the house has a calm façade, reminiscent of a Venetian palazzo. But the interior and roof make up for the lack of Gaudí elements in the exterior.

Living room of Palau Güella with Gaudí style starry ceiling

In the central living room, an unusual parabolic dome is studded with round holes that make the ceiling starry during the day.

The silhouettes of chimneys and ventilation shafts leading to the roof take on various fantastic shapes. The roof is reminiscent of Park Güell.

The rich interiors of the palace combine works of arts and crafts, intarsia (inlays on wood) and custom-made furniture.

The design of the walls and flat vaults of the palace is peculiar. In 1984, the Palace Güell, along with other architectural masterpieces of Gaudí, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Expression of Gaudí's style in the architecture of Park Güella

In 1900 - 1914, Gaudí worked on the creation of a park residential area in the English style. In order to implement the garden city concept that was fashionable in those years, Güell acquired 15 hectares of land for the construction of 62 private mansions. The project's economic failures forced its heirs to sell the park to the city. It now houses the Gaudi Museum.

For this place, Gaudi designed two magnificent entrance pavilions that serve as gates. A large ornamented staircase leads to the Hypostyle Hall, conceived by the architect as a place for a market. The esplanade is surrounded by a long, serpentine bench of precast concrete blocks clad in ceramic mosaics.

Devoted to his principles, Gaudí used only local materials. He designed the system of streets and viaducts in such a way that their construction had a minimal impact on environment. They have been adapted to the landscape as much as possible.

This principle makes his architecture and some researchers of his work call Gaudí's style eco-modern.

Gaudi and his houses "From Bones" and "Stone Quarry"

Thanks to his inimitable style, Gaudí becomes the most fashionable architect in Barcelona. It turns into "an unaffordable luxury", creates houses one more unusual than the other. The Spanish bourgeois spend their fortunes on the implementation of the artist's brilliant ideas.

Casa Batlló or House of Bones. The Barcelona people also call it “Yawning” and “Dragon House”, its facade is so diverse.

Gaudi's style is a reverently respectful relationship with the Creator, which was established in childhood. Rheumatism limited the boy in games with peers, but did not interfere with long solitary rides on a donkey.

Observing the surrounding world, the architect drew inspiration to solve constructive or decorative architectural tasks for customers. In his work, he used elements of a wide variety of styles, transforming them into a special direction called Spanish ( modernismo).

Why did the city authorities criticize the House of the Bones?

A living, quivering creature was the fruit of the architect's whimsical fantasy - the residential building of the textile magnate Josep Batlló (Casa Batlló). Gaudi reconstructed an already existing building in 1904-1906, awaiting demolition. He used the typical structural elements of Catalan architecture: ceramics, stone and wrought iron.

Despite the fact that the work was criticized by the city, in 1906 the city council of Barcelona recognized him as one of the three best buildings of the year.

Due to the radical design during construction, Gaudí violated all by-laws of the city. And not because he is a "mischievous person", but because the author's style went beyond the limiting framework of traditional architecture and urban planning. The powers that be had to change the laws.

Which building was Gaudí's last secular work?

Quarry house in Barcelona in the style of Gaudí

In 1906, another big loss happens in the life of an architect: his father, a blacksmith and boiler master, Francesc Gaudí i Sierra, died. According to Antonio, it was in his father's workshop that he felt space as living matter. His father taught him to understand the beauty of the objective world and instilled a love for architecture and drawing.

This is not the first loss in the life of the master. Born the fifth child in the family, this year he was left all alone with his niece in care, whom he buried after 6 years.

It was during this period that Antonio's new ideas were embodied in the house for the Mila family (casa Mila, 1906 - 1910). His innovation was as follows.

• He thinks through the system of natural ventilation, which makes it possible to abandon air conditioners.
• Builds a building without load-bearing and supporting walls (reinforced concrete structure with load-bearing columns). This makes it possible to move the interior partitions in each apartment at your discretion. Today, this technology is popular with builders of monolithic-frame houses.
• Arranges an underground garage.
• Each room in the house gets a window, which is also unusual for the beginning of the 20th century. There are three courtyards for this.

The undulating façade is a harmonious mass of all kinds of stone, which, along with the wrought iron balconies, was nicknamed by the people of Barcelona "the quarry" or La Pedrera.

One of Gaudi's most interesting design solutions is the attic of the house. The hall, once intended for washing and drying clothes, today has become a place permanent exhibition work and life of Gaudí.

