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House with a work of color and fantasy in Barcelona benefiting from a bone-shaped structure of a dragon
The Casa Batlló is one of the emblems of Barcelona. Together with La Pedrera, they are the two most famous houses of the modernist architect Antoni Gaudí. Located on the Passeig de Gràcia, the building is not a construction of Gaudí himself. It should be noted that the house was designed in 1877, by one of Gaudí's architecture teachers, Emili Sala Cortés. The Passeig de Gràcia was then a pedestrian street where wealthy families liked to walk. At the beginning of the twentieth century, an urban planning project planned to make it one of the main arteries of the city. It was then that the house was acquired by Josep Batlló i Casanovas, a great textile industrialist. Wishing to demolish the house to build a new one, he called on Gaudí. Trusting the artist completely, he gave him carte blanche. Gaudí decided to keep the facade erected by his teacher, but he remodeled the entire interior, creating a modern house worthy of our century. In fact, all the partitions were moved and the interior courtyard was enlarged to gain in luminosity. The walls of the courtyard are covered with ceramics in different shades of blue, simulating the waters of the Mediterranean. These "waves" of color enter through the windows of the building and give the impression of living in the ocean floor. Gaudí's characteristic curvilinear and asymmetrical shapes are of course present in the building's interior design. Take the time to observe the details, because they will surprise you all! In the apartments of the Batlló family, you will discover a curious fireplace in the shape of a mushroom. But also admire the beautiful oak doors with colored stained glass on top, or the ergonomically designed door handles. The large windows look directly onto Passeig de Gràcia, where you can watch the passers-by. Of course, you'll have to look up to see the undulating ceiling, which simulates sea currents. From the outside, it's easy to see the two themes that inspired Gaudí: the marine world, with the scaly roof and the coral-like colors, and the human skeleton of the building, with femurs and basins as pillars and arches, not to mention the skulls that form the balconies.
The property, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, currently belongs to the Bernat family, who, after undertaking renovation work, opened the house to the public in 1995.
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Opening time and information on CASA BATLLÓ
Open daily from 9 am to 8.15 pm. Admission: €29. Wheelchair accessible. Accessible to people with reduced mobility.
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History of Casa Batlló
Casa Batlló is located at 43 Paseo de Gracia, a street that once linked the city to the Villa de Gracia, now fully integrated as a city district.
Development of Paseo de Gracia
From 1860, when Barcelona's ambitious urban development plan (the Cerdà Plan) was approved, Paseo de Gracia became the city's main thoroughfare, and the residences of the city's most illustrious families began to be built there. Thus, in the 19th century, the street became a promenade for pedestrians and horse-drawn carriages, and from the 20th century onwards, it became a main avenue for automobiles.
The building was constructed in 1877 by Emilio Sala Cortés (one of Gaudí's architectural teachers), at a time when there was no electricity in Barcelona. In 1903, it was acquired by Mr. Josep Batlló y Casanovas, a textile industrialist, owner of several factories in Barcelona and a prominent businessman.
Construction of Casa Batlló
D. Josep Batlló gave Antoni Gaudí complete creative freedom, entrusting him with work that initially involved demolishing the building. However, thanks to Gaudí's audacity, the demolition of Casa Batlló was ruled out, and a complete renovation was carried out between 1904 and 1906. The architect completely altered the façade, redistributed the interior partitions, enlarged the courtyard and turned the interior into a veritable work of art. In addition to its artistic value, the building's enormous functionality is more typical of our time than of the past. Some even see it as a precursor to the architectural avant-garde of the late 20th century.
The block of discord
Alongside the Casa Batlló and at the same time, other houses were renovated by eminent architects who competed for Barcelona City Council's urban planning awards, which explains why this section is known as the "Block of Discord". These houses are also modernist, and together with the Casa Batlló form a unique ensemble:
- Casa Amatller (by architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch).
- Casa Lleó Morera (by Lluís Domènech i Montaner).
- Mulleras House (by Enric Sagnier).
- Josefina Bonet House (Marcel-li Coquillat).
Recent history
Casa Batlló ceased to belong to the Batlló family in the 1950s. After hosting various companies and private individuals, the building has belonged since the 1990s to its current owners, the Bernat family, who have completely restored it.
In 1995, the family opened the house to society and presented this architectural gem to the world, offering the space for events. From 2002, coinciding with the International Year of Gaudí, Casa Batlló also hosted cultural visits. Both activities are currently being developed and are constantly innovating in their offer and content.
Currently a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Casa Batlló is an icon of Barcelona, a must-see if you want to discover Gaudí's work and Modernism in all its splendour. It is also one of Barcelona's most popular cultural and tourist attractions, welcoming 1 million visitors a year.
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