This is a specially designed route that leads the visitor around Barcelona’s finest examples of Catalan modernism. You’ll discover the works of well-known architects such as Antonio Gaudí, Josep Puig i Cadafalch and Lluís Domènech i Montaner. Catalan modernism, while part of a European-wide trend, acquired a distinct local flavor. This was primarily due to the development of the cultural differences that Catalonia – and particularly Barcelona – was experiencing, regarding Spanish culture. This was known as the Renaixença, or the resurgence of Catalan culture, at a time of major urban and industrial development. We can therefore say that Catalan modernism, as we will see during our tour, is an urban, bourgeois style. It was used by the wealthy bourgeoisie as a form of expressing, through their residences, their Catalan identity, wealth and class. During this tour, you will see highly original and unusual buildings such as Casa Batlló (Batlló House) and the Palau de la Música Catalana (Palace of Catalan Music). Above all, we will visit Gaudí’s masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia.

Credits 
Image&nbsp;El Draco salamander in Park Guell&nbsp;by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/angela_llop/4927630758">T</a><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/eMoibijaLu8?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditShareLink">ania Mousinho</a>

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Modernist Barcelona

Our tour through modernist Barcelona begins at the Güell Palace, which is located in calle Nou de la Rambla 3 y 5. This is one of the buildings that Antonio Gaudí, the well-known architect, gave the city. Gaudí is the finest example of Catalan modernism. In his works, which are heavily influenced by nature, we can observe a distinct personal style. This lies in the original nature of the structural solutions, which all include a series of artisanal works that Gaudí had mastered: ceramics, glasswork, iron smithing and carpentry. La Sagrada Familia (which will be our final stop) is currently one of the most visited monuments in Spain.

Credits 
Image Palau Guell&nbsp;by<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=89888999">&nbsp;</a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=70528674">Thomas Ledl</a>

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Güell Palace

Walking along the famous Ramblas of Barcelona, moving away from the port and the Güell Palace, we’ll find – in the middle of the Avenue – a mosaic by Joan Miró. 
Miró was a Spanish painter, sculptor, engraver and potter, and also one of the leading lights of surrealism. Although this work does not form part of Catalan modernism, we think it’s worth including on the tour due to the significance of its creator.

Credits 
Image&nbsp;PM Ramblas - Joan Miro&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="http://https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62257455">e</a><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/33918688@N06/6267615817/">ric</a>

Pla de l'Os

Continuing our journey toward our next stop, Casa Martí, we’ll quickly enter Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter. Here, we can glimpse the city’s beautiful cathedral on our right. If you wish, you can take a short break here before continuing with the tour. The Gothic Quarter is the oldest part of Barcelona and its historic center. Here, we can admire different and culturally interesting monuments, including the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, the Basílica de la Merced, the Basílica de Santa María del Mar, the Sant Jaume Plaza (including the Barcelona City Hall and the Palace of the Government of Catalonia), the Plaza Real (Royal Plaza) and the Barcelona History Museum. After leaving the cathedral, the Casa Martí is just a few meters away. It is an example of the architectural style of Josep Puig I Cadafalch that we can observe in Barcelona. Puig I Cadafalch was a disciple of Lluís Domènech i Montaner, whom we will discuss at our next stop because he designed the Palau de la Música Catalana. He is considered the last figure of modernism and the first of Catalan Noucentisme.

Credits 
Image&nbsp;Casa Marti by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Puig.i.Cadafalch.Casa.Mart%C3%AD.4Gats.Barcelona.Detail.JPG">Josep Panadero</a>

Martí House

The Palau de la Música, considered the most modernist building in the world, was built at the beginning of the 19th century by the architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner. He was one of the leading modernist architects from Catalonia. This building served as the headquarters of the Catalan Symphony Orchestra. The works of Domènech i Montaner are noteworthy due to their excellent combination of structural rationality with extraordinary ornamental features. These are inspired by Spanish-Arab architectural trends and by the curved lines of modernism. The Palau de la Música is now a central meeting point for Catalan cultural and social life. It is also the only modernist concert hall to have been granted UNESCO World Heritage status. Numerous features of the composition of the main façade catch the eye. Firstly, we can see numerous arches with large red brick and tile columns leading into the building. On the first floor, a balcony runs along the façade with 14 columns arranged in pairs. Each column is covered with a mosaic of different designs. On the second floor, there are busts erected on the columns, designed by Eusebi Arnau. These correspond, from left to right, to the musicians Palestrina, Bach and Beethoven. Beyond the group sculpture, in the corner, we find Wagner. This sculpture group, found on the corner of calle Amadeu Vices, is known as the Catalan Folk Song. It includes a representation of Saint George, under a feminine figure in the center as a figurehead. These are surrounded by a group of characters representing a sailor, a peasant, an old man, children, and the upper class. This indicates that the Palau de la Música Catalan was for everyone. Inside, the Palau de la Múscia is made up of the Concert Hall, one of the most unique in the world; the Petit Palau (Small Palace), an ideal modern music hall for chamber concerts or smaller events; the Rehearsal Hall for the Catalan Symphony Orchestra; and the Lluís Millet Hall, a large salon for relaxing and meeting others.

Credits 
Image&nbsp;Palau de la Musica Catalana&nbsp;by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Domènech.i.Montaner.Palau.Musica.Catalana.8.Barcelona.JPG#/media/File:Domènech.i.Montaner.Palau.Musica.Catalana.8.Barcelona.JPG">Josep Panadero</a>

Palace of Catalan Music

Casa Calvet, located on calle Casp, is another example of a modernist building by Gaudí. Casa Calvet was originally built as a home and office space for the textile manufacturer Pere Calvet. It is the first and most conventional of the three houses that Gaudí designed in the Eixample of Barcelona. In fact, many experts on Gaudí consider Casa Calvet to be his most conservative work, because in terms of symmetry, balance and order, it is not characteristic of his work. This may be because, on the one hand, Gaudí had to fit the building in among the older, nearby buildings, and on the other, consider that the work would be located in an elegant neighborhood.

Credits 
Image&nbsp;Casa Calvet&nbsp;by<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Casa_Calvet.jpg">&nbsp;Canaan</a>

Calvet House

The group of buildings made up of Casa Lleó Morera, Casa Amatller and Casa Batlló form part of the Manzana de la Discordia (‘Block or Apple of Discord’) due the to different styles of these three exceptional buildings. 
The first of these, Casa Lleó i Morera, was commissioned by Francesca Morera I Ortiz at the beginning of the 20th century. The architect, Lluís Domènech i Montaner, redesigned the previous building to create a genuine modernist work. In fact, the architect himself described it as “a family-scale Palau de la Música”. If we look at the façade, we see continuous allusions to the family’s surname, representing the mulberry (‘morera’) flower with different materials, and several allegories to 20th century inventions. The façade is crowned with an eye-catching shrine that adds a degree of originality to the building. However, the modernist features are clearest inside the residence, where visitors can admire the best preserved suites in the city, filled with stained glass, mosaics, ceramics, sculpture, wood, marble and sgraffito. The vestibule and staircase display the different modernist art forms that the artists and artisans involved in this construction were able to capture perfectly under the guidance of Domènech i Montaner.

Credits 
Image&nbsp;Barcelona - Illa de la Discordia by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Casa_Amatller_and_Casa_Batlló.jpg#/media/File:Casa_Amatller_and_Casa_Batlló.jpg">F</a><a href="http://By Fred Romero - https://www.flickr.com/photos/129231073@N06/36949301750/in/album-72157686935057113/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=76733602">red Romero</a>

Apple of Discord

At number 278, calle Mallorca, we find Palau Montaner, another of the modernist works of the architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner. The owner of the Montaner i Simón Publishing House, and the uncle of the architect, commissioned Domènech to construct this palace in the Italian style. The whole upper part of the building is decorated with large canvases of stained glass mosaics, representing the invention of the printing press through a large frieze below the overhang, where a stone eagle appears dislaying the date when the building was completed. The building is currently the headquarters of the Delegation of the Central Government in Barcelona. 
 
Moving along calle Mallorca, to number 293, we see another Modernist building constructed by the same architect, Lluís Domènech i Montaner, called Casa Thomas. The author gave the façade a highly decorated pure Modernist style. On this façade, with Neo-Gothic symbols, we can clearly identify the architect’s style through the use of the blue tones in the decorations, with a markedly floral theme, and reptile figures in the main vestibule. If you have a chance to visit this vestibule, you’ll see it’s an ornamental jewel decorated with plants, with a stunning wrought iron staircase.

Credits 
Image&nbsp;Palau Ramon Montanerby <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Casa_Amatller_and_Casa_Batlló.jpg#/media/File:Casa_Amatller_and_Casa_Batlló.jpg">a</a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DiM-palauMontaner-1414-rd.jpg#/media/File:DiM-palauMontaner-1414-rd.jpg">madalvarez</a>

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Montaner Palace and Thomas House

Casa Milà, widely known as La Pedrera, is a unique building. It was constructed at the beginning of the 20th century by the architect Antonio Gaudí after receiving a commission from a Catalan businessman. It was originally intended to be a family residence and rental apartments, although is currently the headquarters of the Catalonia Foundation-La Pedrera, and home to an important cultural center of reference in Barcelona. La Pedrera has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. Casa Milà reflects the architect’s great artistry, and is part of his naturalist phase, during which he perfected his personal style, being influenced by nature’s organic forms. 
We therefore see how the three façades of Casa Milà display a continuity of form and style that, due to the sinuous and winding shape, look like a rock molded by sea waves. This is believed to be the origin of the nickname La Pedrera (The Quarry), although there are several symbolic interpretations concerning the forms of this house. The inward and outward aspects of the façade give the overall building a dynamic feel, creating the sensation of moving, while producing an attractive effect with constantly changing light and shadow, depending on the time of day or the position of the viewer. The balconies are noteworthy due to their algae-like wrought iron railings. If we look at the top of the building, we can see that it is crowned by a terrace where Gaudí put the stairwell exits, chimney and the ventilation towers. Due to their original forms and innovative designs, these create a genuine garden of outdoor sculptures. 
As a structural feature, it is worth noting that, in La Pedrera, there are no load-bearing walls. The building is supported by pillars and metal beams that form a framework over which the vaults have been built. This structure means that the partitions don’t bear loads and can therefore be positioned wherever desired.

Credits 
Image&nbsp;E-Barcelona-Casa-Mila by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Casa_Milà,_general_view.jpg#/media/File:Casa_Milà,_general_view.jpg">S</a><a href="http://By SchiDD - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=88759012">chiDD</a>

Milà House

As we continue along Avenida Diagonal, at number 442 we find Casa Comalat, one of the most original examples of Modernism in Barcelona, by the architect Salvador Valeri i Pupurull, which features many elements of Gaudí’s architecture. Casa Comalat is a building made up of two different façades. These share a common formal feature: the Gaudí-esque curve that is reminiscent of the Casa Battló. The main façade, which faces Avenida Diagonal, has a more formal and symmetric air. Its key elements are the central gallery, finished in pinnacle form; the curved balconies with wrought iron railings, and the chiseled opening of the upper part of the façade with detailed floral décor. The whole is crowned by a tower shaped like a Harlequin hat coated with green stained glass ceramics. However, the part facing calle Córcega is entirely covered with polychrome-ceramic decoration that extends over the whole façade, with undulating forms and wooden galleries closed by blinds.

 
Continuing along Avenida Diagonal, we reach number 373, the location of Palau Quadras or Palacio del Barón de Quadras (Palace of the Baron of Quadras), another Modernist building designed by Josep Puig i Cadafalch. Like the previous stop, this is a construction with two façades displaying completely different styles. One façade is a Neo-Gothic palace, and the other a Modernist apartment block. If we look at the house from Avenida Diagonal, it recalls the Gothic palaces of northern Europe, with a Neo-Plateresque style that adds a noble air to the construction. The most striking thing about this façade is certainly its gallery, which features eye-catching sculptures in the form of busts of medieval or Renaissance figures, flowers, Heraldic coats of arms, and in the left corner, Saint George fighting a dragon. In contrast, the façade on calle Rosselló preserves elements of the old building and is decorated in the Modernist style. The palace is currently the headquarters of the Casa Asia (Asia House).

 
Lastly, at Avenida Diagonal number 416, we see the Casa de les Punxes (House of the Spikes) in the form of a medieval Gothic castle, and also a work of Josep Puig i Cadafalch. The brick-built façade is eye-catching due to the reliefs sculpted in stone with floral designs on its galleries and balconies, and the ceramic panels in the upper part of the building with clear references to patriotic symbols of Catalonia. The house culminates in four conical towers with a pointed spike, which is where the name comes from, although it is also known as Casa Terrades (Terrades House).