This building was the first building of the twentieth century, included in the heritage of UNESCO (1984). And during construction, the customer and the builders paid more than one fine for violating generally accepted standards.

The House of Mila was the last secular work before the architect devoted himself entirely to creativity on the Expiatory Temple of the Sagrada Familia (Sagrada Familia). He no longer took new orders, but worked on finishing the current objects.

Crypt of the Guella colony

The word "colony" does not carry the burden of "corrective labor" at all. What it is can be read on the Zen Architecture channel.

Crypt, in this case, means the lower floor of the church, the construction of which Gaudi began in 1908 and completed in 1914, commissioned by his friend and patron Eusebi Güella. The architect was instructed to provide a cultural and religious basis for the life of the town of workers employed in the production of an industrialist.

Interior of the crypt of a church in the Guella colony. The columns are made of basalt, brick and limestone depending on the load.

Following his principles, Gaudi organically entered the church into the landscape of the area. For the interior, he designed amazing benches made of wood and iron, reflecting his roots as a hereditary blacksmith.

For more information about the masterpiece crypt of the Guell colony, if interested, read on the Zen Architecture channel.

The brilliance and poverty of the architect Gaudí

Dandy in his youth, a gourmet and theatergoer, traveling in his own carriage, in adulthood began to lead an ascetic lifestyle. On June 7, 1926, he, a 73-year-old man, dressed in a worn suit and without documents, was hit by a tram. Not knowing that this is a great architect, the victim was taken to the hospital for the poor. The next day, the chaplain (the main creation of Gaudí, to whom he devoted more than 40 years) found him and transferred him to another hospital. But the best doctors were powerless.

The architecture of Antonio Gaudi, his houses in Barcelona, ​​which have become the world heritage of mankind, you will recognize even if you are not at all familiar with his work. continue to build and hope to complete by 2026.

Barcelona is the capital of Spanish Catalonia, the second largest and most populous city in Spain. Oh, Barcelona, ​​proud and stubborn Catalan beauty! If a city can be dazzling, Barcelona is. It is like a beautiful song about itself: passionate, tragic and indomitable, sung by the brilliant duet of Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballe.

The capital of Catalonia in Spain is one of the main attractions of the country.

In this spectacular city, which is picturesquely spread on the shores of a cozy bay, you can spin to the sounds of temperamental flamenco and lose your sense of reality: it seems that Barcelona is about to give every tourist a charming surprise!

Barcelona is the "ideal city" of the brilliant architect Antonio Gaudí!

The sights of Barcelona are a creative flight of fancy!

Columbus Square, Port of Barcelona.

Located in the center of Barcelona Columbus Square. The Catalans call her Gates of the world. From here it is customary to start acquaintance with the city and its sights. The pedestal with images from the life of the great discoverers crowns the ball, on which the statue of Christopher Columbus is installed. There are four bronze lions around the monument, and inside there is an elevator that takes you up to a small observation deck overlooking the seaport, harbor and Montjuic. The monument was erected for the first World Exhibition in 1888.

Rambla in Barcelona, ​​Boqueria Market Mercat de la Boqueria.

Near the square is the famous the Ramblas- the main pedestrian artery and tourist centre, which attracts its guests like a magnet with its history and original culture. It is sometimes compared to the Arbat in Moscow and is called "the charm of Barcelona".

It is buried in the greenery of trees, scattering of shops, pet stores, souvenir shops, newsstands. There are many artists, "living statues" showing mini-theatrical performances, flowers, paintings and all kinds of souvenirs. Next to the Rambla is the main grocery Boqueria market: counters are filled with fruits, vegetables, herbs, meat, sausages, seafood.

The Boqueria market is a gastronomic attraction of the tourist center.

Gothic Quarter in Barcelona - Barrio Gotico.

Gothic Quarter especially admires with its narrow streets and cold lanes. Its history is separated from other younger areas of Barcelona by seven centuries. Eixample avenues, on the contrary, create a feeling of peace and tranquility, captivating with their width and bright illumination. Diagonal street, crossing the city center, diverges into chains of boulevards, where daytime and night life capital Cities. Boulevard "Paseo de Gracia"– good place where the world of fashion blends seamlessly with landmarks and architecture to form the most elegant ensemble. Here, shoppers can meet the collections of democratic brands Zara, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Blanco and luxury boutiques Loewe, Cucci and Chanel.

Quarter "Apple of Discord" - Manzana de la discordia.

