Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
riched Barcelona bourgeoisie, Puig i Cadafalch brought to bear distinct Gothic and medi-
eval influences.
Key buildings and works
:
Casa Batlló
Pg. de Gràcia 43 • Daily 9am-9pm, access occasionally restricted due to private events • €20.35, under-18s
€16.30, under-7s free; advance-purchase tickets advised, in person or through the website • 932 160 306,
www.casabatllo.es
• Passeig de Gràcia
The most extraordinary creation on the “Block of Discord” is Antoni Gaudí's
Casa Batlló
,
designed for the industrialist Josep Batlló. The original apartment building was considered
dull by contemporaries, so Gaudí was hired to give it a face-lift, completing the work by
1907. He contrived to create an undulating facade that Salvador Dalí later compared to “the
tranquil waters of a lake”. There's an animal motif at work here, too: the stone facade hangs
in folds, like skin, and from below, the twisted balcony railings resemble malevolent eyes.
The higher part of the facade is pockmarked with circular ceramic buttons laid on a bright
mosaic background, while on the rooftop sprout the celebrated mosaic chimneys and a little
tower topped with a three-dimensional cross. Some see in the curving roof and chimneys the
spine of the dragon killed by Sant Jordi (St George), with the cross representing the knight's
lance, plunged into the dragon's back. Gaudí never made the theme explicit, but the sinuous
house interior certainly resembles some great organism, complete with snakeskin-patterned
walls, and window frames, fireplaces, doorways and staircases that display not a straight line
between them.
Self-guided audio tours
show you the main floor (including the salon overlooking Pg. de
Gràcia), the patio and rear facade, the ribbed attic and the rooftop, as well as a small exhibi-
tion of chairs designed by Gaudí (mini replicas of which can be purchased in the gift shop).
Despitethesteepadmissionprice,thisisaverypopularattraction-bewarnedthatthescrum
ofaimless visitors, audio-stick gluedtotheirears,canbeafrustrating businessatpeaktimes.
Fundació Antoni Tàpies
C/d'Aragó 255 • Tues-Sun 10am-7pm • €7, under-16s €5.60 • 934 870 315,
fundaciotapies.org
• Pas-
seig de Gràcia
