Modernist art in Barcelona

Sagrada Familia

The Sagrada Familia church is a masterpiece of Modernism, the undisputed symbol of Barcelona.

Construction began on the modernist basilica in 1882, and still continues today, with completion scheduled for 2030.

The project was initially entrusted to architect Francesc de Paula Villar who abandoned the project after a year because of disagreements with the developers. Gaudí was appointed to continue its construction, and devoted himself to the work until his death in 1926. Gaudí finished the side facade of the Nativity and the Crypt, both declared World Heritage Sites.

Thanks to models and drawings that were preserved, it was possible to continue the work, which was financed with anonymous donations from the outset.

Interesting features of the church include its three monumental facades: the eastern facade, dedicated to the Birth of Christ; the western facade to the Passion and Death of Christ; and the Gloria facade to religious faith. The four towers on each facade symbolise the 12 apostles.

La Pedrera (Milà House)

Casa Mila – La Pedrera was built between 1906 and 1912, when it was commissioned by Pere Milà to architect Antoni Gaudí. Gaudí designed a remarkable Modernist building arranged around two inner courtyards which provided light and ventilation to the homes. The interior and exterior of the building displays curved shapes that are reminiscent of ocean waves.

The facade is exposed stone, with the exception of the roof, which is covered with white tiles. The chimneys are in the form of warriors, some of them covered with pieces of broken bottles used as mosaic tiles.

The people of Barcelona nicknamed the building ‘La Pedrera’ (The Quarry), expressing their discontent that it did not follow the rules of conventional style.

The building was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1984.

Today, you can visit the attic, the roof, and one of the apartments dating from that period.

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.

Amatller House

The original building was built in 1875 by Antoni Robert. In 1898, the Amatller family commissioned its reform to architect Puig i Cadafalch, who combined the neo-Gothic style with an unusual stepped gable, inspired by the architectural style of houses in the Netherlands.

You can visit the concierge’s office, where the perfectly-preserved décor includes one of the finest stained-glass windows of the Modernist period.

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.

Lleó Morera House

In 1905, the Lleó Morera family commissioned architect Domènech i Montaner to undertake a complete renovation of the house, which has stood on Paseo de Gracia since 1864.

In 1906, the building won first prize in the annual Artistic Buildings Competition organised by the City Council.

Restoration work was carried out in 1992 to restore the architectural elements of the facade.

The house has formed part of the European Route of Modernism since 2007.

The building is for private use so cannot be visited, but the original period furniture from the family dining room is on display in the National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC).

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.

Palau de la Música (Palace of Catalan Music)

This exposed red brick building was built between 1905 and 1908 by the architect Domènech i Montaner. The Palau is one of the most outstanding concert halls in the world and one of the most representative monuments of Catalan Modernism. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997.

It features sculptures by Pau Gargallo and Didac Massana, and the central lamp in the concert hall was designed by Rigalt i Granell. The sculpture that dominates the facade, and which represents popular music, is the work of Miquel Blay.

As well as enjoying the concerts, visitors can take a guided tour of the building.

Park Güell

This park was created with the intention of establishing a housing development in the middle of nature, within the neighbourhood of Gracia. The plan was to build a total of 40 single-family houses on a 15-hectare site owned by Eusebi Güell, Gaudi’s patron. In the end, only two were built, one of which was occupied by Gaudí himself and which is now the House-Museum.

Between 1900 and 1914, Gaudí carried out the preparation work for this garden city, building roads, viaducts, and arcades that were fully integrated with the surrounding countryside.

The park, which covers an area of 17.18 hectares, was opened to the public in 1926.

Visitors to the park are amazed at the many elements that Gaudí built into it, such as the entrance lodges which were initially meant to be for caretakers and which now house the park’s Interpretation Centre; the flight of steps where we find the well-known colourful dragon; the hypostyle hall, an area with 86 columns that support the weight of the upper plaza; and the undulating bench that encircles the plaza.

The park was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1984.

Sant Pau Hospital

Between 1901 and 1930, architect Domènech i Montaner built Sant Pau hospital because the former building in the Raval district was outdated and too small.

The new hospital is modern and spacious, in the form of dispersed buildings surrounded by gardens and streets. It is like a little Modernist town, and the patients’ quality of life was considered in its design, since the pavilions are surrounded by streets and green areas they can walk around.

The size of the hospital is equivalent to 9 blocks of the Eixample district.

Interesting features of the hospital include the church, the exterior facade, and the central pavilion.

The building was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997.

Les Punxes House

La Casa de les Punxes, or Terrades House, was designed by Puig i Cadafalch and built in 1905 at the request of the Terrades sisters who wanted to join up three properties they owned. The architect designed a medieval-style building resembling a castle. It features six towers, each crowned with a conical-shaped needle which give the building its popular name “The House of Needles”.

In 1975 it was declared a National Historic Landmark.

After being closed during more than 100 years, finally this summer open its doors to everyone who wants to visit it.