Architectural, Cultural sights in Barcelona
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Manzana de la Discordia
This is one of the most wonderful roads in Barcelona. The discord came about because various well-to-do families all wanted their houses done in the latest style and each hired a different architect. Here Gaudí, Enric Sagnier and others battle it out in bricks and mortar. Not to be missed.
On the first corner, at No 35, is Domenech i Montaner's most lavish residence, Casa Lleo Morera. Its ground floor facade was ripped out in the 1940s by philistines who wanted bigger shop windows. But the decorative nymphs and reliefs, depicting the owners work and hobbies, are still intact and the lobby is wonderfully whimsical.
Casa Batlo, at No 43, is a remodelled Gaudífied gem (remo…
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B
Palau del Baró Quadras
Puig i Cadafalch designed Palau del Baró Quadras (built 1902–06) for the baron in question in an exuberant Gothic-inspired style. The main facade is its most intriguing, with a soaring, glassed-in gallery. Take a closer look at the gargoyles and reliefs, among them a pair of toothy fish and a knight wielding a sword – clearly the same artistic signature as the architect behind Casa Amatller. Decor inside is eclectic, but dominated by Middle Eastern and Oriental themes. The setting is appropriate for its occupant: Casa Asia is a cultural centre celebrating the relationship between Spain and the Asia-Pacific region. Visiting the varied temporary exhibitions (mostly on …
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C
Pavelló Mies Van Der Rohe
Just to the west of Font Màgica is a strange building. In 1929 Ludwig Mies van der Rohe erected the Pavelló Alemany (German Pavilion) for the World Exhibition. Now known by the name of its architect, it was removed after the show. Reconstructed in the 1980s, it is a curious structure of interlocking planes – walls of marble or glass, ponds of water, ceilings, a temple to the new urban environment. A graceful copy of a statue of Alba (Dawn) by Berlin sculptor Georg Kolbe (1877–1947) stands in one of the exterior areas.
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D
Xalet Golferichs
This quirky mansion is an oddity of another era on one of the city’s busiest boulevards. Its owner, businessman Macari Golferichs, wanted a Modernista villa and he got one. Brick, ceramics and timber are the main building elements of the house, which displays a distinctly Gothic flavour. It came close to demolition in the 1970s, but was saved by the town hall and converted into a cultural centre. Opening times can vary depending on temporary exhibitions and other cultural activities.
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E
Casa de les Punxes
Casa Terrades, by Puig i Cadafalch, is better known as Casa de les Punxes because of its pointed, witch’s-hat turrets. This apartment block (1903–05) looks more like a fairy-tale castle.
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