Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TOP SIGHT
PARK GÜELL
Park Güell - north of Gràcia and about 4km from Plaça de Catalunya - is
where Gaudí turned his hand to landscape gardening. It's a strange, enchant-
ing place where this iconic Modernista's passion for natural forms really took
flight, to the point where the artificial almost seems more natural than the nat-
ural.
Jorg Greuel / Getty IMAGES ©
A City Park
Park Güell originated in 1900, when Count Eusebi Güell bought the tree-covered hillside of
El Carmel (then outside Barcelona) and hired Gaudí to create a miniature city of houses for
the wealthy, surrounded by landscaped grounds. The project was a commercial flop and was
abandoned in 1914 - but not before Gaudí had created, in his inimitable manner, steps, a
plaza, two gatehouses and 3km of roads and walks. In 1922 the city bought the estate for use
as a public park. The park became a Unesco World Heritage site in 2004. The idea was
based on the English 'garden cities', much admired by Güell, hence the spelling of 'Park'.
