Antoni Gaudi the Great

This article was last updated in April 2024.

Rarely has a man become so synonymous with a city as Antoni Gaudi has with Barcelona. His incredibly expressive and individual style of architecture, part Modernisme (the regional Catalan take on art nouveau), part neo-Gothic and drawing on aspects of cubism and surrealism, has come to define the city’s aesthetic.

Rarely has a man become so synonymous with a city as Antoni Gaudi has with Barcelona…

It is intensely human, full of the imagery of nature and religion, and defiantly original – an apt reflection of the Catalan soul.

Read on for a comprehensive list of ALL of Gaudi’s buildings and architecture in Barcelona, museums featuring his works, plus selected guided tours.

But let’s start with his biography…

Biography of Gaudi’s Early Life

The 20th century’s most famous architect was born in Reus (or just outside, depending on what account you believe) in the Tarragona province of Catalonia, 80km south of Barcelona. After enduring a childhood troubled by rheumatism, the son of two coppersmiths travelled to the Catalan capital to enrol as an student at the Escola Tecnica Superior d’Arquitectura, where he duly studied from 1873 to 1877.

“Who knows if we have given this diploma to a nut or to a genius? Time will tell.”

Even then his professors did not quite know what to make of his work, and when he was awarded the title of architect in 1878, Elies Rogent, the director of the school, declared: “Who knows if we have given this diploma to a nut or to a genius? Time will tell.”

That same year Gaudi won his first commission, via a competition, to design lampposts for Barcelona’s Plaça Reial. He also undertook a number of commissions for furniture and altarpieces and a showcase for gloves for the Comella firm for the Paris Exhibition of 1878, and it was these works that got him a big break. Fellow Catalan Eusebi Guell was so enchanted by the work which he saw at the Paris fair that he tracked down the artist in Barcelona and became Gaudi’s close friend and an important patron of his works – notably commissioning the architect to design the Palau Guell and Park Guell, amongst other projects.

Biography of Later Life: La Sagrada Familia & Death

Gaudi’s later years were hard on the architect. His father died in 1905, followed by his niece in 1912, two close friends in 1914 and 1916, and finally his patron Eusebi Guell in 1918. Always an ardent Catholic, Antoni became more fervently religious and gave up all secular commissions (after completing the Casa Mila in 1910) to concentrate on his monumental life work, La Sagrada Familia – a project that occupied him for the final 16 years of his time on earth and which he never finished (and still isn’t finished now. There is hope that the church will be complete by 2026, in time for the centenary of his death).

State of La Sagrada, circa 1905….

Taken over by a Captain Ahab-style monomania, Gaudi even moved his studio into the crypt of La Sagrada Familia in 1925 so that he could devote every waking moment to executing his plans. The one-time dandy allowed his appearance and clothes to deteriorate and he became yet more isolated from society.

Gaudi was eventually taken to a hospital for the proletariat… They wanted to move him but Gaudi refused, insisting that: “I belong here amongst the poor.” He died three days after being hit by the tram.

When the architect was hit by a tram in 1926 he was so ragged and conspicuously poor, that nobody recognised him and no cab driver would take him to a hospital (the uncharitable offenders were later fined by the police). Gaudi was eventually taken to a hospital for the proletariat, where he wasn’t recognised until his friends found him there the following day. They wanted to move him but Gaudi refused, insisting that: “I belong here amongst the poor.” He died three days after being hit by the tram.

Despite shunning publicity Gaudi’s popularity and fame had exploded by that time, as many people began to acknowledge the unique genius of his work. Half of Barcelona dressed in black to honour his death, and his body was, fittingly enough, interred in the crypt of La Sagrada Familia.

The 12 Gaudi Buildings in Barcelona

Although Gaudi’s work was far from unanimously praised at the time (fellow Barcelona-based genii Pablo Picasso and George Orwell were both rather unkind in their opinions!), the young Antoni had no difficulty finding projects to work on during his career, and as such Barcelona is rife with his handiwork.

Here is a list of ALL 12 of the architect’s Barcelona buildings, starting with what we believe are the most breathtaking and unmissable attractions first.

Later in the article, we mention some more places where his handiwork and design elements turn up in the Catalan capital, as well as some of his constructions in Catalonia, Spain and abroad.

