Antoni Gaudi’s legacy in Barcelona

Are you looking for Gaudi buildings in Barcelona list you’d want to follow? Discover some of the most fabulous Antoni Gaudi works in Barcelona with this quick Gaudi architecture tour Barcelona that I’ve prepared! For many years, I’ve always been fascinated by the famous Catalan architect, and even if I’ve been three times in Barcelona, I couldn’t ever miss visiting some of his works. Discover his best work starting from the famous Gaudi Park Güell in Barcelona Spain, all the way to Casa Mila Barcelona, Antoni Gaudi’s other famous work as well as many of his other works with this Antoni Gaudi architecture guide.

When I became a travel blogger, before the MIRA Digital startup, I did it because I wanted to explore more about history, culture, and architecture in the Mediterranean countries. For me, it was always a job, but a job I chose because I fall in love years before with interesting, creative personalities and architecture from different parts of history, and I wanted to see it all.

10 Antoni Gaudi works in Barcelona – Gaudí buildings in Barcelona list

Out of 17 buildings and several smaller projects, in this Gaudi buildings in Barcelona list, you will find some of the best projects of Antoni Gaudi. You will discover some of the Antoni Gaudi facts about his work, and you will find in this list some of Antoni Gaudi famous works that if you’re heading on a Gaudi Barcelona tour, you will definitely want to check.

Find out which is the Gaudi church, Barcelona’s gem. See the stunning Park Guell, the Casa Batllo, or the other gem of Barcelona, Gaudí’s Casa Mila between some smaller projects as well like the lamps on Placa Reial, or the fountain in Parco de Ciutadella. Are you ready to explore the Antoni Gaudi architecture heritage in Barcelona?

Gaudí architecture tour Barcelona

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We are not going to get into too long details about the Antoni Gaudi art and style, since we are preparing another article dedicated just to that! However, it’s very important to highlight here as well some details about the Antoni Gaudi works in Barcelona, so you can understand why it is so special!

Let’s see some Antoni Gaudi facts about his artwork. First of all, something that’s really much adored and appreciated is the Antoni Gaudi mosaic work that you can see in Park Güell. But reading this article or heading for a Gaudi architecture tour Barcelona, you may still ask, what inspired all this? What made his vision and his design so different?

Antoni Gaudí – facts about his work

Antoni Gaudi was inspired by oriental arts while he was studying the historicist architectural theoreticians. He was inspired by the Japanese, Indian and Persian architecture, which, knowing this, you can actually recognize in his works. You can see this Oriental influence at Güell Palace, the Güell Pavilions, the Capricho, and the Casa Vicens as well.

His other movement in arts was the neo-Gothic style that you can see reflecting on the famous Gaudi church Barcelona, the Sagrada Familia. While he was studying, he had the to examine the architectural photographs of Egyptian, Persian, Mayan, Chinese, Indian, and also Japanese buildings and arts. This was followed by the Moorish monuments in Spain, such as in Seville and Granada, which also had a big influence on him and the Mudejar style is present in many of his works. If you want to see Antoni Gaudi works in Barcelona, make sure to pay attention to the details, and you will recognize all those elements he really loved to use.

Who is Antoni Gaudí? – Antoni Gaudí timeline

Antoni Gaudi – photo from biography.com

So who is Antoni Gaudi? Find out some details about Gaudí Barcelona’s appreciated son. Antoni Gaudí i Cornet was born on the 25th of June 1852 and he died on the 10th of June 1926. He was a Catalan architect known as the greatest exponent of Catalan Modernism.

His work was inspired by those things he loved in life: religion, nature, and architecture. When it comes to Antoni Gaudi works, he must know, that all those little details, of even the smallest ceramic pieces, were considered and planned. One of Antoni Gaudi facts about his artwork is definitely that the details matter!