On this boulevard of the capital of Catalonia is Quarter "Apple of Discord", where the creations of the extraordinary architect Antonio Gaudí and his fellow rivals Pudge i Cadafalch, Domenech i Montaner side by side.

Architecture by Antoni Gaudí.

Gaudí, Casa Batlló, Barcelona

An integral part of Barcelona is its unique architectural style. The architect made a special contribution to its formation. Antonio Gaudi. Each of his works is a work of art, thoughtful engineering solutions, innovative decorating ideas. The most outstanding and famous of his works: the House of Mila (Casa Mila), the House of Batllo (Casa Batllo), Park Güell and the Sagrada Familia (Sagrada Familia). Six of his brilliant creations are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

For over 150 years, we have been talking about Gaudí when we talk about Barcelona as a city of ideal style. Brilliant architect Antonio Gaudí gave the face of Barcelona 12 buildings that have become world attractions. All of them are “masterpieces” of style, decorating the streets with their bright colors and unusual shapes.

Casa Batllo is the house of the "Dragon" with its delightful stained-glass windows, meandering back-roof: colorful as a rainbow. House Batllo is known for another innovative attraction - one of the first underground parking in Barcelona.

House of La Pedrera (House of Mila)- a striking building that faces the street with three facades. The brilliance of the glass transparent decorations of the house echoes its wavy walls, reminiscent of stone surf, and the wrought-iron balconies are akin to sea foam. House La Pedrera was built for the Mila family by the architect Antonio Gaudí, inspired by his trip to Montserrat: there is not a single straight line in it. The interior layout of the huge halls and the decoration of the ceilings, as well as the walls with original stucco, simply captivates the eye. Work on the project began in 1906 and was to be completed in 1912. However, due to a conflict between the family - the customer and the architect on the concept of its construction, it was terminated earlier. In 1910, Gaudí resigned as an architect. The amazing House of La Pedrera is the last civil project of Antonio Gaudí: since then, he no longer built for people, but devoted his life to working on the Sagrada Familia.

It is believed that architecture is frozen music, then the creations of Antonio Gaudi are jazz!

The Mila family gave the house to the city and now it has two parts: municipal (free entry) and paid (simple tour 20 euros). Particularly impressive is the tour "La Pedrera at Night", where jazz music sounds!

Barcelona's main attraction is Park Güell.

Park Guell is one of his main creations. It was designed by Antoni Gaudí in 1899. It was planned to divide 15 hectares of land into 62 zones and build 62 houses, connecting them into an unusual spectacular architectural ensemble. Initially, the project was conceived as a quarter for wealthy people, but it was too expensive, but in the end it turned out beautiful park in 17 hectares, on the territory of which there are only two houses, in one of which (pink house) Antonio Gaudi himself spent 20 years of his life. Now the pink house has been a museum since 1963, which combines garden and residential areas. The second house was bought by his friend, a lawyer by profession.

The main idea of ​​the park is the embodiment of nature in stone.

The main attraction of Park Güell is an observation deck with a fence-bench in the form of a snake.

Park Güell is an exquisite garden city. In Park Güell, everything mixes up and makes an exotic cocktail of delicious pleasure: Gingerbread houses, pavilions in the form of hills, stone palms, viewing platforms parka in the form of intertwined tree roots, graceful Main staircase with exhibits of outlandish animals, columns, amazing arches of halls, caves, tunnels, sculptures, unusual fountains. All this splendor is buried in the greenery of plants.

Park Güell is the main attraction in Barcelona.

Created by order and with the financial support of the textile magnate and philanthropist Eusebio Güell, whose name the park received, it is conveniently located in the upper part of Barcelona in the Gracia district. The construction of Parc Güell lasted from 1900 to 1914. Güell's heirs sold it to Barcelona City Hall and the park is now open to the public. Here symbolism is combined with the myths of ancient times.

Park Güell is a creative triumph of the genius of world architecture Antoni Gaudí!

In 1984 it was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. along with Dom Mila and his other famous creations.

Attractions and iconic places of Park Güell:

The central entrance to the park is decorated two fabulous gingerbread houses.

• The left pavilion with a pinnacle (spire) is crowned with a five-beam cross on the roof, symbolizing "Good". It is intended for the administration of the park.
• The right pavilion was built for the gatekeeper, like a gatehouse building. A toadstool mushroom, symbolizing "Evil", was hoisted on its roof. Now souvenir shops are located here.

