Casa Batlló - Have You Been Here?

Today I want to tell you about my visit to Barcelona and more specifically about the wonderful Casa Batlló. This is one of the masterpieces of the genius of architecture - Antonio Gaudi. In his beloved Barcelona, ​​brilliant buildings were built, the fruit of his fantasies. His hatred of straight lines and the traditional produces magnificent and inspiring wonders. A walk along the elegant "Paseo de Gracia" boulevard cannot help but lead every passerby to one of Gaudí's jewels - Casa Batlló. Just one look is enough for hundreds of interpretations to arise for the architect's bold imagination. Multicolored shards of pottery and broken pieces of stained-glass windows glisten in the sunlight. Mosaic chimneys jut out from the top and compliment the scaly ceramic skin and a graceful tower that ends triumphantly with a cross. Each floor, each detail, each play of light, is an explosion of creative freedom.

In front of the large windows are six fine columns that seem to simulate the bones of a limb. The undulating roof, covered in mosaic, resembles the scaly spine of a huge dragon. Balconies are like the massive jaws of sea creatures escaping from the sea. Balconies also look like skull masks. The inside of the building is also extremely beautiful. Magnificent stained glass windows, colorful tiles, exquisite details. Pastel tones and marine motifs are carried over to the interior of Casa Batlló. The attic of the House is considered one of the most unusual spaces. It was previously a service area for the tenants of the various apartments in the building, which included laundry and storage rooms.

The interior of Casa Batlló is a marvel of design. Gaudí collaborated with the best craftsmen of the time, working with wrought iron, wood, stained glass, ceramic tiles and stone ornaments, among others. When you walk around the house, its details never cease to amaze. The doors leading to the various apartments are labeled with modernist letters. The windows on each landing distort the tiles of the light well, turning them into beautiful waves of water. The handles and railings are ergonomically shaped... It is a true work of art in which the artist was involved in every single aspect: design, color, shape, space and light.

The building was originally built in 1877 by Emilio Sala Cortés - one of Gaudí's professors of architecture. At that time, there was still no electric lighting in Barcelona. Casa Batllo then consisted of eight dwellings divided over four floors. In 1903, the property was bought by the wealthy textile industrialist Joseph Batillo, who owned several factories in Barcelona. Gaudi reconstructed and renovated the magnate's original house between 1904 and 1906. Although the owner allowed Antoni Gaudi to completely demolish the building and rebuild it according to his design, Gaudi did not do so. The architect completely changes the facade we admire today.

The building is extremely functional, as according to modern architects, Gaudí's creation foreshadows the architectural trends of the late 20th century. In the 1950s, Casa Batlló was no longer owned by the Batlló family. After being taken over by various companies and individuals in the 1990s, the building is in the hands of its current owners, the Bernat family, who have completely restored the house. In 1995, the family opened the house to the public and presented this architectural a gem of the world. Currently, Casa Batlló is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an emblem of Barcelona. The building is among the top-rated cultural and tourist attractions in the city, which is visited by 1 million people each year.

Gaudí himself never explained his work and worked on the facade from the outside, without concrete plans, something that is characteristic of his work. His work is filled with symbols, fantastic images of an inscrutable story that everyone must complete with their own imagination. Casa Batlló became one of the most beautiful and extravagant buildings in Barcelona. Stone, glass and colored ceramics are interwoven to create a glow that light turns into movement. The building does not have a single sharp corner. Everything is wavy and rounded.

This abundance will never cease to amaze you, but the most surprising thing is that it is always based on functionality. Beauty and functionality come together in every corner of the building, from the entrance hall to the roof terrace.

The roof terrace is dominated by what is popularly known as the dragon's back, which characterizes the facade and which was represented by Gaudí with different colored tiles. However, the main focal point of the roof terrace is the 4 curved and polychrome chimneys designed to prevent back draft. Here I saw again the beauty and functionality that are brought together in the most beautiful and emblematic house of Catalan modernism.

And here it is time for a little contemporary modernism. In order not to spoil the surprise, I will only open the curtain and advise you at the end of my tour of Casa Batllo, not to miss the visual experience, the work of the artist Refik Anadol.

How to talk about light in an enclosed space with almost no openings for natural light? Here, too, a solution to the problem has been found, through aluminum chain curtains, which through their precise materiality capture the light, like fishing nets, presenting it in all its different forms: sparkles, silhouettes, shadows... In this way, avoiding the use of any other materials and with these curtains the staircase is illuminated. The different shades of aluminum are arranged like this, starting from brighter on the roof and slowly darkening to black as they reach the depths of the former coal cellar in the basement.

The staircase is a tribute to Gaudi's work, while presenting it in a more contemporary architecture that does not seek to compete with the historical work.
I recommend everyone who has the opportunity to visit this place. You will definitely be impressed. Whether you're an architecture buff or just looking for a good time, Casa Batlló offers something for everyone. My visit to this house was like a journey back in time when the city was in the process of transformation and growth. Casa Batlló is an example of sustainability and adaptability as it has been renovated and preserved over the years so that it can continue to delight and inspire visitors. It also has various amenities to ensure visitors feel comfortable during their visit. The building is handicap accessible and offers an audio guide in several languages ​​to help visitors understand the building's history and significance. Casa Batlló also has a gift shop where tourists can purchase souvenirs and mementos of their visit.