Park Güell
Park Güell is a whimsical public park that was first created as a hangout for Barcelona’s past aristocrats. The Park takes its namesake (which you will find repeated across multiple Gaudí works) from Eusebi Güell, who commissioned the park’s creation. The initial plan was to attract tenants for a future real estate development.
There is a lot to feast your eyes on at Park Güell, so take your time and explore. You will be entranced by Gaudí’s imaginative stone structures and colorful tiling work. The mosaic “trencadís” was done using defective tiles that the architect collected from nearby factories of ceramics. El Drac (or the dragon) hangs out near the front of the park and is a favorite spot for visitors to take photos ops. Gaudi made it in collaboration with Joseph Maria Jujo.
Climb to the top, towards the giant stone cross, for an incredible Barcelona city view. Gaudi designed the three-dimensional crosses so the viewer would see the crosses from all angles. It’s not hard to see how Gaudí might have found inspiration for his other works in this magical place.
Gaudi House Museum
Gaudí lived on the grounds of Park Güell, in a little house meant to have been the model home for the planned residential development. The Park Güell residence was converted into a museum dedicated to the memory of Antoni Gaudí. It is not to be missed if you’re a fan of the master, and you’ll get to see examples of a different side of his design mind: furniture design.