Gaudí was born in Reus, Catalonia in 1852. When he was growing up he seemingly spoke Catalan, Spanish and English but this has not been officially confirmed. At 18 years old, Gaudí moved to Barcelona to study architecture, where he cultivated a love of modern architecture. However, the reason why he is so famous was his innovative thinking and his desire to create a ‘new architectural language’
As he learnt and gained experience, Gaudí worked on many different projects, including the lampposts in the Plaça Reial, a building in Mataró and Casa Vicens. However, his first major project was Park Güell.
I thoroughly recommend that you visit these buildings if you go to Barcelona not only because they’re beautiful but you can learn a lot about Gaudí’s history and Catalan culture.
Park Güell
Park Güell is located 5.3km inland and north of the Gothic centre of Barcelona. It is easy to access by local transport, especially the metro, as you can reach it by using Line 3 and get off at Vallacara. This large park has many facilities and is situated on a hill, therefore you can see magnificent views of the city. However, the main reason to visit the park, is to see Gaudí’s mosaics. There are many different pieces of Gaudí’s works around the park, but mainly at ‘la entrada’ where there are two buildings, the famous lizard and main seating area.
Casa Mila
This building has been opened up to the public as a museum and inside are many exhibitions explaining Gaudí’s work and there is a reconstructed flat showing how it would have been. Each area of this building follows a theme of being underwater – which explains the iron seaweed on the exterior and intricate painting on the lower floors. Also, this building is situated in a beautiful part of the city, around many other magnificent buildings and only a ten minute walk away from La Sagrada Familia.
Gaudí only became involved with La Sagrada Familia a year after construction began. However, he adapted the design to suit his style. This building, though originally started in 1882, remains unfinished however, plans show that the anticipated date of completion is in 2026 to celebrate one hundred years after Gaudí’s death. This is one of the main tourist attractions in Spain and therefore very busy. I recommend that you book tickets online (follow the link below) before you visit so that you can skip the queues.
Tickets for La Sagrada Familia: http://www.ticketmaster.es/nav/landings/en/mucho_mas/entradas_sagrada_familia/entradas.html
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