The huge open-air architectural museum attracts tourists who dream of touching the beauty and admiring amazing masterpieces. The unique city of contrasts is one of the most beautiful on the Mediterranean coast. The eternally young and free capital of Catalonia has repeatedly changed its appearance.
First of all, Barcelona is famous for its unique architecture, which is quite difficult to describe in words. It harmoniously combines old and new, modern and classic, making the Spanish pearl unique.
A little about the architecture of the VIII-XVI centuries
If we talk about the features of the architecture of Barcelona, we can not fail to mention the three main styles, which were imprinted by various historical events - Moorish, Romanesque and Gothic.
Moors are the children of the desert, with special trepidation relating to life-giving moisture, and it is no coincidence that the fabulous works in the stone of thisdirections abound with cozy courtyards with luxurious fountains. Also, during the construction in the VIII-XI centuries, dome-shaped forms, numerous arches and bizarre columns were used, creating a feeling of unreality.
Romanesque-style structures are powerful impregnable fortresses that grew during the period when the crusades against the Moors began. Buildings made of rough stones were decorated not with decorative elements, but with numerous towers with small loopholes.
After the XIII century, a new style is actively developing - Gothic, which was created by Catholic monks who preach an ascetic lifestyle. Majestic temples appear with a large number of chapels and pointed turrets with spiers directed to the sky. The absolutely smooth surface of the walls was decorated with original ornaments.
However, many buildings are of mixed style, as their construction could take several centuries.
The mystery of the great genius
The charming Catalan capital is most often associated with the name of the brilliant architect Antonio Gaudí. The architecture of Barcelona is much more than just works of art of great talent, but a huge number of travelers rush here in order to personally enjoy the monuments built by the master. The most fantastic architect of all time worked in an unusual direction: he absorbed the mystical Gothic and all national styles. Leaving an invaluable legacy, he created perfect creations that give the city a special charm.
The personality of a genius representsa mystery, and his work captures the hearts and souls of people at first sight. Antonio deified nature, so he transferred its laws to the architecture of Barcelona.
Dragon-shaped Casa Batllo
The most unusual building of the tourist center is Casa Batllo - an unusual building that stands out from the rest. The texture of its walls resembles the scaly skin of a dragon, the columns and balconies are human skulls and bones, and the roof looks like the backbone of a mythological monster. Hewn stone was used to create the facade, and the courtyard is decorated with ceramic tiles, shimmering in the rays of sunlight. A gigantic fire-breathing serpent was struck by the spear of St. George the Victorious, and a small turret on the roof plays the role of an instrument of retaliation.
Unique monument
The UNESCO-protected Casa Batlló is a masterpiece of architecture that lacks straight lines and wavy outlines in every detail. From an ordinary, unremarkable building, the genius managed to make a genuine monument of progressive architecture in Barcelona. Located in the Eixample district, it is of great interest to visitors to Catalonia, who think that the house is about to come to life and begin to travel around the city.
Officially considered that Casa Batllo is the standard of modernity, however, experts assure that Gaudí created his own style, which is not like anything else.
Full merging with nature
Barcelona's stunning architecture includes one of its most striking sightsThe capital of Catalonia is Park Güell. This is an example of how an unsuccessful commercial project has turned into a favorite vacation spot for tourists and citizens. The stunningly beautiful Parque Güell is a symbiosis of human genius and natural naturalness.
At the beginning of the last century, we althy industrialist E. Güell thought about a green garden city in the English style and hired an architect to create ecological housing. However, the idea of the entrepreneur was expected to fail, and the rich of Catalonia were in no hurry to part with their money in order to buy a mansion on a hilly area.
Awesome green oasis
The tycoon sold the park to the city authorities, but they did not change anything in the appearance of the unusual monument in Barcelona. Gaudí's architecture makes an incredible impression on tourists. Visitors admire the two buildings located at the entrance. Reminiscent of fabulous gingerbread houses, they involuntarily attract the eye.
However, the most beloved object of the colorful landmark is the main staircase, where everyone is waiting for a mosaic salamander, which has become a symbol of the cultural capital of Spain. Decorated with colored broken tiles, it leads to the top of the hill, where there is a huge terrace, along the entire perimeter of which stretches a sinuous bench in the shape of a snake, covered with a mosaic of broken glass and shards of ceramics.