Main staircase supplemented by 4 sculptural images of symbolic fountains:

• philosopher's Stone;
• mosaic lizard Salamander - a symbol of Antoni Gaudí and Barcelona. It is located at the bottom of the stairs, where tourists like to be photographed;
• snake head - a fragment from the biblical story, when the staff of Moses turned into a snake head. The middle platform is decorated with a medallion with the Catalan flag;
• the Fountain itself is a symbol of the Llobregat River, which flows in Barcelona.

The front wide staircase with fountains leads to "Hall of a Hundred Columns". Now there are 86 Doric curved columns, but the working name has remained. The Hall of a Hundred Columns has excellent acoustics, so concerts are often held here. The "Hall of a Hundred Columns" is an astrological landmark imprinted in stone. The arch of the hall is crowned with 4 medallions or 4 plafonds, symbolizing the seasons, and 14 smaller medallions tell about the lunar cycles.

The center of the entire park ensemble is a terrace area, where the most famous and discussed detail of Park Güell is located - bench in the shape of a wriggling sea serpent with randomly arranged patterns of ceramics and porcelain on its back. This is the longest bench in the world at 300 meters, the back profile of which follows the curve of the human body. It fascinates with a colorful multi-colored mosaic made of glass, broken dishes, tiles. He also took part in the creation of the decor of the bench. Antonio Gaudi's student Josep-Maria Jujol. It is his collages, amazing in color and brightness, that adorn the parapet bench. From the terrace-platform with a serpentine bench, you can admire the panoramic views of Park Güell and the majestic architecture of Spain for a long time.

Walking alleys, passing through galleries with columns and reminiscent of bird nests, complement this wonderful park in Barcelona.

Stone balls in Park Güell symbolize the prayer beads, since Antonio Gaudi was a believer.

Park Güell opening hours: in summer from 8:00 to 21:30; in winter from 8:30 to 18:00. Entrance for tourists to Park Güell became paid from October 25, 2013 (8 Euros at the box office of the park). There are discounts for children and pensioners.

You can order tickets to Park Güell on the city hall website three months before the intended visit, indicating the specific time and date (7 Euros). Today, Park Güell is visited daily by 25,000 tourists. It is planned to limit visits to the park to 800 people per hour.

In 2012, Catalonia introduced a tax on hotel accommodation, however, their occupancy has not decreased! Park Güell, having become paid, still attracts a huge army of travelers for impressions and is one of the most sought-after attractions in Barcelona!

Sagrada Familia in Barcelona - Sagrada Familia.

The construction of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona began in 1882 and continues to the present.

Sagrada Familia is a redemptive temple. It is believed that while Barcelona is building it, it will atone for its sins. The temple is being built only with private donations from the people of Barcelona and money coming from the sale entrance tickets for tourists and guests of the city.

In 1883, Antonio Gaudí began the construction of the cathedral and completely redid the original project. He proposed to build the cathedral with three facades in the style of modernism with neo-gothic elements and symbolizing the meaning of light:

• The main facade is of the Nativity, announcing the birth of the god Jesus Christ. It faces east;
• Facade of the Passion - the death of the Lord. It faces west;
• Facade of the Glory of the Lord - the Majesty of the Lord. Shows a person's place in this world and all his sins. It is illuminated by the sun throughout the day.

The building will consist of 18 columns, of which 12 have already been built.

The tower of Jesus Christ is the highest, a little lower - the Virgin Mary.

Twelve towers symbolize the twelve apostles, four more - the evangelists.

The ingenious architect managed to complete only the facade of the Nativity of the temple. All the figures depicted on this facade are real people of that time, posing for him. Most of his life (43 years) Antonio Gaudi dedicated to the Sagrada Familia. It was here, in the crypt of the not yet completed cathedral, that he and buried in 1926.

Since 1950 of the XX century, the restoration of the temple has resumed. The Passion Façade was completed in other styles by the architect's followers. Now there is a large-scale construction of the Facade of the Glory of the Lord in the modern Avangard style. If earlier work was carried out from stone-sandstone, then glass and reinforced concrete structures are currently used.

November 2010 Spanish Catalonia visited Pope Benedict XVI. Purpose of the visit - Consecration of the Sagrada Familia. Now services are being held here, although the work has not yet been completed. The construction of the temple is planned to be completed by 2026 and then the Facade of the Glory of the Lord will become central.

