Barcelona - Gaudi & Casa Batlló

        During our time in Barcelona, we visited many of the major historical sites in the city. This was one of our busiest days, as we went to 4 different places by foot throughout the city. It was very tiring but so exciting!

        We visited multiple places that were constructed by the architect Antoni Gaudi. His work is some of the most amazing I have seen from that time period. Gaudi was considered to have practiced Catalan Modernism and incorporated religion, nature, fantasy, and geometry into his work. He was also known for using colored tiles arranged in mosaic patterns. His architectural style is amazing to many today, but the locals that lived where he constructed the buildings did not necessarily feel the same way. The new style was very different and the change was scary. After going to many of the structures designed by Gaudi, I would consider him to be one of the best architects of his time.

       The first visit on our list was to Casa Battló. Gaudi was commissioned to redesign this home by the Battló's in the early 1900's. This structure stands out from every other building, as most of Gaudi's works did, and is very spectacular.

This is a photo of the front of the structure

       Gaudi's style is clearly very unique as you can see from the front of the building which features intricate columns, tiles, and curved walls. The interior of the building has an aquatic theme to it and mosaics are found in many places throughout the house. 

Photo of the tiled wall on the interior courtyard

       While we were on the tour, we learned how much work Gaudi put into every detail. In this photo, there is natural light coming in through the roof. Gaudi used darker tiles at the top and lighter tiles towards the bottom to keep the light levels the same on each floor. To me, it is incredible that he thought of these things.

Here are some of Gaudi's tile mosaics

       This piece is in the backyard of the building. The area around this was one of the most amazing backyards I have ever seen. I can't describe exactly how this felt, but the beautiful aquatic themed structures, the garden, the colors, and the bright sun made this such a peaceful and relaxing place. 

On the next post, I will be writing about La Padrera, Park Guell, and Sagrada Familia.