Batlló House
The building was restored by the architect Antoni Gaudí between 1904 and 1906 at the request of Josep Batlló, its owner, who wished to reform the original house, built in 1877.
Gaudí completely reorganised the spaces, introducing more ventilation and natural light. He added two floors, the loft, and the distinctive balconies designed with curved intertwined shapes, with the aim of making it a modern and functional home.
The building features a spectacular facade that combines stone, wrought iron, and polychrome ceramics. On the first floor, a large sandstone balcony allows views of the elegant Noble floor. Above are ceramic tiles which look like scales and a tower topped with a four-armed cross, reminding us of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon.
The building was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2005.
The block in the Eixample district where Batlló House, Amatller House, and Lleó Morera House are located became popularly known as the “Illa of discord” (Block of Discord) due to the disparity of architectural elements among the buildings there, all dating from the early 20th century. In all three cases, restoration work has been carried out on existing buildings.