Barcelona owes much of its captivating personality to Modernism, an architectural style that, in late 19th and early 20th centuries, had its own voice in this city and peppered its streets with numerous works -more than a hundred, 9 of which are world heritage sites- brimming with imagination, symbolism, natural motifs and sinuous shapes. Houses, palaces, parks, shops, street lamps... Antoni Gaudí was its great master.
Eixample district, and especially its main artery, Passeig de Gracia (Paseo de Gracia), concentrate most of modernist buildings. Known as the 'Golden Square', this area is included in the 'Modernism Route'.
The city counclil of Barcelona created a 'Modernism Route' with 130 milestones, a journey through the modernist architecture that runs through the central Barcelona streets. The main axes of this itinerary are indicated on the pavement by red flower-shaped tiles. You can check this route in rutadelmodernisme.com.
It takes a lot of time and many visits to tour all the beautiful examples of modernism in Barcelona (around 130). The 9 buildings declared world heritage by UNESCO are the fundamental ones: Casa Batlló, Casa Milà, Casa Vicens, Cripta de la Colonia Güell, Palau Güell, Parque Güell, La Sagrada Familia, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau and Palau de la Música Catalana.
Its popular name -La Pedrera- means quarry in Catalan. The most striking feature is its roof topped by chimmney stacks that look like warriors covered with a helmet. A fantastic and futuristic space that reminds the characters of Star Wars. Passeig de Gràcia, 92. lapedrera.com
Another of Gaudí's masterpieces. It is at number 43 of Passeig de Gràcia, in the so-called 'Manzana de la Discordia' (a pun meaning Apple of discord), next to two other emblematic houses that compete in beauty. Its amazing roof resembles the skin of a reptile.
This building was Gaudí's first important project in Barcelona. It corresponds to a first stage this architect's style clearly influenced by the art of the Far and Middle East, as well as by the Hispanic-Muslim art (Nazarí and Mudejar). It is located in Carolinas 18-24.
Comissioned by the chocolate industrialist Antoni Amatller to the architect Josep Puig, it's adjacent to Casa Batlló and very close to Casa Lleó Morera, forming part of the so-called 'Manzana de la discordia', bone of contention, due to the rivalry between architects.