During the life of an architectural genius, no one understood either his undulating houses without sharp corners, or his bizarre sculptures and fountains, or his extraordinary serpentine benches, strewn with collages of broken glass and expensive porcelain. Today, millions of tourists travel to Spain, Barcelona and Reus to admire his magical works.

It is impossible to describe the creations of Gaudí in words. You need to see them with your own eyes and personally make an impression, because it is impossible to unambiguously determine what exactly the architect wanted to convey. Each tourist creates their own images and figures of the famous masterpieces of Barcelona. One of the masterpieces of Antoni Gaudí's architecture is in Barcelona, ​​Spain.

Plaza de España in Barcelona. Mount Montjuic.

Plaza of Spain, Barcelona

For the World Exhibition of 1929, construction began on Hill Montjuic. Here are concentrated such "masterpiece" sights of Barcelona as: Plaza of Spain, avenue of Queen Mary-Christina with singing fountain, National Palace which now houses the National Museum of Catalan Art. The identification mark of the Plaza de España in Barcelona is two 47-meter-high campanile towers, built by analogy with the tower in Piazza San Marco in Venice. Albéniz Palace, Miramir Gardens, Mossen Vardaguer, Labiral, Rosaleda and Font del Gat are also located on Montjuic.

Magic fountains in Barcelona - Magic Fountains Barcelona.

Separately, it is worth noting the project of 1929 of the young ambitious engineer Buigas – Barcelona Singing Fountain. He discovered a new facet of art - the magic of light, which was used not to dispel twilight, but to decorate them. So, for the World Exhibition of 1929 and the general delight of tourists, residents of the city, he created four waterfalls and a "magic" or "singing" fountain. And now it is a symbol and the protagonist of the night beauty of Barcelona!

The “singing” fountain is a mesmerizing sight: light, music, color and cascades of liters of water mix in an incredible dance! Scientists scientifically explain the fact that when a person is near the fountain, he experiences positive emotions, aesthetic pleasure and real delight from the fact that the spray from the fountain throws negative ions into the air. They have a beneficial effect on our body and doctors call them “health vitamins”.

For the 1992 Summer Olympics, the restoration work of the Olympic venues was completed on the Montjuic hill, including Olympic Stadium(capacity 56 thousand spectators), which houses the Museum of the Olympics. The very first building is the Montjuic fortress, on the territory of which the Military Museum has been opened since 1963. One of the most visited attractions in Barcelona is the Spanish Village.

spanish village(Poble Espanyol) is Spain in miniature, where the best buildings and buildings from all over the country are collected, crafts and traditions of each of its parts are presented. This city is a museum of 116 life-sized objects. This is the first such project in the world and was implemented in 1927 by three architects: Xavier Nogues, Mikel Utrilt and Ramon Raventos. Today it is one of the most favorite places to visit among tourists and residents of Barcelona. Night clubs, discos, bars, cafes open their doors here at night. During the day, there are exhibitions of traditional, industrial and graphic folk art, shops with unique souvenirs and handicrafts, workshops where you can learn various crafts and create a souvenir with your own hands.

The World Exhibition of 1888, 1929 and the 1992 Olympics significantly changed the face of Barcelona, ​​apart from, of course, the work of Antonio Gaudí.

Barcelona Aquarium is one of the most unique in Europe.

It is located in the Port Vell area ( Old Port). Educational and entertainment zone consists of 35 themed aquariums with a volume of water occupying more than 5 million liters. All aquariums have their own natural habitat: deep-sea fish, inhabitants northern seas, tropical fish and so on. There is also a children's mini-aquarium "Miniaguaria".

giant oceanarium- the main attraction of the aquarium.

The most breathtaking sight is its 80 meter glass tunnel.

Passing through the tunnel, as if on a real seabed, you admire the sharks, rays and other inhabitants of the ocean passing by. The aquarium's collection includes 450 species of fish and 11,000 marine creatures. This living world of "wild" nature, full of funny moments, will replenish your "money of impressions" with new gifts.

More than 50 interactive exhibits for children work at the special educational exhibition "Explora!", which is dedicated to the inhabitants of the underwater kingdom.

From seaport are held excursions on the "Swallows" - small pleasure yachts, which last from 30 minutes to 80 minutes. The price of such pleasure is in the range of 5-13 euros.

Camp Nou stadium - Camp Nou.

Camp Nou - the most majestic stadium in Europe, which in its own way shows the powerful position of Catalonia as a Spanish region, as well as the wayward character of its inhabitants.

