Parc Güell – Gaudi’s fairytale playground

Parc Güell belongs to several works of Anotni Gaudi which were commissioned and sponsored by the wealthy Güell family (others include for instance Palau Güell). Barcelona’s most emblematic park is situated on the hill of el Carmel high above the district of Gràcia. Parc Güell represents an unique garden complex with architectural elements which are cleverly fused into the landscape. The park covers about 20 hectares.

In 1900, the industrialist and politician Eusebi Güell gave this piece of land as a present to the city of Barcelona.  He expressly insisted on Antoni Gaudi as the managing architect for the project and gave him the full permission to create and build what ever he wanted to. Originally, Parc Güell was a housing project for private luxury estates. It should become a residential garden city with 60 houses set in formal gardens. However, that plan has never happened. Hence, the entire project was considered a failure back in its days. Only two houses were built, one of them is now the Casa Museu Gaudi where Gaudi briefly lived until his death in 1926. Some of Gaudis personal items such as furniture can still be found in there.

Parc Güell was entirely donated to Barcelona in 1922. In 1969, it was declared a national monument and in 1984, a Unesco World Heritage zone. The whole architecture of the park with its arcades, houses, surreal sculptures, steps, bridges and paths reflects Gaudi’s typical style of design. Straight lines can hardly be found here. Everything is undulating.  Some benches are made of broken tiles. The main entrance of Parc Güell is very special with massive iron gates and two oval pavilions with colorful mosaic domes. From here a grand stairway leads to the Sala Hipòstila. This circular rooftop plaza was initially intended as the market place of the garden city. Its sealing is decorated with many oval and round mosaics. Those are surrounded by 86 fluted columns.

It is worth climbing up the viewing-platform of Parc Güell for an amazing view all over the city.