Credits 
Image&nbsp;Casa Comalat back facade by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Casa_Comalat_back_facade_19.JPG#/media/File:Casa_Comalat_back_facade_19.JPG">Stefanrevollo</a>

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Comalat House

Casa Macaya is located at Paseo de San Juan, number 108. This is a fantastic Modernist building by the architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch, commissioned by the industrialist Román Macaya Gibert. However, due to its location, a little out of the Modernist epicenter of Paseo de Gracia, tourists often miss this building. As we have seen, Puig i Cadafalch undertook a range of residential works for the established Catalan bourgeoisie of traders and industrialists. All of these projects fall within the dominant style of the time: Modernism. 
The façade of the Casa Macaya is decorated in a similar manner to medieval palaces, with white stucco, which contrasted with the stone frames that project slightly and the russet tones of the sgraffito. However, despite this austerity in the white stucco façades, Casa Macaya does not lack Modernist elements, which are particularly noticeable in the embellishments of the continuous balcony, the exterior staircase with its lavish decoration, the various floral and allegorical motifs, classic and Arab elements in columns and capitals, sgraffito, wrought works in windows and balconies, and a small gallery. In the capital on the left side of the main entrance, we can see the figure of a cyclist – a detail by the sculptor in honor of Puig i Cadafalch, who was working on the construction of Casa Amatller at the time and traveled between the two works (from Paseo de Gracia to Paseo de San Juan) on a bicycle. The vestibule and the indoor patio can be visited, where you can admire a marvelous set of details and the staircase accessing the main floor. After being used as a prison during the Civil War and suffering considerable damage, the Casa Macaya was acquired by La Caixa and converted into a Cultural Center for art exhibitions.

Credits 
Image&nbsp;Casa Macaya by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:176_Casa_Macaya,_pg._de_Sant_Joan.JPG#/media/File:176_Casa_Macaya,_pg._de_Sant_Joan.JPG">Enfo</a>

Macaya House

The Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada (Expiatory Church of the Holy Family) is Antonio Gaudí’s most important work, to which he dedicated the last fifteen years of his life entirely. It is also the most visited monument in Spain. The construction of this Basilica began at the end of the 19th century, and work still, as of 2014, continues. The main reason is that the construction is an expiatory church, meaning that it is built from donations. This makes it difficult to set a completion date for the Sagrada Familia. Of its current appearance, Gaudí only managed to build the Nativity façade and the crypt, but the architect was well aware that he would not finish the whole temple project, and therefore organized the construction so that it could be completed following his ideas. Among the most striking features of the exterior of this temple are its façades, which are given the names of the Nativity Façade, the Passion Façade and the Glory Façade, and the towers with their pinnacles. The Nativity Façade faces the northeast and is dedicated to the birth of Christ, It features lush decoration where all of its elements evoke life. It is divided into three porticos in honor of the theological virtues of Hope, which is the biggest of the three porticos dedicated to Jesus, on the left-hand side; Faith, located to the right and dedicated to the Virgin Mary; and finally Charity, located in the center and dedicated to Saint Joseph. This façade also includes the Door of Jesus and is finished with the Tree of Life.

Credits 
Image&nbsp;Nativity facade&nbsp;by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:176_Casa_Macaya,_pg._de_Sant_Joan.JPG#/media/File:176_Casa_Macaya,_pg._de_Sant_Joan.JPG">S</a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27381079">agrada Familia (oficial)</a>

Sagrada Família

This is a specially designed route that leads the visitor around Barcelona’s finest examples of Catalan modernism. You’ll discover the works of well-known architects such as Antonio Gaudí, Josep Puig i Cadafalch and Lluís Domènech i Montaner. Catalan modernism, while part of a European-wide trend, acquired a distinct local flavor. This was primarily due to the development of the cultural differences that Catalonia – and particularly Barcelona – was experiencing, regarding Spanish culture. This was known as the Renaixença, or the resurgence of Catalan culture, at a time of major urban and industrial development. We can therefore say that Catalan modernism, as we will see during our tour, is an urban, bourgeois style. It was used by the wealthy bourgeoisie as a form of expressing, through their residences, their Catalan identity, wealth and class.

During this tour, you will see highly original and unusual buildings such as Casa Batlló (Batlló House) and the Palau de la Música Catalana (Palace of Catalan Music). Above all, we will visit Gaudí’s masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia.

Credits 
Audio tour&nbsp;developed by „Modernist Barcelona“ and powered by IZI.Travel 
Image&nbsp;El Draco salamander in Park Guell&nbsp;by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/angela_llop/4927630758">T</a><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/eMoibijaLu8?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditShareLink">ania Mousinho</a>

Barcelona

Modernist Barcelona

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