Even from the empty 120,000 seats it takes your breath away! And to get to the match and see how the players of Barca bring football to the cosmic level of skill is just an extravaganza in life football fan! But Camp Nou is not only a football arena, where Barça play their home matches: voices are heard and concerts of star artists of the size of Julio Iglesias are held here. The stadium is also an arena for holding significant events of the year: for example, the arrival of the Pope in Spain on November 17, 1982.

The Palace of Catalan Music is one of the best in Europe for its magnificent interior decoration and excellent acoustics. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This musical palace in Barcelona hosts concerts of classical music, Spanish guitar and the famous Flamenco Show.

Antoni Gaudí is a Catalan architect known for his whimsical-fictional buildings, most of which are located in Barcelona, ​​Spain. His work belongs to the Art Nouveau style, but he used elements from very different styles and created a completely new architecture.

During his life he created more than 20 masterpieces of architecture. Many of them are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, but without exception, they are popular tourist destinations.

Gaudi had a phenomenal mind. He practically never worked with drawings, he did all the calculations in his mind, and his main tools were imagination and intuition. Gaudí's gift was his amazing ability to draw a building in his mind and then turn it into stone.

To the birthday of Antonio Gaudi, life guide prepared for you the 7 most famous works of this brilliant architect:

1. House of Vicens (1883-1885)

This house in Barcelona was the first independent construction of Gaudí. Casa Vicens is a colorful mixture of different architectural styles, the most striking and recognizable of which is the Moorish style "mudeha". Structural forms and ornamental solutions reflected Gaudi's taste for oriental art, primarily Moorish, Persian and Byzantine.

2. Park Güell (1900-1914)

Fairy-tale houses, a bench in the form of a snake, fountains, sculptures - that's all famous park Güell. With an area of ​​17.18 hectares, the park is located in the upper part of Barcelona and is a combination of gardens and residential areas. Park Güell was conceived as a green residential area in the style of the urban planning concept of the garden city that was fashionable at that time in England.

3. Casa Batlló (1904 - 1906)

Casa Batllo, or as it is also called the House of Bones, was built in 1877. And if not for Antonio Gaudi, who was given the order to reconstruct the building, he would have remained an ordinary house. The most remarkable feature of Casa Batlló is the almost complete absence of straight lines in its design. The wavy outlines appear both in the decorative details of the facade, carved from hewn stone, and in the interior design.

All decorative elements of the house are made by the best masters of applied art. The forged elements were created by the Badia brothers, the stained-glass windows were created by the glass blower Josep Pelegri, the tiles were created by P. Pujol i Bausis son, other ceramic details were made by Sebastian i Ribo.

4. House of Mila (1906-1910)

The design of this Gaudi building was innovative for its time: a well-thought-out natural ventilation system allows you to abandon air conditioners, interior partitions in each of the apartments in the house can be moved at your discretion, there is an underground garage. The three patios (one circular and two elliptical) are characteristic design elements that the architect constantly turned to in order to fill the spaces in his buildings with enough light and fresh air.

5. El Capriccio (1983-1885)

Ruben Hoya

El Capriccio is a summer mansion on the Cantabrian coast in the town of Comillas near the city of Santander, Spain. The quaint little palace, built in the Art Nouveau style, dates back to Gaudí's early period. Multi-colored paints were chosen for the exterior decoration of the building. The plinth was decorated with yellowish-gray rustic stone; the facade was laid out with stripes of colored bricks, alternating with bright majolica tiles. Relief majolica depicted graceful flowers and sunflower leaves.

6. Palace Güell (1885 - 1890)

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Palau Güell is an urban residential building in Barcelona, ​​built by order of an admirer of Gaudí's talent, the Catalan industrialist Eusebi Güell. In this building, the Catalan architect combined the traditional rectangular structure of medieval palaces and coffered ceilings with such innovations as, for example, the parabolic arch, characteristic of Gaudí's later work. The palace has four main floors, plus a basement (ground floor) and a flat roof with a terrace.

7. Sagrada Familia or Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family (1882 - present)

This is the most famous long-term construction in Spain - the temple has been built for over 130 years! In accordance with Gaudí's project, the building was to be crowned with many monumental towers soaring upwards, and all elements of the scenery were to receive a deep symbolic meaning associated with the Gospel or church rites. Realizing that during his lifetime the work on the temple would not be completed, Gaudí also planned many of the interior details.

According to the data, the construction of the temple is planned to be completed in 2026.

In this video, you can still take a look at how this impressive design should look like in the end: