Park Guell

2023/12/27

When the legendary Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi was given a lush natural park to develop a hi-profile gated residential community of 60 houses, he planned and directed something that will inspire generations to come. Today, the Park Guell Barcelona receives an annual footfall of around 12 million tourists and most of them come out mesmerized with the architectural wonder. Park Guell by Gaudi was commissioned by Count Eusebi Güell in 1900 and houses attractions like the Dragon Stairway, the Hypostyle Room, and the Porter’s Lodge Pavilion among others.

Park Guell, spread over 18 Hectares of hilly land, was originally envisioned by Count Eusebi Guell to be a miniature city for Barcelona’s affluent class. But within a few years of development, the project was abandoned. Even so, Gaudi continued to develop it as a park. Ever since its opening to the public in 1926, the estate has been a major crowd-puller.

Never intended to be a park, Park Guell became popular to be a Utopian dwelling in the middle of a park. Eusebi Guell, a wealthy businessman hired Gaudi to bring his vision to life. Gaudi worked on the project for 14 years until the Count died in 1914 and his heirs decided to stop the project as not even a single house was sold. In 1922, the city of Barcelona bought the half-built residential complex and converted the 17-hectare area into a public park by 1926. Since then the popularity of the park has been on the rise. The authorities initially divided the park into two zones and by October 2013, the monumental zone was restricted by ticket.

Gaudi not only managed to bring a fairytale to life with his architecture he also invented Trencadís. Trencadis is a mosaic created by small pieces of broken ceramic. The use of this technique is almost unanimous throughout the park. The genius architect effortlessly involved his inspired nature, everywhere. From the fluidity of the design to their structure, from sculptures to motifs, that allowed this concrete architecture to stand as one with nature. Animals such as salamander, snake, octopus, and lions are incorporated at various junctures by using trencadis, while flowers are introduced via various motifs spread all across the park.

To conserve Gaudi’s masterpieces the authorities divided the Park Guell Barcelona into two parts namely the Monumental Zone and the Free Zone.

The Park Guell Monumental Zone has most of Antoni Gaudi’s work.  Though in terms of size the monumental zone occupies just 5% of the overall park, in terms of marvels and attractions it takes the cake. Here are some of the highlights of the Park Guell Monumental Zone.

The Monumental Zone

1. Dragon Stairway: Start your tour at the iconic Dragon Stairway. Named for the multicolored mosaic salamander (‘el drac’) that graces its steps, the stairway showcases Gaudí’s love for organic forms and his pioneering use of trencadís (broken tile mosaics).
2. Hypostyle Room: Climb the Dragon Stairway to reach the Hypostyle Room. This ‘room’ is an outdoor space supported by 86 striated columns, which were originally intended to serve as a market for the estate. Look up to see the tiled mosaic ceiling adorned with intricate patterns and motifs.
3. Nature Square: Above the Hypostyle Room, you’ll find Nature Square. This large, semi-enclosed area offers stunning views over Barcelona and is the perfect spot for a rest. The undulating bench around its perimeter, covered in colorful mosaics, is a great example of Gaudí’s signature style.
4. Porter’s Lodge Pavilion: Next, head to the Porter’s Lodge Pavilion, one of the few completed buildings intended for the unsuccessful housing development for which the park was originally conceived. Its fairytale-like design is enchanting, with a unique roof that is said to resemble a mushroom.
5. The Laundry Room Portico: Before you leave, make sure to stroll down the Laundry Room Portico, named for its proximity to a former laundry room. This curving pathway, held up by inclined columns, showcases Gaudí’s innovative, organic architecture.