Gaudí in Barcelona: 9 Works by the Master of Catalan Modernism

Delicate, ornate, playful… these are words often used to describe the works of the most important Catalan architect of all time: Antoni Gaudí. His spectacularly unique buildings are found all over Barcelona – seven are UNESCO listed – and the city owes much of its fame to “God’s architect”.

Antoni Gaudí i Cornet was born on 25 June 1852 in the Catalan city of Reus, just over an hour west of Barcelona. He was the son of a boilermaker and helped his father in the workshop from an early age, but he was also a sickly child who missed a lot of school, spending his time out in the countryside as he recovered from rheumatic fever. It was those formative years that fostered his extraordinary talent, sparking both his profound understanding of space and his fascination with shapes found in nature.

Aged 18, Gaudí moved to Barcelona to study architecture. After graduating in 1878, his early work included ornate lamp posts in the city’s Plaça Reial, but his career really took off when he was talent-spotted by entrepreneur Eusebi Güell, for whom he designed some of his best buildings.
 

Gaudí’s Catalan Modernist style evolved in organic, nature-inspired forms adorned with ceramics, wrought ironwork and stained glass. His most famous creation is of course the Sagrada Família basilica, which he worked on from 1883 until his death – and that’s quite a story too. In June 1926, the legendary architect was walking to the Sagrada Família when he was hit by a tram. He died in hospital and, two weeks short of his 75th birthday, was buried in his unfinished masterpiece.

Follow in the chronological footsteps of Antoni Gaudí in Barcelona to see these nine extraordinary landmarks.

Shortly after graduating, Antoni Gaudí received a commission to design the street lighting for Barcelona’s beautiful, palm-dotted Plaça Reial. According to him, they were to be “candelabras of noble simplicity”. You can still admire the finely decorated results by the central fountain; they sit on stone plinths and feature the city’s coat of arms, six glass lamps and blue serpents coiled around cast-iron columns topped with golden helmets.

• Plaça Reial, Ciutat Vella, 08002 Barcelona
• Metro L3 to Liceu
• Open 24/7
• Free admission

This summer house for the Vicens family was the young architect’s first big commission. The façade is clad in green-and-white tiles and red paintwork inspired by Asian and Islamic architecture, while natural materials including stone and wood contrast with plant and bird motifs on the trompe-l’œil dome, walls and tiles of the interior – which is already full of the textures, jewel-like colours and symbolism found in Gaudí’s later work.

• Carrer de les Carolines, 20–26, 08012 Barcelona
• Metro L3 to Fontana or Lesseps; bus 87, 114, H6, V17 or D40
• Open daily Apr–Oct from 9:30am–8pm; Nov–Mar 9:30am–6pm
• Adult tickets from €19, children under 11 free (online tickets cost less)

Another early work by Gaudí is Palau Güell, commissioned to be the home of his patron Eusebi Güell. Behind the relatively sombre façade reminiscent of a Venetian palazzo topped with his signature decorative chimneys, this magnificent edifice is a riot of architectural styles and materials. Once completed, the stables in the basement were accessed by spiral ramps from the colourful palace interior, where magnificently furnished private rooms swathed in wooden panelling, stained glass and tiling lead off a central atrium in typical Moorish style. Looking for somewhere to stay that's equally luxurious and with a contemporary vibe? The five-star Sofitel Barcelona Skipper hotel is just a 10-minute drive away, next to famed Barceloneta Beach.

• Carrer Nou de la Rambla, 3-5, Ciutat Vella, 08001 Barcelona
• Metro L3 to Liceu; bus V13, 59, 91 or 120
• Open daily Apr–Oct 10am–8pm; Nov–Mar 10am–5:30pm
• Adult tickets from €12, children under 12 free; ticket includes audio tour

In 1900, Gaudí was commissioned by Eusebi Güell to design a luxurious residential complex, but the steep slopes of the land he bought caused that project to fail. Instead, it became Park Güell, one of Barcelona’s favourite green spaces; a palm-dotted fairy-tale park that’s characterised by Gaudí’s trademark fluid lines and shapes mimicking nature. The park’s striking centrepiece is a magnificent double staircase flowing upwards past a giant salamander encrusted with jewel-coloured mosaics to a hilltop folly swathed in columns; from its roof you get stunning views over the city to the shimmering Mediterranean.