Today we can say that Antoni Gaudí was definitely one of the biggest and most famous architects of the 19th and 20th centuries. His creations are worldwide known and worldwide famous. Between the 80s’ and 2005, 7 of Antoni Gaudi’s works were declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. This is a huge accomplishment on its own, but we are not surprised, and you won’t be either if you check the below Gaudi buildings in Barcelona list.

1. La Sagrada Familia

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We must start our Gaudi buildings in Barcelona list with one of the most famous Antoni Gaudi works in Barcelona. La Sagrada Familia is one of the most famous churches in the world, and one of Antoni Gaudi famous works. The grandiose building many of you know it just as the Gaudi church Barcelona. If you’re visiting the city, interested in architecture or not, this is the number one place you must visit!

Sagrada Familia is under construction since 1882. When Gaudí took over the project he transformed the design combining the Neo-Gothic and Modernist styles in his plans. He spent the last 12 years of his life dedicated just to this one project. As you can notice, after he died and the project was taken over by other architects, Catalan Modernism was also added to the design.

Today it looks like the works of Sagrada Familia are reaching to its end, so if you’re planning to visit the Catalan capital in the next years, you might even see this one of Gaudi best works in Barcelona completed. We can’t wait to see it like that!

2. Güell Park

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Looking at the Antoni Gaudi works, and well, Gaudi best works in Barcelona, the Güell Park is definitely the second highlight. Gaudi Park Guell in Barcelona Spain is situated on the hill of el Carmel. The park is composed of gardens, architectural elements, and buildings, that are connected with sidewalks between the many beautiful flowers and trees that the garden is populated with.

Park Güell was commissioned by Eusebi Güell who wanted to create a stylish park for Barcelona aristocracy. The park is composed of amazing buildings with colorful ceramic tiles, the famous Antoni Gaudi mosaic, and walkways that lead you to stunning terraces, colonnades, and sculptures.

If you enter the Güell Park from the Gaudi Pavilions, you’ll see the big artificial terrace decorated with tiles, while underneath there’s a hall of colonnades. While reaching this place, you will pass on the stairs near Gaudi’s famous dragon sculpture that is also composed of the famous Antoni Gaudi mosaic style. Park Güell is definitely one of the best Antoni Gaudi famous works in Barcelona.

3. The lamps on Placa Reial

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Let’s skip for a moment the Gaudi buildings in Barcelona list, and see some street lamps. When it comes to Antoni Gaudi works in Barcelona, these lamps, even if they aren’t the Sagrada Familia, but did leave me with such an interesting feeling. Gaudí designed two lamps on Placa Reial that are located near the famous street of Barcelona, La Rambla.

The square is closer to the end near the sea, and it leads into the Gothic Quarter. If Placa Reial wouldn’t be beautiful enough on its own with the stunning buildings around it, the huge palm trees all over the square, and the beautiful fountain, well two outstanding lamps decorate it and make it even more beautiful. The two street lights in Placa Reial were designed by Antoni Gaudi in 1879.

If you get closer, you can see the lamp posts are made of stone, while the upper part is cast iron and they have six arms holding cute glass lamps. The fact that the arms are painted red, and the lamps have some blue makes them mom out, for their color, but as design as well, it is just perfectly unique. You can recognize floral patterns on the lamps, but most importantly, you can see at the top the dragon (or lizard) that’s present in most of Gaudi’s work. A hidden, yet visible, unique yet usual piece for the list of Antoni Gaudi art, and Antoni Gaudi architecture.

4. Fountain in Park de la Ciutadella – Cascada Monumental

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Imagine the Park de la Ciutadella as Hyde Park in London, the Villa Borghese in Rome, or even Central Park in New York. It’s the greenest oasis in the city, with big spaces for walks, picnics, or just spending time relaxing. Maybe you didn’t know but one of the Antoni Gaudi works is actually in this city park. If we follow the Antoni Gaudi timeline, the Cascada Monumental was one of the works he did while he was still a student.

The fountain is guarded by dragons who are standing right behind the water basin. If you’ve been paying attention to the Gaudi architecture Barcelona, you could’ve already noticed the lizards many times in the Antoni Gaudi architecture masterpieces.

