Discovering Modernisme in Barcelona
Architecture day (my favorite)!! Our first full day on the tour was jam-packed with Barcelona's unique architectural heritage, focusing especially on the (literally) fantastic works of Antoni Gaudí, ofteen seen as the poster child of Catalan Art Nouveau (also known as Modernisme). Modernisme flourished from roughly 1878-1910, and its impact can be seen all over Barcelona. Catalans are extremely (and rightfully) proud of this incredible architectural creation; it is important to note that Modernisme needs to be understood within the context of the rebirth of Catalan nationalist movements and revival of Catalan identity formation in the early twentieth-century.
We began the morning with a trip to Gaudí's wild Casa Mila, designed between 1905-1910. Its undulating stone exterior caused some controversy, and the building became known as La Pedrera, or "the Stone Quarry." Known for its architectural advances, including a self-supporting facade and an underground car park, Casa Mila offers an AMAZING view of Barcelona from it's rooftop (see below). Our walking tour took us past Gaudí's Casa Battlo, located on Barcelona's Manzana de la Discordia ("Block of Discord") - this crazy and colorful building was redesigned by Gaudí' in 1904. Of course, no Modernisme tour would be complete without a trip to Gaudí''s ultimate masterpiece: the Sagrada Familia. We got to skip the massive line to get into the church thanks to our Rick Steves tour connections, so that was a great perk. THE SAGRADA FAMILIA WAS INCREDIBLE. There really aren't words to describe it....if the exterior facade wasn't amazing and intricate enough, once I stepped inside, I got to view the interior through a filter composed of a cacophony of colors from the gorgeous stained glass all around the building. Truly a highlight of the whole trip!
After lunch, my mom and I continued the Modernisme theme and set out for Park Güell, designed by Gaudí on the commission of Count Eusebi Güell. Word to the wise, don't forget to book tickets for this well in advance, especially during peak tourist season. My mom and I came prepared with advance reservations, and boy were we glad we did. When we arrived, almost the entire day's worth of entrance time slots were filled, and the line was long for those in need of reservations to enter the ticketed portion of the park (the rest of the park is freely accessible to all). The park gets about 4 million visitors a year, if that gives you any idea of its popularity. General travel tip here: do your research ahead of time, and come prepared with advanced reservations for the things you really want to see. My favorite part of this delightfully weird and enchanting park was the incredible, colorful tiling adorning many of the park's built elements (see photos below). I got lost in the intricate patterns and colorful details. The artistry is just incredible! Plus, the park offers my favorite view of Barcelona. Don't miss it.
As you can see, I immediately fell in love with the magical, imaginative, almost whimsical style of Modernisme - it was like a fairy tale from my childhood come to life in tangible form. Check out my photos below to see some of my favorite sights from the day's adventures through Barcelona's one-of-a-kind architectural past.
We began the morning with a trip to Gaudí's wild Casa Mila, designed between 1905-1910. Its undulating stone exterior caused some controversy, and the building became known as La Pedrera, or "the Stone Quarry." Known for its architectural advances, including a self-supporting facade and an underground car park, Casa Mila offers an AMAZING view of Barcelona from it's rooftop (see below). Our walking tour took us past Gaudí's Casa Battlo, located on Barcelona's Manzana de la Discordia ("Block of Discord") - this crazy and colorful building was redesigned by Gaudí' in 1904. Of course, no Modernisme tour would be complete without a trip to Gaudí''s ultimate masterpiece: the Sagrada Familia. We got to skip the massive line to get into the church thanks to our Rick Steves tour connections, so that was a great perk. THE SAGRADA FAMILIA WAS INCREDIBLE. There really aren't words to describe it....if the exterior facade wasn't amazing and intricate enough, once I stepped inside, I got to view the interior through a filter composed of a cacophony of colors from the gorgeous stained glass all around the building. Truly a highlight of the whole trip!
After lunch, my mom and I continued the Modernisme theme and set out for Park Güell, designed by Gaudí on the commission of Count Eusebi Güell. Word to the wise, don't forget to book tickets for this well in advance, especially during peak tourist season. My mom and I came prepared with advance reservations, and boy were we glad we did. When we arrived, almost the entire day's worth of entrance time slots were filled, and the line was long for those in need of reservations to enter the ticketed portion of the park (the rest of the park is freely accessible to all). The park gets about 4 million visitors a year, if that gives you any idea of its popularity. General travel tip here: do your research ahead of time, and come prepared with advanced reservations for the things you really want to see. My favorite part of this delightfully weird and enchanting park was the incredible, colorful tiling adorning many of the park's built elements (see photos below). I got lost in the intricate patterns and colorful details. The artistry is just incredible! Plus, the park offers my favorite view of Barcelona. Don't miss it.
As you can see, I immediately fell in love with the magical, imaginative, almost whimsical style of Modernisme - it was like a fairy tale from my childhood come to life in tangible form. Check out my photos below to see some of my favorite sights from the day's adventures through Barcelona's one-of-a-kind architectural past.
The most beautiful in the world is, of course, the world itself. -Wallace Stevens