1. La Sagrada Familia

The brainchild of a humble bookseller, Josep Maria Bocabella, construction on La Sagrada Familia begun in 1882, funded by public donations, with architect Francisco de Paula del Villar at the helm. When Villar resigned from the project in 1883, a still young (31 years old) Antoni Gaudi took over the project and imprinted his own bold vision on the church. Fusing art nouveau and Gothic styles with a rich abundance of natural motifs, he created a new style of architecture that critics lambasted as grotesque and over the top, but which has stood the iron test of time, fascinating generations ever since. Every façade offers an intricate canvass of reliefs and sculptures paying homage to God and the world he created, while the proliferation of honey-combed towers reaches impossibly high into the sky. The unfinished central spire will reach a whopping 170 metres when completed, just one metre lower than Barcelona’s coastal mountain Montjuic, for – as Gaudi famously retorted – “man should not exceed God”. Impressive though the exterior is, it’s just half the story. The interior is as elegant and refined as the exterior gaudy and grandiose, with Tolkien-esque white tree-like columns climbing up to the hypnotising geometry of the nave’s roof, while kaleidoscopic light filters in from the delicate stained glass windows. The sheer beauty of it borders on the impossible. No surprise that’s it by far Barcelona’s most visited attraction, and ticket prices are what fund its ongoing construction.

2. Park Guell

When the industrialist Eusebi Guell wanted to build a garden city for Barcelona’s aristocracy, he tasked Gaudi with landscaping a park that would help him sell the project’s luxury country villas. In the end only two houses were built, and only one sold – to none other than Gaudi himself, who lived in what is now the Gaudi House Museum (more info below) between 1906 to 1926. As a real estate project Park Guell was a failure, but as a city icon and tourist attraction it has proven a runaway success. Visitors start by walking through the grand reptilian-esque pavilions at the gates, before greeting the famous brightly-coloured lizard sculpture on the stairs (stopping for the obligatory selfie), and then wending their way through columns and sculpted earth up to the splendid open terrace where they can sit on undulating benches, decorated with broken-tile mosaics, and enjoy views over the entire Barcelona out to the Mediterranean sea.

3. Casa Mila (La Pedrera)

Passeig de Gracia, atop of Las Ramblas, is the showcase street of Modernisme in Barcelona and of course the great man himself left his mark, designing both the Casa Batllo and the Casa Mila. The latter, also known by its nickname La Pedrera (The Quarry), was the last great work Gaudi finished before dedicating himself entirely to La Sagrada Familia basilica. Sinuous curves, elaborate metalwork and spiralling, mosaic-tiled, chimneys represent arguably the architect’s most accomplished expression of the unique style he created. Visitor tickets include access to the impressive Flower and Butterfly Courtyards, The Tennants Aparment – where you can see a preserved apartment, from 100 years ago, The Whale Attic – home of an exhibition on the architect, and access to the rooftop with its ‘Warrior’ chimneys and views over the Passeig de Gracia.

4. Casa Batllo

Another of the Modernista masterpieces on the sweeping Passeig de Gracia boulevard (not all of them, were created by Gaudi… read up on Barcelona’s other top architects such as Puig y Cadafalch), the Casa Batllo was built in 1877 and remodelled by Gaudi between 1904 to 1906 for the aristocrat Josep Batllo. Fans of fantasy will love the dragon-crest roof, the bright coral-coloured façade, the shark-skull balconies and the skeletal carapacing on the lower floors. The last two features helped earned the building the nickname “The House of Bones”. Those that visit the interior will also see the magnificent Entrance Hall, Noble Floor, Patio of Lights, Indoor Garden, Loft and Roof Terrace. Additionally, some tickets options (see below) offer you access to the Gaudi Dome and Lord Batllo’s bedroom.

5. Casa Vicens

Commissioned in 1978 and built between 1883 and 1885, Casa Vicens was Gaudi’s first major work to be finished. A private house designed for the industrialist Vicens, this Moorish-influenced marvel was only opened up to the public in late 2017 and has not yet reached the popularity of the architect’s mansions on the Passeig de Gracia. For sheer colourful beauty it’s hard to beat, with a mix of Art Nouveau and oriental ceramics and brickwork providing an onslaught of vivid hues inside and out. There’s a beautiful rooftop terrace to chill on and a live guide on each floor to answer your questions.

6. Palau Guell

This sumptuous palace was created as the Guell’s family residence, on the Nou de la Rambla. The impressive parabolic arches at street level were built to allow the family to arrive via horse and carriage, while the lavish, intimidating interior offers a tantalising insight into late 19th / early 20th century aristocratic life. The exterior’s rather austere grey and white stonework is offset by the rooftop’s surreal chimneys of fantastic colours (Gaudi’s trademark!), and a central spire topped off by a bat-winged monster. Look out for the Catalan coat of arms on the entrance.