In the 1870s while he was working with the craftsman Josep Fontsere, Gaudi corrected a task that was assigned to another student who was designing the water thank to the Cascada Monumental. This has already earned him some attention. Though at this fountain he actually designed the two stone medallions with lizards in the upper section, it’s still associated with his name. Building this fountain, Fontsere collaborated with more than 10 Catalan artists though to create the fountain that symbolizes light and freedom.

5. Casa Mila

Casa Mila

Now here’s one of the greatest highlights from our Gaudi buildings in Barcelona list, the Casa Mila. If you’re looking for Antoni Gaudi works in Barcelona that is also located in the city center, you can’t miss this one! Within a Gaudi architecture tour Barcelona you must add Casa Mila and Casa Batllo, that is just steps away from each other.

Casa Mila is known as La Pedrera, The Stone Quarry, a reference to its unconventional rough-hewn appearance. The house was designed in the combination of Art Nouveau and Modernism, all spiced with Gaudi’s endless imagination. Casa Mila was the last residential project that he built between 1906 and 1912. The building was commissioned by Pere Mila.

If you’re visiting Barcelona, you can also enter Casa Mila, that’s now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are different exhibitions in the building, while you can also see the indoors of the beautiful building.

6. Casa Batllo

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When it comes to Antoni Gaudi works in Barcelona, Casa Batllo is definitely my favorite Gaudi buildings Barcelona is hiding. This building represents for me the result of endless human creativity. Casa Batllo was remodeled and redesigned in 1904 by Antoni Gaudi and his assistance Josep Canaleta, Joan Rubió, and Domènec Sugrañes i Gras.

We can recognize the Modernisme and the Art Nouveau in the building, along with the beautiful fresco painting that looks almost like if Claude Monet’s lilies of this Water Lily Pond painting was copied on the walls. Casa Batllo is open all around the year, and you can book your tickets in advance to visit the stunning indoors too.

Interesting fact for younger generations: the mansion in the Casper movie was actually inspired by Casa Batllo and its stunning interior spaces and rooftop as well. This place when you enter feels like you’ve entered a dream world.

7. Casa Vicens

Casa Vicens – photo from barcelona-tourist-guide.com

Let’s continue our Gaudi building in Barcelona list, shall we? Our next stop is Casa Vicens that’s now functioning as a museum. If you’re headed on a Gaudi architecture tour Barcelona, you will have to pass in the Gracia neighborhood, since more of his works are located there, such as Casa Vicens on Carrer de Les Carolines 20-26.

Casa Vicens is considered to be one of the first buildings of Art Nouveau and it is also the first building Gaudi ever designed and built. When it comes to Gaudi architecture Barcelona and Antoni Gaudi facts about his artwork, you must have already recognized, that some elements are always present, but the style, as we follow the Antoni Gaudi timeline of work and life, his style changes so much, but it still doesn’t.

Casa Vicens is a Neo-Mudejar architecture – and as you might have already noticed, I love the Mudejar architecture. You can also discover in this specific work many Oriental and neoclassical elements as well. The Casa Vicens was commissioned by Manuel Vicens i Montaner in 1883 to build a summer house (villa) for him. It is indeed one of his greatest works! And who wouldn’t want a summer house like Casa Vicens?

8. Colegio de las Teresianas

Colegio de las Teresianas – photo from dosde.com

Another highlight for the Antoni Gaudi works in Barcelona! Colegio Teresiano, or in other words Colegio de las Teresianas is another of the Antoni Gaudi art masterpieces. This is another perfect example of the Neo-Gothic style (Art Nouveau) and Modernism that is present in the Gaudi buildings Barcelona has.

You can find the Colegio de las Teresianas on Colle Granduxer 85, which was made to host a school and the convent of the Congregation of Religious Teresianas. The work on the building took 10 years, from 1888 to 1898, and it is definitely one of the most beautiful of the Gaudi buildings Barcelona.

If you’re paying attention, the Colegio de las Teresianas is reminding us from the same fairytale-style place that the lamps on Placa Reial, or the Palacio Güell that we’ll discuss further down. Maybe it’s just me, but his Neo-Gothic and Modernist style combined reminds me of the castle of Demona in the Sleeping Beauty Disney movie…

Maybe the graphic designers actually had inspiration from Gaudi? In each case, while these buildings are stunning, and I’ve spent so much time in Barcelona to find them all, they remind me of the house/castle of a villain. That doesn’t mean I don’t love them, in fact, the more I study Antoni Gaudi architecture, the more I become obsessed with it.

9. Pabellones Güell

Pabellones Güell – photo from siviaggia.it

And once again, we are back to the Neo-Mudejar style combined with Catalan Modernism and Oriental elements. The Pavellons Güell, or Güell Pavilions were built between 1884-1887 in addition to Torre Satalia, which was a Caribbean-style mansion designed by Gaudi’s teacher Joan Martorell i Montells.

Antoni Gaudi was commissioned to build a perimeter wall with gates and remodel the house. He proposed the Oriental and Mudejar design since he planned an ashlar wall that had several gates. The main gate was to be a wrought-iron grille in the shape of a dragon with glass eyes. Again the dragons…

Now the Guell Pavilions include a stable, gatehouses, and a lingering ring. The stable is rectangular and it has a Catalan vault-style roof adopting a catenary curve. What’s interesting in this Antoni Gaudi art, and the Antoni Gaudi facts about his artwork, is that again the details were planned so precisely. The Pavilions were built of bricks in a color range of shades from yellow to red and there are parts covered in colorful glass.

If you’re visiting the Pavilions, you must know that Gaudi also did a few things in the estate gardens, such as two fountains and a pergola, but also planted several stunning Mediterranean species from Magnolias to Palm, Eucalyptus, and more. The Güell Pavilions are definitely a must-see if you want to do a Gaudi architecture tour Barcelona.

10. Palacio Güell

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The last one of the Antoni Gaudi works that I wanted to include in the article since this was the only one that I didn’t get to see before, even if I have passed nearby dozens of times. Palau Güell is just off the famous street La Rambla, somewhere in the middle of it, on Carrer Nou de la Rambla. The castiron work that you can see above the entrances, and that (again) villain vibes style just fascinates me a lot.

From this specific building, I remembered the Palace of Justice in the Huncback of Notre Dame Disney movie. I know, I’m obsessed with Disney… But let’s get back now to Antoni Gaudi works in Barcelona and discover a new example of Antoni Gaudi architecture and legacy.

Palau Güell is a mansion that was commissioned as well by Eusebi Güell, and it was built between 1886 and 1888. Though this Gaudi building in Barcelona is absolutely stunning, the neighborhood of El Raval in the past years started becoming less and less pretty, unfortunately. However, the Palau Güell is also a UNESCO World Heritage site so it definitely must be seen if you want to discover some of Gaudi best works in Barcelona!

Wrapping up the 10 Gaudi buildings in Barcelona list – Antoni Gaudi works in Barcelona

So let’s wrap up Antoni Gaudi works in Barcelona! There are much more buildings and smaller projects around Barcelona, so if you’re heading on a complete Gaudi architecture tour Barcelona, be prepared that there are about 10 more projects he made around and outside the city! We just wanted here to highlight some of his best works, like the Gaudi church Barcelona, the Sagrada Familia, Gaudi Park Guell in Barcelona Spain, and Casa Milan Barcelona.

Antoni Gaudi mosaic works are really famous and they are present all over his best works, while they are also a symbol of the city. We hope you’re leaving our website with better knowledge about his work after seeing our Gaudi buildings in Barcelona list. Don’t forget if you’re planning to visit Barcelona, plan a great itinerary, and enjoy the many beautiful things the city offers!

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