One of the most recognizable buildings in Barcelona, as is easy to guess from its utterly unusual appearance, was created... by whom? That's right - Antoni Gaudí!
Casa Batlló is located in the famous "Block of Discord", which got its name because of the rivalry between architectural masterpieces. Several buildings erected in different styles and by different authors literally stand next to each other, competing for the right to be considered the best. In particular, Casa Batlló and Casa Amatller. But this story needs some background.
Entrepreneur Josep Batlló i Casanovas, who had made a decent fortune in textile manufacturing, decided to invest in real estate. He bought a plot of land on Passeig de Gràcia to build a house there. The builders completed the building in literally two years - a record time by the standards of that era. In 1877, Señor Batlló's house was fully finished.
However, 20 years later the owner of the neighboring building became another equally successful man - the confectioner Antoni Amatller. The new neighbor decided to amaze the whole city with a new look for his house and for that commissioned the reconstruction of the building from the architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch - one of the most famous Modernist architects of Catalonia.
Naturally, the result of his work caused a real sensation among the city's residents! The result was a mansion in Neo-Gothic and Art Nouveau styles with an unusual stepped gable, Moorish ornamentation on the facade, elaborate lanterns, carved bay windows, and sculptural compositions. Compared to all this splendor, Señor Batlló's house looked like a wooden box next to an ornate casket. So, in order to outdo his neighbor, Batlló also started reconstructing his house, inviting another equally famous architect for the job - Antoni Gaudí.
At first, the client wanted to demolish the building completely so that Gaudí could build a new one in its place. But the architect proposed his own solution: he would redo the exterior facade, improve the inner courtyard, slightly alter the layout of the lower floors, and create a stepped terrace. That was what they agreed on.
Two years later, next to Casa Amatller there already stood an astonishing "gingerbread house" with a roof shaped like a dragon's spine. All the lines of the building are very smooth, streamlined, and slightly flowing. The facade is partially covered with a mosaic made of broken ceramic pieces. Its colors shift from golden to greenish blue. The decorative elements are carved from hewn stone quarried on Montjuïc hill. The unusual balconies remind some people of knights' helmet visors, while others compare them to skulls. In any case, the second, mystical name took hold among the people - the "House of Bones." And today, that name attracts even more tourists.
The roof of Casa Batlló is covered with multicolored tiles resembling dragon scales - a favorite symbol of the Catalan architect. The chimneys, which later became the author's "signature style," have unusual, slightly curved shapes and are faced with ceramic. The stained-glass windows were made by one of the finest masters - the glassblower Juzep Pelegri. Since Gaudí often resorted to asymmetry in architecture, the turret with the cross (on the roof) is not in the center, but slightly to the left. Art historians see in it the hilt of the sword with which Saint George defeated the dragon.
It is worth noting that Antoni Gaudí was not just an architect - he thought through the interior decoration of his creations down to the smallest detail and even designed furniture. Their style is hard to compare with any that had previously existed. Gaudí always had his own unique signature. This was reflected in the design of the inner courtyard, the fireplace room, the staircase, and everything else. For example, here you will see the famous sun chandelier, which seems to emerge from the depths of the waves, as well as the former owner's office with a mushroom-shaped hearth, spiral ceiling stucco in the main living room, incredible stained-glass windows, and much, much more. Every detail of the interior here makes you want to study it for hours, notice new elements, and build guesses about the author's imagination.
By the way, literally just a couple of steps from Casa Batlló stands the second, no less famous masterpiece by Antoni Gaudí - Casa Milà, renowned for its undulating facade and absolutely stunning roof.
And if you are a true admirer of the work of this famous Catalan architect, you will be especially interested in seeing all of his works at once. We have collected them in a special guide "Antoni Gaudí Attractions in Barcelona". In addition, you can use other routes for walks around the capital of Catalonia:
And for those who prefer to decide for themselves what and when they want to see, we recommend using the Barcelona attractions map. There you can find what interests you, add it to your travel plan by "distributing" it across several days, and then sync the resulting guide with the free Ever.Travel mobile app. That way your personal guide will always be close at hand and available even in offline mode, which is very important when roaming. We have not yet come across a more convenient way to prepare for a trip - give it a try yourself!
Photo by Alina Kovalevich