7. Torre Bellesguard

Bellesguard means “beautiful view” in Catalan, meaning you’re treated to both splendid architecture and vistas, when you make the journey up to this edifice. One of Gaudi’s only buildings to incorporate straight lines (he famously favoured curved forms, arguing that straight lines appear nowhere in nature), it’s maybe not his most iconic edifice, but its full of his trademark fantasy and art nouveau motifs. Best of all, its relatively crowd-free.

8. Casa Calvet

One of Gaudi’s earliest works, the Casa Calvet is barely known to locals, let alone tourists. You might think that would make it a dud, but it was avant garde enough at the time of its completion to win Building of the Year in 1900. You can’t enter the building sadly, but it is centrally located, so you may well want to pass by and admire the façade with its attractive masonry and curved wrought-iron balconies. Photo from Wikimedia.

9. College of the Teresians

Another of Gaudi’s early works, Antoni took over this project – the design of a female boarding school – from another architect, completing the work on a budget as befitting a religious order bound by a vow of poverty. Still a school today, you can’t enter, but the impressive red brick facade is worth a gander if you’re in the neighbourhood, even if it’s a far cry from Gaudi’s signature work.

10. Guell Pavilions

The Pavellons Guell were built between 1884-87 and were Gaudi’s first commission for Eusebi Guell, who would continue to patron the architect throughout his career. In this case “pavilion” means gatehouse, and Gaudi built two of them in striking yellow and terracotta brick, one serving as a stable, the other as a gatekeeper’s lodge. Between them is an elaborate wrought-iron gate that depicts the myth of the Garden of the Hesperides, complete with dragon, mouth agape. The site now belongs to the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, so you can’t venture beyond the gate. But you can at least admire the structures from outside. More info here.

11. Sagrada Familia School

This humble building was originally built as a small school for the children of the workers building the Sagrada Familia. It’s undulating form combines elegance and strength and has been much imitated in the architectural world, by no less than Le Corbusier and Calatrava for starters. It’s likely Enric Miralles had this school in mind when he designed the roof of Barcelona’s Santa Caterina Market as well. In 2002 the school was dismantled and rebuilt right at the foot of La Sagrada Familia, and you can visit it when you buy a ticket for the church. Photo by Wikimedia.

12. Crypt at Colonia Guell

Just outside the Barcelona city limits, you will need to catch a train to see this stunning work of architecture, but if time is on your side it’s well worth the relatively minor hassle of moseying on over. Colonia Guell was an industrial park built by Gaudi’s major patron, Eusebi Guell, for a textile factory he owned. The Colony was built to house the workers, and featured a theatre, school, convent and inn, amongst other structures. Gaudi was to design the church, but only the crypt got made before financial losses meant the project had to be pulled. Still, it is a stunning work of architecture on which Gaudi practiced pioneering architectural techniques that he would later use on La Sagrada Familia. The rest of the Colony is also designed in the Modernista style.

More Gaudi Works in Barcelona

The remainder of this list constitutes works or features designed by Gaudi, rather than entire buildings. Some are central and very easy to find when you’re wandering around town.

13. La Cascada Fountain

This epic Roman-style fountain, topped with an ostentatious statue of a golden goddess riding a four-horse chariot, was designed by Josep Fontsere and is distinctly more gaudy than Gaudi. The Modernist man did contribute to its design though whilst still a student, designing its water tank and hydraulics, as well as several stone medallions with reptilian reliefs. Catch it in the central Parc de la Ciutadella. Most of Barcelona’s best bike tours pass by the fountain, so signing up for a cycle is a great way to see it.

14. Street Lamps (Pl. Reial and Pla de Palau)

Upon finishing the work on the Cascada Fountain, the city council commissioned Gaudi to design the lampposts for Plaça Reial (Royal Square), which were installed in 1879. He set out his artistic stall with an elaborate six arm structure, with each lantern topped by a dragon, and the central post crowned by a winged helmet. Plaça Reial is one of Barcelona’s most beautiful corners in the Gothic Quarter, and a central nightlife hub, so be sure to pass by night or day (depending on your preference!). You can find a more modest version of the same design on the nearby Pla de Palau square.

15. Street Tiles (Psg. de Gracia)

Few people know it, but the very streets tiles of the Passeig de Gracia (the magnificent boulevard that is home to both the Casa Mila and the Casa Batllo) were designed by Gaudi. The architect created the hexagonal starfish and sea snail decorated panots in 1904, with the city council first using them to pave the street in 1971. You can read more about their history and here.

16. Finca Miralles Gate

With its undulating form and reptilian-like ‘skin’, there’s no mistaking the architect of this threshold, which once marked the entrance to the Miralles family estate. The estate has since been destroyed, but the gate remains perfectly intact and you can visit it in the Sarria district of Barcelona. Under the gate stands a life-size statue of Gaudi by the sculptor Joaquim Camps. You can find more info on the gate here. (Photo by Francois Philipp).

The Gaudi Museums

As well as by visiting his buildings themselves, you can learn more about Gaudi at various museums around the city.

1. Gaudi House Museum

This romantic peach-coloured mansion was actually designed by Gaudi’s frequent collaborator, Francesc Berenguer. Commissioned by Guell, it was supposed to attract buyers to invest in the industrialist’s concept of a garden city. It seems like the local bourgeoise were not convinced and in the end Gaudi himself bought the house in 1906 and began to live there with his father and niece. His father died the same year, his niece in 1912, and Gaudi was left to live alone until 1925 when he moved into the crypt of La Sagrada Familia to oversee his masterpiece. His former residence has since been restored as the Gaudi House Museum and showcases some of his elegant furniture design, as well as giving us a glimpse into his life in the first part of the 20th century. The museum is located in Park Guell, but outside the Monumental Zone (ie. the part of the park you have to pay entrance for). You can usually buy tickets (€5.50) on the day.

2. Gaudi Experience

This high-tech exhibition features interactive walls and a fantastic model of the spaceship-style New York hotel that the architect designed (but was never built sadly!), amongst other displays. The highlight is a 10 minute, 4D film with surround sound and moving seats that turns Gaudi’s legacy into a cool cinematic experience. The museum is right by Park Guell, and a good one to combine with these gardens, as well as the House Museum.

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3. National Museum of Catalan Art (MNAC)

This vast vault of art charts the history of Catalonia’s creative achievements from Romanesque religious iconography up to the region’s celebrated art nouveau achievements. The latter are the most interesting and you’ll find works by Ramon Casas, Picasso and Camarasa, alongside several furniture pieces by our man, Antoni Gaudi. You can buy tickets via Get Your Guide, or, if you pick up the official Barcelona Tourism card then that grants you free entry into the museum.

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Top 4 Gaudi Tours

And if you’re keen to experience the genius of Gaudi illuminated by a knowledgeable guide, then just hold your breath a little while we rummage around for some amazing Gaudi tours for you to experience… et voila:

1. World of Gaudi: Sagrada Familia, Park Guell & Casa Batllo

My advice to any first-time visitor to Barcelona interested in Gaudi, would be: try to see La Sagrada, Park Guell and one of the mansions, and this ‘World of Gaudi’ tour delivers exactly that. You start on the magnificent Passeig de Gracia boulevard, where your knowledgeable guide will guide you through the magical Casa Batllo, before private transport whisks you up to Park Guell to see the famous trencadis lizard and viewing terrace. The final stop is La Sagrada Familia, where you not only get a guided tour of the interior but also a thorough look around its fascinating exterior. The tour is currently rated 4.9/5 on Get Your Guide, and is reasonably priced at €169 per person.

2. Gaudi Bike Tours

One of the best ways to round up the Catalan architect’s best buildings is by bike, and the aptly named Gaudi Bike Tours offer two great itineraries. Their Gaudi UNESCO Highlights Tour takes you to ALL of the architect’s UNESCO-listed buildings in the city limits, and also stops off at some of his design projects, such as the fountain at Parc de la Ciutadella and the street lamps at Plaça Reial. The tour is 4 hrs long, with a refreshment break and just €39 per person (ebike upgrade available). Meanwhile, their Gaudi Legacy Tour takes advantage of electric bikes to zip up to Park Guell and the tour price includes tickets, so you actually get to look around the Monumental Zone, before cycling back into town to look at Casa Vicens, Casa Batllo and Casa Mila. You even get to stop off at the rooftop terrace of the sensational Casa Fuster for a drink, with peerless views along the Passeig de Gracia. Check their website for more details.
www.gaudibiketours.com

3. Private Gaudi & Barcelona Highlights Tour

If you want to know everything about Barcelona’s main man, including details about his difficult childhood, his dandy years, his relationship with his two most important clients – Guell and God – and much more, then it’s well worth spending the day in the company of an expert tour guide. On this private tour you’ll not only see arguably the architect’s three most important works: La Sagrada Familia, Park Guell and Casa Mila, but you’ll also get a walking tour of Barcelona’s medieval Old Town, private transport to Montjuic and Tibidabo mountains, and a delicious lunch of Iberian hams and local wines. Yes, this is a well-designed complete Barcelona highlights tour with a touch of luxury for discerning travellers. The price is €475 per person, and it’s available for 2 people or more on Get Your Guide.

