Barcelona is a city that shines through its architecture. Two of the architectural movements that stand out in the Catalan city are Gothic Art and Modernism, the latter being symbolized by one man in particular: the architect Antoni Gaudí. Several of Gaudí's works can be visited in Barcelona. Among them are the famous Sagrada Familia Basilica, the Parc Güell, the Miralles Gate, the church and crypt of the Colonia Güell, the Casa Vicens, the Casa Mila and the one that remains one of the most original works of architecture, the Casa Batlló. A visit to this building, located at number 43 of Paseo de Gracia in the center of Barcelona, offers a total immersion in the world of an artist known throughout the world for his daring, extreme singularity and avant-gardism. Today, everything is done at Casa Batlló so that all audiences can enjoy an exceptional moment of architecture in the capital of Catalonia.
Casa Batlló, voted Best Monument in the World 2021Proving
that a visit to Casa Batlló is a visit to a truly exceptional place, Gaudí's masterpiece has been voted Best Monument 2021 by the Remarkable Venue Awards 2021. Organized by the cultural platform for selling tourist tickets Tiqets, this award recognizes the best cathedrals, castles, palaces and other historical monuments based on the opinions and feedback of visitors. Casa Batlló is ranked ahead of other exceptional monuments such as the Duomo in Milan, the Empire State Building in New York and the Tower of London. Since 2021, the Barcelona building, a product of the Catalan modernist movement, has also renewed its cultural offer with renovated audio guides, new features using advanced digital technologies and two immersive rooms that take visitors to the heart of the spirit of Antoni Gaudí.
Casa Batlló, a world of
experiencesCasa Batlló is certainly a monument to be devoured with the eyes, but the building also offers various experiences
to go further in understanding the world and the elements that inspired Gaudí. The audio guides have been renovated and virtual reality is invited to discover the monument in the age of high technology.A tablet with virtual reality content offers a trip back 100 years to discover the world of the Catalan architect and relive the splendor of modernism. A new story is also available in 15 languages, with a soundtrack created by Dani Howard and performed by members of the German Opera Berlin, the Philharmonic Orchestra and the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra. Throughout the tour, ecological and invisible technologies bring ephemeral installations to life. They evoke myths and legends linked to the history of the house.
Another highlight of the new immersive space is the approach to the magical paintings on the walls. When movement is detected, the paintings are animated to launch short films that trace the life of the Batlló family. There are also exceptional architectural interventions, such as the descent into the basement of the monument, via a spectacular staircase designed by the Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and where beautiful aluminum chain curtains are placed.
You can't leave Casa Batlló without visiting the new Simbòlic store, designed by interior designer Lazaro Rosa-Violon.
Itfeatures a variety of handicrafts directly inspired by Gaudí's perception and world.
2,000 more square meters of immersive spacesThe
Casa Batlló now has 2,000 square meters of new immersive spaces. On the one hand, the public can discover the Gaudí Dome, The Inspiration of the Genius
, a work signed by the director Miguel Alonso. The place is equipped with 1,000 circular screens and takes visitors to the heart of the architect's intimate life, including his connection with nature. For an even more total immersion in this space located in the building's former coal cellars, olfactory and sound stimuli have been added.In the Gaudí Cube, In the Mind of Gaudí
, digital artist Refik Anadol transports us into the artist's mind to better understand the essence of his work. The idea is to bring the curious to see how the Catalan architect perceived reality and how he interpreted the forms and structures of nature. This unique space has the world's first six-sided LED cube!The Gaudí Dome and the Gaudí Cube use advanced digital technologies to create fantastic universes made of colors, shapes, lights and all those elements that inspired Gaudí to create the incredible monument that is Casa Batlló.
Cultural program to follow at Casa Batlló
The cultural program of Casa Batlló also includes the " Magic Nights
", a series of concerts with flamenco, jazz, rumba or soul accents, during which visitors enjoy the elegant setting of the rooftop terrace to have a drink, accompanied by the notes of the musicians.Casa Batlló is committed to welcoming all audiences. To ensure that everyone can enjoy the wonderful world of one of Barcelona's most fascinating monuments, it works in partnership with the company Specialisterne, which specializes in autism. Casa Batlló has a team of neurodivergent people to meet the needs of everyone.
Casa Batlló, always a visit to a major work of Gaudí in BarcelonaOn
thevery spot where Casa Batlló
stands today, there was a building constructed by an architectural professor of Antoni Gaudí at the end of the 19th century.The businessman and textile industrialist Josep Batlló i Casanovas acquired it in 1903. It was the latter who asked Gaudí to give free rein to his creativity and completely renovate the building. The work was carried out from 1904 to 1906 and Gaudí turned the building into a real work of art, both inside and outside, where the façade is a real eye-catcher for passers-by. The façade is the first element to be seen in detail when visiting Casa Batlló. The use of ceramic trencadis
and mosaics has the effect of creating a marine universe, with colors that change and sparkle depending on the sunlight and the time of day. The roof and the upper part, composed of colored ceramics, form a kind of crest, reference to the dragon stabbed in the back with a spear by Saint Jordi, patron saint of the Catalans. The balconies are the bones of the dragon's victims. It is noticeable that most of them look like a skull. The lower part of the monument is made of sandstone and has wavy shapes. Stroll inside Casa BatllóThevisit continues with the interior of Casa Batlló. An interior full of art, a prodigy of design. These are additional arguments that justify why the building is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has been awarded the title of Best Monument 2021 by the Remarkable Venue Awards 2021. The first stop is in the entrance hall, the Batlló family's private hall with an underwater atmosphere, which offers a sweet journey to the fantastic world of Jules Verne.
Then comes the noble floor, which gives a glimpse of how the bourgeoisie of the time lived. Several elements catch the eye, such as the mushroom-shaped fireplace in Mr. Batlló's study, and in the living room, the large bay window, the oak doors with colored glass elements and the fully waved ceiling. The patio, which was enlarged by Antoni Gaudí
to let in as much natural light as possible, is a marvel with its tiles in various shades of blue and its windows that change in size as you go down. The attic, with washrooms and other storage rooms, is distinguished by the simplicity of its forms and the predominance of white. 60 arches evoke the rib cage of an animal. The exterior of Casa BatllóOnreaching the interior garden, one discovers a small oasis with a remarkable floor covering and ceramic-covered planters. Finally, like the façade and balconies, the roof terrace also refers to the dragon, especially its spine. Gaudí used tiles of various colors to create an enchanting universe. One cannot help but marvel at the 4 colorful and sinuous chimneys.
Beyond offering a journey into the heart of Modernism and Gaudí's distinctive world, avant-gardism and functionality are two of the most important elements of the Casa Batlló's design.
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