(English) The 2022 Gaudí Trail in Berguedà

Trail in Berguedà in 2018: Antonio Gaudí’s name is deeply rootedinvery heart of Barcelona. The city has the honour of being home to the largest number of works created by the Reus-born architectural maestro. Nevertheless, plenty of other places across the Spanish peninsular also have the honour of playing host to his architectural designs. In the region of Berguedà, for example, La Pobla de Lillet is Catalonia’s region with the second largest number of examples of the artist’s works.

So, in addition to the many charms of the Berguedà region, you can also follow the Gaudí trail. A little-known route, but one that brings us closer to a Gaudí, focusing on water as a common theme, it’s one that shuns the bright colours so vivid in his other works to give centre stage to the green shades of nature itself. Gaudí’s artworks in La Pobla de Lillet were sadly not recognised, mainly due to a lack of documentation, until the 1990s, when the Royal Fellowship of Gaudí at the Universidad Politécnica in Catalonia classified them as authentic designs from the famed architect.

You simply can’t pass up this opportunity to follow the Gaudí trail through Berguedà in 2017.

El Chalet de Catllaràs

A great example of Gaudí’s work with Eusebi Güell, an entrepreneur who commissioned him to build the Catllaràs Chalet for engineers working in local coal mines owned by Güell himself. The construction stands out for its simplicity and its parabolic vaulted shape, adapting to the heavy snowfalls common in the area. Currently, the chalet proudly displays its original appearance, having been modified by covering the cement façade in slate.

Los Jardines de Artigas

The gardens stand as testimony to Gaudí’s generosity. In a bid to pay homage to the hospitality of Joan Artigas i Alar, the textile businessman who gave Guadí a place to stay during the construction of the Catllaràs Chalet, he repaid him with this beautiful garden design.

The central feature of the gardens is the Llobregat river, alongside architectural elements integrated with other more natural features,lending them greater artistic capacity. The similarities with Parc Güell are innumerable, but the key difference is the absence of any bright colours, granting the greatest visual expression to the colour of the stones and lush vegetation. Another typical characteristic of the architect’s work is the inclusion of Christian symbols. In this example, four evangelists are scattered throughout the park in the form of a cross.

Los Jardines de Artigas simply invite you to explore, thanks to Gaudí’s designs marked by three fountains – the magnesia fountain, the lion fountain and the ox fountain –along with two bridges to continue your stroll along the river, enjoying the sounds of the water splashing and Gaudí’s trademark shapes. Work on the gardens was interrupted by the onset of the Spanish Civil War.

Both of these jewels from Gaudí’s catalogue make the region of Berguedá even more attractive to visitors, a part of the province of Barcelona that stands out for its beautiful landscapes. At HCC Hotels, we can provide lots of information on the Gaudí trail and other activities during your stay.

Categories: destinos