4. Gaudí, Sagrada Familia & Modernism Free walking Tour

Exploring Gaudi’s works can be expensive, so if you’re arrived in Barcelona without two pennies to rub together, you might want to consider a free walking tour instead. Obviously your explorations will be restricted to the outsides of buildings only, and you will be travelling in a large group, but you will still get to see some amazing façades and learn a great deal about the symbolism and meanings behind them. The Gaudi, Sagrada Familia and Modernisme tour is available to book via GuruWalk. You just need to reserve your space, after which you can choose to tip the guide at the end of the walk. Around 10 euros is considered polite, so best call by a cash machine en route to the meeting point.

Other Art Nouveau in Barcelona

Gaudi was both part of, and separate to, the prevalent Modernista movement of the time. In fact he was born just one year after Domenech i Montaner, who was the leading protagonist of the movement and one of young Antoni’s teachers. Gaudi of course went his own way, but undoubtedly he was massively influenced by what was going on all around him as the city developed at a rapid pace, fuelled by the wealth of the industrial revolution.

What’s our point? It’s that, when in BCN, don’t be so obsessed with one man’s work that you miss a whole host of amazing architecture by his peers that is sure to enthral those who pay enough attention. For example, be certain to at least wonder past the wonderful Palace of Catalan Music designed by Domenech i Montaner, if not see a concert, and do as well pop your head in the legendary “Four Cats” cafe, one of the centres of intellectual thinking – and drinking – at the time.

Gaudi in Catalonia

The following works can be found close to Barcelona…

Bodegas Guell

Another project commissioned by Eusebi Guell, this winery was designed for the Count’s country estate out on the Garraf massif, about 25km outside Barcelona. The complex consists of the wine cellars themselves, a house and chapel, all in one building, whilst several hunting pavilions were designed but never built. Although the construction was carried out by Gaudi’s right hand man, Francesc Berenguer, there’s no mistaking the architect’s vision amongst the building’s parabolic arches and fairytale gables. Until recently the former bodega functioned as a restaurant, but that’s been closed for a while… we heard a whisper that the site might be open for visitors soon. For now you can read more here.

La Nau Gaudi

La Nau Gaudi is an exhibition space in the coastal town of Mataro, housed in the remains of an industrial complex that Gaudi worked on between 1878 and 1883, after he had just finished university. The owner of the textile cooperative was a pal of Antoni’s from his hometown of Reus, and the architect designed a bleaching house, some new latrines, and a new company banner, as well as two casinos that never got built. The bleaching house is in fact the first ever structure our Antoni completed, and – whilst I wouldn’t advocate a special journey – if you are ever in Mataro it’s worth calling by to admire this artfully simple shed, and the rotating art exhibitions it hosts. Admission free. Worth noting is that while working on this project Gaudi fell in love with a girl from this town called Pepita Moreu. Her rejection of his marriage proposal hit him hard, and perhaps goes some way to explaining why he never married, dedicating his life to his work and to God.
naugaudi.cat

Xalet Catllaràs

I’ll give you three guesses who commissioned this chalet…. that’s right, it was the rich-as-Croesus Eusebi Guell. The cash-splashing Count had another of his factories and some mines up here in the Sierra de Catllaràs and asked Antoni to dream him up a little alpine abode for his engineers. It’s a cute little number and currently being renovated for spring 2019 according to La Vanguardia. We’re confident they’ll be well behind schedule. Sadly it’s too far to be easily accessible from Barcelona, but for residents heading to the Pyrenees for a spot of skiing, this would make a fun spot to call in on.

Artigas Gardens

While he was up in the Pyrenees designing the chalet above, Gaudi discovered he had a fan in the form of Joan Artigas Alart. This wealthy textile industrialist admired the architect’s plans for Park Guell and commissioned him to do something similar to his own patch of land in the Pyrenees.  Taking advantage of the beauty of the mountain springs, Gaudí constructed a garden that enables the visitor to enjoy the rushing water via various lookouts, bridges and balustrades.

More Info

If you’re still thirsty for more knowledge on Antoni then check out these excellent websites:
Gaudi Club
Gaudi’s Buildings on UNESCO
Antoni Gaudi Biography on Wikipedia