• Gràcia, 08024 Barcelona
• Metro L3 to Lesseps and a 20-minute walk; bus H6 or D40
• Opening times vary seasonally but roughly daily 9:30am–7:30pm (until 5:30pm in winter)
• Adult tickets from €18, children aged under 6 free

One of Gaudí’s lesser-known works, Torre Bellesguard has panoramic views over the undulating Parc Natural de Collserola and over Barcelona to the sea. It sits on the site of a former royal castle, which clearly inspired Gaudí when he embarked on his monumental Gothic-meets-Modernist replacement. Topped by the spindly tower typical of his style, the façade is Gothic, with battlements, turrets and wrought-iron balconies on the slender windows. In contrast, the gleaming-white, light-filled interior is full of fluid lines, brightly coloured mosaics and curved archways. Don't miss strolling through the peaceful gardens around the castle.

• Carrer de Bellesguard, 20, Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, 08022 Barcelona
• Metro L7 to Avinguda del Tibidabo and then bus 123 or 196
• Open Tue–Sun 10am–3pm
• Adult tickets from £13, children aged under 8 free

One of Gaudí’s residential commissions was on elegant, prestigious Passeig de Gràcia. He was asked to demolish an existing building to make way for Casa Batlló, but convinced his client to renovate instead. A new, colourful façade encrusted with multicoloured mosaics and undulating balconies emerged, hiding palatial rooms full of wood, mosaic and stained glass – and very few straight lines – plus additional light wells. There’s also a dragon-shaped roof; this was to become Gaudí’s trademark.

• Passeig de Gràcia, 43, L’Eixample, 08007 Barcelona
• Metro L3 or L4 to Passeig de Gràcia; bus 7, 22 and V15
• Open daily from 8:30am–10:30pm
• Adult tickets from €25, children aged 12 and under free (save up to €15 by booking online)

Casa Milà, an apartment building also on Passeig de Gràcia, was commissioned by a wealthy businessman. Gaudí’s reputation was already well established, but his unconventional designs still met resistance and the project was fraught with difficulties. The house was eventually finished – and nicknamed La Pedrera (the quarry), thanks to its rough-hewn, wave-shaped façade festooned with swirling wrought-iron balconies. Today it is a much-loved city landmark and major cultural centre; head to the rooftop for sneaky views over Barcelona’s rooftops.

• Passeig de Gràcia, 92, L’Eixample, 08008 Barcelona
• Metro L3 or L5 to Diagonal; bus V15, V17 or H10
• Open daily from 9am–6:30pm; 9pm–11pm
• Adult tickets from €29, children under 12 free (online tickets cost less)

The fruitful collaboration between Gaudí and Eusebi Güell continued at La Colònia Güell, with the creation of a textile mill for Güell and a pioneering village with shops, a school and theatre for his workforce. There was also a church, the crypt of which became Gaudí’s practice run for the Sagrada Família. A stroll through the complex today takes you back to how people lived and worked at the end of the 19th century.

• Carrer de Claudi Güell, s/n, 08690 Santa Coloma de Cervelló (15 km southwest of Barcelona)
• Trains S3, S4, S8 or S9 to Colònia Güell railway station
• Mon–Fri 10am–5pm; Sat–Sun 10am–30pm
• Adult tickets from €10, children under 10 free; audio guide included

Outwardly a mass of soaring spires and façades depicting biblical stories, the towering interior of this Roman Catholic basilica is bathed in soft, pastel-coloured light filtered through stained-glass windows, topped by vaulted roofing awash with honeycomb patterning and supported by a forest of elaborate columns. It is the perfect illustration of Gaudí’s belief that nature is a divine creation, Salvador Dalí describing it as having a “terrifying and edible beauty”. Visit Gaudí’s grave in the crypt and climb the towers for views over Barcelona, and to get the most out of this architectural wonder, book a guided tour. The cathedral is still a work in progress, and is slated for completion in 2026, the centenary of his death.

• Carrer de Mallorca, 401, L’Eixample, 08013 Barcelona
• Metro L2 or L5 to Sagrada Família; bus 19, 33, 34, D50, H10 or B24
• Opening hours vary depending on the season
• Adult tickets from €26, children aged 11 or younger free. Buy tickets online or at the cathedral ticket office; they include an audio tour

Gaudí's creative genius and contributions to the cultural heritage of Barcelona endure to this day. Plan your adventure in the Catalan capital and don't miss these other inspiring architectural treasures in the city!