When you go on vacation to Barcelona, you should definitely look into the Eixample quarter to take a look at one of the most amazing buildings in all of Catalonia - Casa Batlló. This unique creation of the world-famous architect Antonio Gaudí has been capturing the imagination of visitors and passers-by for more than a century.
Historical background
An ordinary house was built on this site back in 1877, in which living rooms and office rooms were located. But the new owner, Josep Batllo y Casanovas, decided to build a grandiose building on this site, different from the others. For the construction, he attracted the already honored architect Antonio Gaudi, who by that time was 52 years old. The customer did not limit the master either in form, or in content, or in means. Gaudi, having examined the building, came to the conclusion that there was no need to demolish it.
The new building was built on the basis of the outdated one, surpassing it not only in decoration, but also in area and height. Gaudi completely changed the facade, attic, interioryard and interior decoration of the house. Historians argue that it was in this creation that Gaudi departed from all generally accepted norms of architecture and created an incomparable structure, and began a new creative stage in his life. Subsequent buildings created by the master have never been trivial.
Reconstruction of Casa Batlló was carried out from 1904 to 1906. and affected every centimeter of the building, changing its external and internal appearance beyond recognition. Not a single straight line remained in the entire building, and the outlines acquired amazing curves, so uncharacteristic of classical buildings. At the same time, everything looks harmonious and unusual. It is thanks to this creation Gaudí gained worldwide fame.
Appearance
It is impossible to pass by the Casa Batllo in Barcelona, even by chance wandering into the Eixample district. It attracts attention at first sight. Someone sees in these lines a fabulous house of elves, to others they resemble a coral reef, but most agree that the building looks like a defeated dragon. This is reminiscent of the smooth curves of the roof, similar to the backbone of a huge monster, and shimmering tiles imitating scales in the rays of the sun.
This fabulous dragon is defeated by the sword of St. George, the patron saint of Catalonia. The sword symbolizes the thin spire of the tower topped with the St. George Cross. The house is a symbol of the triumph of good over the forces of evil.
I must say that Gaudi was a deeply religious person and drew inspiration from the creations of nature, transferring its outlines into his works, and supplementing themreligious symbolism. Every inch of his creations is filled with amazing symbolism and secret meaning. But at the same time, each element also carries a functional load, making the buildings as comfortable as possible for living.
House without right angles
Surprisingly, there are practically no right angles and lines in Batllo's house inside and out. All details flow smoothly into each other. There are windows of various sizes on the facade: from large ones at the bottom to small ones on the upper tiers of the building. This is done so that the lighting in the house is uniform.
Cozy patio, which also improves ventilation and air exchange inside the room. The walls of the courtyard are tiled, the color of which smoothly changes from snow-white at the bottom of the building to azure at the very top. This design technique allowed not only to "revive" the space, but also to make it as functional as possible.
Also in Casa Batlló in Barcelona, the architect has thought of numerous escape routes in case of fire.
Cooperation with great masters
Gaudi not only designed the drawings and worked on the interior and exterior of Casa Batlló, but also created unique furniture for this amazing space. Some exhibits can still be seen in their places. But most of it is exhibited in the house-museum dedicated to Gaudí in Parc Güell.
To create such a luxurious and amazing mansion for one person, even such a genius as Gaudi is beyond his powers. The decorative elements that became the decoration of the house were created by the best craftsmen of that time. Forged Products -the work of the Badia brothers, famous blacksmiths. The incomparable stained glass windows are the work of the glass blower Josep Pelegri. The creation of ceramic elements was carried out by father and son Pujol-i-Bausis and Sebastian-i-Ribo.
In 1962, Casa Batlló, whose history began at the beginning of the century, was recognized as a monument of Barcelona, after 7 years it received the status of a monument of national importance, and since 2005 it has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
House of Bones
The main facade of Casa Batllo is very unusual, as if built from the remains of the unfortunate victims of the defeated dragon. The bones are the pillars of the building, and the skulls are the balconies. The facade and roof outlines resemble a giant monster. The building seemed to be melted in the flame of a fire-breathing monster, and the windows and walls "floated" from the heat. No wonder it is popularly called the house of bones.
Interior decoration
Viewing Casa Batlló from the outside is like looking at a candy wrapper. Inside is even more interesting! The chandelier-sun is amazing, which, as it were, looks out of the waves on the ceiling. The main staircase, as if emerging from nowhere, is striking in its appearance. The furniture, as if fashioned from soft wood, is mesmerizing, but it is already more than a century old.
Here you can see with what care and attention the architect worked out the details. Each element of decoration complements each other, creating a single image of an imperishable creation.
The total area of the building is 4300 square meters. The height of the building reaches 32 meters. The mansion has 8 floors and a basement. Given to the museumonly part of the building, and in the other part there are living quarters.
Where is it
House Batllo is the most grandiose creation of Gaudi, located on Passeig de Gracia, 43 (Passeig de Gràcia). Nearby are two more famous buildings - the house of Lleo Morera and Amalle. This trinity did not fit into the generally accepted standards of architecture so much that the entire block was called the Quarter of Discord.
How to get there
There are several ways to get to Casa Batlló. First, you can buy a bus tour of Barcelona, which includes a visit to this picturesque place. In this way, you can see other attractions of the Catalan capital, save on entrance tickets and reduce waiting time in lines.
You can take the metro to Passeig de Gràcia on the green, purple or yellow lines. A few minutes walk from the exit to the attraction.
You can use city buses 7, 16, 17, 2, 24, 28.
Opening hours
House Batlló is open daily from 9 am to 9 pm. The last tour starts at 20:00. The official days of rest in this house-museum are Catholic Christmas - December 25 and New Year - January 1. All other days of the year the doors are open to visitors
Tickets
Tickets to Casa Batlló cost about 29 euros (2100 rubles). For children under 7 years old, admission is free. There are discounts for teenagers and seniors. It's better to go on a tourjust before opening. In the morning the lines are still small. But in the daytime, the queue can stretch for tens of meters, and the wait can drag on for several hours.
To save time, you can purchase tickets in advance at the museum box office or through the online portal.
Tour
A tour of Casa Batlló is best done with an audio guide. The device is included in the ticket price. The electronic assistant will tell you about the history of the place, tell you a lot of interesting facts, and guide you to the most famous and hidden corners of the museum.
The audio guide includes lectures in ten languages, including Russian. The duration of a walk through the museum is an hour.
On the ground floor there is a souvenir shop where you can buy souvenirs about visiting the amazing house or books about the great architect who built this famous house. And under the very roof there is a museum entirely dedicated to the work of the great and unique Gaudí.
House Batllo, which visitors' reviews are full of delight, captivates at first sight. And the longer you stay in it, the more the amazing idea of the author is revealed, who embodied in his creation bold ideas, unexpected solutions and a non-standard approach. But despite all this, the house is amazingly functional. The architectural findings that the architect used to create this structure are successfully used in modern buildings.
The Casa Batllo in Barcelona is an architectural fairy tale told by the author through amazing shapes and symbols. Hefull of mysteries and legends that have yet to be unraveled.
A visit to Casa Batlló is a must when visiting Barcelona to see something unusual, inimitable and unique. Such creations allow us to believe in the unity of human genius and the power of nature.