True legend
The architect has achieved a complete fusion of the park with the environment: bizarre wavy forms create the illusion of space, and unusual columns look more like centuries-oldtrees or mysterious stalactites. Moreover, no one will see right angles here, since even powerful pillars lean in different directions. Over the years, Parc Güell has become a true legend of art and architecture in Barcelona.
Unusual area
It should be noted that not only the work of the Catalan architect had a magical effect on the unique appearance of the Spanish pearl. The architecture of Barcelona (a photo of the most beautiful buildings is presented in the article) is much more than the unique works of the great Gaudi. A well-known urbanist Ildefons Serda made a huge contribution to the individuality of the city falling in love with itself.
The main tourist center of Spain is not in vain called the capital of Art Nouveau, and the essence of modern style reflects the famous Eixample district, which arose according to a clear plan. In the middle of the 19th century, the city authorities decided to build a new district - L'Eixample - on the site of the demolished village settlements. The project was won by Serda, who was the first to use a straight-line layout: all streets intersect at right angles, forming octagonal (octagonal) blocks, and such a division is considered a symbol of the district. The unusual layout is conceived taking into account the fact that each square should have its own mini-infrastructure.
Heart of the Catalan capital
The bourgeois began to move here, carefully trying to outdo the aristocracy. People who quickly amassed we alth wanted their homes to be unique, and all the well-known people were no longer suitable for self-expression of a new layer of society.styles of Barcelona architecture. The townspeople rebelled against the boring buildings, similar to each other. The young authors dreamed of "dressing" the new quarter in bright clothes, and they succeeded. After the construction was completed, the area flourished due to the fact that representatives of the bourgeoisie decorated it with luxurious mansions.
Now the elite Eixample, which is the heart of the capital, is a stunning mixture of beauty and rationalism. No one will find two identical buildings here, and this is the main feature of the Art Nouveau (Art Nouveau) style. In such buildings, you can see mosaics, sculptural works, and stained-glass windows.
Aghbar Tower
The 1992 Olympic Games and the 2004 World Forum of Cultures are credited with transforming the face of Barcelona, with its modern architecture intriguing to those who love to walk along cozy streets.
It was at this time that a luxurious skyscraper appeared - Agbar Tower. Designed by the architect Jean Nouvel, it is sheathed with multi-colored panels, inside which up to four thousand lighting devices are hidden, forming complex volumetric combinations. From a distance, it seems that the skyscraper, resembling a gigantic cucumber, shimmers like a thousand precious stones, and the artificial glow can be seen from afar at night.
The shape of the bizarre building that adorns the city is inspired by the idea of geysers spouting upwards and stone mountain monoliths. The modern building, 145 meters high, is the pride of the locals, but at the same time it is notfits into the general flavor of the Catalan capital. The atypical skyscraper, where each office has an open plan, is an impressive sight.
Innovative Green Office Center
Growing high-tech business center designed by Enric Ruiz-Geli. The futuristic Media-TIC building, which stands out with asymmetrical facades, is made of a new material - texlon, which helps to achieve an excellent level of energy saving. It does not absorb moisture, does not lose its elasticity and even improves thermal insulation. The film allows light to enter while protecting the business center from the scorching summer sun.
Energy-efficient masterpiece is one of the most innovative office complexes. All engineering systems operate on the basis of information that comes from special sensors located around the entire perimeter of the structure. An architectural marvel that demonstrates a radically new approach to building, in 2011 received the title of "Best Green Building in the World".
Santa Caterina Market and its unusual roof
One of the oldest markets in the Catalan capital, located in the Ribera region, after a recent restoration, retained only the walls of the outer facade from the original building. But the main element of the structure is its roof. Two talented craftsmen (Enrique Miraes and Bendette Tagliabe) covered the building with a colorful mosaic roof in the style of the great architect of Catalonia. Inspired by his work, they very subtly reworked the favorite in the citymodernism.
The undulating roof is made up of 325,000 hexagonal ceramic slabs in the most incredible hues. The Santa Caterina market is on par with other creations of modernist Gaudí architecture in Barcelona. A photo of the covered building, which will introduce you to the culinary traditions of the Catalans, is sure to be taken by tourists as a keepsake.
Modern architects contribute to the creation of the city, which is an ideal platform for experimentation. The authors of unusual masterpieces freely use bright colors and are not afraid of bizarre shapes, which gives the appearance of Barcelona a special charm.
