Barcelona’s Gaudi
October 27th, 2010 · 5 Comments · Posted in Travel
The most arresting fact about Antoni Gaudi for me is that Spain’s most famous architect, after becoming a recluse in the grand cathedral that was his crowning achievement, died at age 73 after being run over by a tram.
Gaudi was a leading light in the “modernist” or “Art Nouveau” movement that took inspiration from nature, and his work is everywhere in Barcelona, from the famous cathedral to numerous homes he designed for rich patrons and finally the magnificent Parc Guell, strategically situated on a hillside overlooking the city and many of Gaudi’s most famous works.
In his embrace of natural forms, Gaudi developed seemingly impossible engineering techniques to support his massive structures. The undulating effects are by turns playful, macabre, even surreal.
We were taken aback by the number of tourists still crowding Barcelona even in October. Consequently, we did not enter any of the Gaudi sites, but simply viewed them from the outside. So we didn’t see the many remarkable interiors Gaudi designed from stone and wood. His attention to the smallest details was daunting.
Neighbors were appalled when this apartment complex was built. It subsequently became known as “the rock pile.” You can’t see one of the most famous features from this angle. That would be the many chimneys Gaudi designed on the roof that were so strange they became known as espantabruxes, or “witch scarers.” Note the elaborate detail in the iron work around the many balconies.
Casa Battlo, in which Gaudi manages to conjure up allegorical and religious themes of Catalonia from the Middle Ages, has a distinctly dreamlike–or perhaps nightmarish–quality. The scaly roof is said to conjure up the Dragon of Evil impaled on St. George’s cross.
We took a city bus to the vast Park Guell and were drawn to this wonderland area of stone pillars by the unmistakable sound of blues singing accompanied by a National guitar.
The singer and musician said his name is Robert, and that he’s been living in Barcelona for 16 years. The guitar, he said, is 80 years old. He comes to the parc to play for his supper. We tossed a couple of Euros into the collection basket and bought his CD, “Robert Live at the Harlem Jazz Club.”
Count Eusebio Guell, one of Gaudi’s most important patrons, originally envisioned a garden community on the hillside where Park Guell is located. But only two of the houses were ever built. Now it is simply crawling with tourists to take in the magnificent view of the city. Vendors of every kind also set up shop there, hawking ever imaginable bauble and trinket.
This guy was signing rock in completely fractured English. But he was so enthusiastic and impossible to avoid. We couldn’t resist watching.
A huge terrace overlooking the city is ringed by these undulating stone benches in Gaudi’s trademark style.
One end of the terrace overlooks the park entrance.
Underneath the expansive terrace is this impressive space supported by stone columns. Overhead, the tiled ceiling is decorated with these circular mosaics.
And this is the view as you enter the park. Since we entered from the side, this would be our last view of the park and of Gaudi. We boarded a bus back to the Gothic quarter.
June Calender // Oct 27, 2010 at 7:50 pm
Very good explanation of Gaudi — I sought out as many of his buildings as I could in Barcelona when I was there a good many years ago. He was truly unique. I think his mosaics and park was the most influential — or easily adapted — in other cities. I think especially of “Love” park in Lima which has a strong hint of Gaudi.
Joanna // Oct 28, 2010 at 7:06 am
We visited Barcelona in January, and there were huge queues then. But we did line up for the Sagradia Familia … my engineer husband was fascinated by the church, and I fell utterly in love with the little school built for the children of the masons: I’d like to build one to live in
Lovely to read about your European adventures. I’m curious to know how many Le Creuset pans you took home, and how much excess baggage you had to pay 😉
Joanna
Ed Bruske // Oct 28, 2010 at 7:58 am
Joanna, I’ll be writing more about the Le Creuset pots at some point. We brought for large pots home and they didn’t cost anything extra to check in our bags.
Sten Eklöv // May 7, 2011 at 4:25 am
We visited Barcelona april/may 2011 och we met Robert in the Park Guell and bought a CD from him. Very good!
Kyle_Jackson2 // Mar 18, 2012 at 3:55 pm
I saw and listened Robert: GREAT guitarist/singer.
Great bluesman.
I LOVE HIS SONG !