Christmas is an ideal time of the year to walk around the streets of Barcelona, decorated with lights of every color and with a shaking commercial and social activity. Take advantge of this city visit to go to most emblematic buildings of Catalan Modernism, one of the outstanding tourist attractions. From ShBarcelona we suggest a possible route through this constructions for you to enjoy with their winding shapes, their inspired by nature ornamentation and the beauty of their materials.
The trip is focused on the area of the Eixample and the Paseo de Gracia, the wide avenue that spreads out from Plaza Cataluña to Diagonal and concentrates the most famous modernist buildings.
Table of Contents
La Sagrada Familia
Photo via Visualhunt
La Sagrada Familia: this is Antoni Gaudi’s masterpiece, Catalan modernist architect par excellence. Has been predicted that the construction will be finished in 2026 but a lot of experts thinks that, according to the initial Gaudi’s project, this work would be almost endless. It is the starting point of the route and, there you can visit this gigantic cathedral, go up to one of its towers or take a walk on the Gaudí house-museum. This symbol of the Catalan identity may leave a big impression on you
La Casa de les Punxes
La Casa de les Punxes: also known as Terrades House, was designed by the famous Catalan architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch, one of the most celebrated modernist artists besides Antoni Gaudí. The huge “castle” was built in 1905. La Casa de les Punxes is located at Avenida Diagonal, and takes its name from its six spires. This valuable architectural work went on sale in 2010 and was purchased by a Catalan bussinesman by 25 million euros. That’s why is a private property and can’t be visited by tourists.
La Pedrera
Photo by Antonio Marín Segovia via Visualhunt
La Pedrera: or Casa Milà, is this route’s next stop, where we will arrive if we go straight ahead Avenida Diagonal and we turn left on Paseo de Gracia. Antoni Gaudi designed the project for this building ordered by the Milà family, a wealthy family from the textile industry. Nowadays is possible to visit the interior of the building, where we will find a very realistic reproduction of the family house, as well as an exhibition hall on the ground floor, an attic-museum where some of La Pedrera secrets are revealed and a huge terrace with amazing gigantic chimneys.
La Casa Batlló
La Casa Batlló: after visiting La Pedrera, if you keep walking down the Paseo de Gracia, right at the Aragon Street intersection, you’ll see La Casa Batlló. This is another architectonic wonder designed by Antoni Gaudí in which we can distinguish most noted characteristics of his naturalistic period, during which he was inspired by the organic forms of nature, both for ornamental and structural parts of the construction. This building can also be visited and is an old existing building remodeling property of Josep Batlló, a rich man of the textile industry.
Casa Lleó Morera
Photo by Tim Sheerman-Chase via Visualhunt
Casa Lleó Morera: this building is located a few blocks down the Casa Batllo and is an architectural project designed by Lluis Domenech i Montaner. Francesca Morera Ortiz, the owner’s niece, ordered the remodeling of this modernist style construction. The family wanted to mention their family name (Morera) in each decorative and structural part and detail of the house, so they did it and they constructed a small pavilion on top of the roof. Nowadays, Planeta editorial owns the places, which is closed to the public.
Leave a Comment