EUROPEAN CULTURAL HERITAGE SITES – BARCELONA This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This e-book reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
La Sagrada Família Basilica by Antonio Gaudí La Sagrada Família is one of Gaudí's most famous works in Barcelona. It's a giant Basilica that has been under construction since 1882 (that's not a typing error) and it's not expected to be completed for some time yet. Visiting the building, people will see the contrast in the stone colour between the front and back of the building. Also the actual style of construction appears somewhat different between the new and old parts of the building. Gaudí played an active role in directing the construction of the Sagrada Família until his death in 1926. He would often request that work be modified and adjusted until it was exactly what he had in mind. However today, because of the nature of the existing designs, his work is partly open to interpretation. Interpretation of the designs by present day architects is particularly challenging because the actual construction stones are irregularly shaped. The building is still under construction so be prepared to see a lot of work continuing when you visit. However this in itself is interesting, especially if you visit the museum inside the building. The Sagrada Familia in numbers 14,000 people can fit inside the Sagrada Familia 4500 m² This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This e-book reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
170 metre high central tower dedicated to Jesus (the tallest religious building in the world) 12 bells to represent the 12 apostles of Jesus 120 metres long and 90 metres wide, the size of a football field More than 2.5 million visitors a year
Parc Guell – Barcelona Park Guell is one of the masterpieces of the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi, who projected it in 1900. Inaugurated as a public park in 1926, it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984, reconizing its patrimonial and cultural value as a symbol of modern architecture, being one of the biggest exponents of Gaudi's modernism. This playful urban park, the work of architect Antoni Gaudi, features peaceful greens, winding paths and many sculptures and mosaics designed by Gaudi himself. Park Güell is the reflection of Gaudí's artistic plenitude, which belongs to his naturalist phase (first decade of the 20th century). During this period, the architect perfected his personal style through inspiration from organic shapes. He put into practice a series of new structural solutions rooted in the analysis of geometry. One of Gaudi’s best friend and patron, Eusebi Güell commissioned Gaudi to design the park. Güell and Gaudí conceived this park, situated within a natural park. They imagined an organized grouping of highquality homes, decked out with all the latest This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This e-book reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
technological advancements to ensure maximum comfort, finished off with an artistic touch. Planned were 60 villas, but nobody was interested and only two show houses were completed. Gaudí himself inhabited one of them [photo below], designed by architect Francesc Berenguer in 1904. The house is now a museum showcasing some of Gaudí’s work. The park supports a wide variety of wildlife, notably several of the non-native species of parrot found in the Barcelona area. Other birds can be seen from the park, with records including short-toed eagle. The park also supports a population of hummingbird hawk moths. Park Guell is one of the most important sights in Barcelona and one of Gaudi’s masterpieces.The park is like something out of a fairy tale.
Casa Mila – Barcelona La Pedrera, meaning “the quarry”, is a building designed by the Catalan architect, Antoni Gaudí, and built during 1905–1910; it is said to have been officially completed in 1912. It was then declared a World Unesco Heritage Site in 1984. The building was commissioned by Pedro Mila, a wealthy businessman, who was so impressed with Gaudí’s other building, Batllo, he requested Gaudí build him one! The building was highly unconventional for its time, relying only on arches, columns, and steel beams. This design allowed for amazing spacial differences in all the rooms throughout the building; you will rarely see a straight line in the building.
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This e-book reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
The balconies are a series of iron bars which appear to look like waves from the distance. The iron balconies were designed by Josep Maria Jujol. Rumor has it he designed and thought up the entire concept on the spot. When you look at the facade of the building, it looks like a rock mountain with caves. During the construction, many people thought it looked like a rock quarry, or pedrera, and now the name has stuck. People often call the building “La Pedrera” instead of Casa Mila. The building still has inhabitants so you can only visit the top floor, attic, and the rooftop – all of which are beautiful. The top floor has an apartment which shows how the building must have looked in the 20th century when it was completed. You also get a really good idea of what it must be like to live in the building today. Notice that there are no straight lines! The attic has a full exhibition of photos and sketches of Gaudí’s other works and buildings.
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This e-book reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.