The 5 Most Amazing Gaudi Buildings in Barcelona

Antoni Gaudí is one of the most well known architects of all time, whose name is connected with an entire new era of Catalan Modernism. Gaudi buildings are best known for their unique colourful style and incredible curves which are so magnetic and special to visit and explore.

The architect and the city
While not much is known about the personal life of the legendary architect, our generation is lucky enough to be able to visit his beautiful creations in the amazing city of Barcelona. Here Gaudi spent most of his life working, and as you visit Barcelona you will definitely need to see the Gaudi buildings which have become the true symbols of the city. So here are the Five Most Amazing Gaudi Buildings to check out!

Antoni Gaudi

1. La Sagrada Familia

One of the most famous Gaudí buildings is located in the very heart of Barcelona- La Sagrada Familia. This beautiful Basilica is often believed to be the famous architect’s greatest passion. Gaudi in fact took over the construction of the famous church from its first architect, Francisco de Paula back in 1883, and since 1910 (after finishing working on famous Casa Milá) entirely dedicated himself to this new project. Gaudi directed the construction works of La Sagrada Familia until his death in 1926, making it a colourful and a unique creation in the centre of the city.

However don’t be surprised to see lots of construction works still in process as you visit the giant church. Gaudi’s death and the Civil War left the works of the Basilica unfinished. The construction works are planned to last till 2026 and perhaps it will be even longer until the façade of the Gloria and the set of 18 towers may be finished. La Sagrada Familia is a must-visit place in Barcelona where you can also go up one of its marvellous towers and enjoy the best view of the city.

View inside La Sagrada Familia

2. La Pedrera

Constructed between 1906 and 1912, La Pedrera is one of the most prominent residential Gaudi buildings in Barcelona. Symbolic façades and forged iron balconies make this building imposing and unique in the city. Due to the incredible cultural value and one-of-a-kind approaches to its construction, the building was recognized as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1984.

As you decide to visit the famous La Pedrera- which by the way means “the stone quarry”, make sure you pay special attention to the rough outer appearance, unique balconies and the specific furniture- all designed by majestic Gaudi. Few know that Gaudi also designed specific furniture and pieces of decorations for his buildings. Unfortunately most of the furniture in La Pedrera has been removed from the building. However there are still several pieces which are presented in the building, so be sure to take a special look at those once you are inside.

Detail of La Pedrera

3. Casa Batlló

Casa Batlló is one of the most mature and colourful creations of Gaudi. (It’s also my personal favorite!) The building originally was an old conventional house constructed in 1877. Later in 1904, Antoni Gaudi was commissioned by Josep Batlló to remodel the building with entire freedom. In just 2 years, Gaudi turned the building into one of the most iconic, colourful and typical Modernisme-style constructions in the centre of Barcelona.

While the exterior of the building makes it immediately stand out for its incredible design and colours, the interior of the marvellous Gaudi building must be seen by any visitor coming close to the place. Spectacular curves, incredible small details and unique materials used in the design make this creation one of the most valuable and special places in whole Barcelona. Also make sure you go up to the incredible terrace of the building and take a look through the typical dragon’s eye to spot La Sagrada Familia in the distance.

Casa Batllo on a sunny day

4. Casa Vicens

The house of Casa Vicens stands out, not only due to the incredible design and beautiful interior but also the fact that the building was the very first important commission to Antoni Gaudi. This is where the brilliant architect got to started creating and implementing his modern approaches and unique style. It all started back in 1883 when a stock and currency broker, Manel Vicens i Montaner, entrusted the young architect with designing his Summer garden house.

Since 1885, when Gaudí finished working on this incredible place, the building and especially the garden have been changed a lot. Meanwhile, the spaces designed by Gaudi were not modified even during the major expansion in 1925, so in case you decide to visit this beautiful place, you will have the chance to see the original building designed by Gaudi. You can also take a look at the marvellous garden and go up to the gorgeous terrace and rooftop.

Casa Vicens

5. Torre Bellesguard

Torre Bellesguard is a rather strange Gaudi building with great neo-Gothic elements. The construction was created by Gaudi on the ruins of the old castle of King Martin I. As a perfect example of one of the most personal and deep creations of Gaudi, Torre Bellesguardor is considered to be an architectural tribute to the medieval past of Catalonia.
Also depending on the angle from which you look at the terrace on the roof, you can see a typical dragon out there, so you can experiment with the interesting views as you visit this beautiful Gaudi building.

Now that you know a little more about the most important Gaudi buildings in Barcelona, your visit to these wonderful places will be even more interesting. There are many more creations by legendary Gaudi in the city and in case you have enough time you should definitely check the rest of them out as well. In each of the great creations you will see the unique style and incredible colours by the architect which are specific to Catalonia.

Although over time the incredibly Gaudi style has been inspiring different Modernisme architects from all over the world, nowhere else will you be able to find such incredible combinations and unique approaches to construction. And this is why Barcelona is such a unique and special city which will undoubtedly inspire you.

I hope you enjoyed this quick guide to the top five Gaudi buildings of Barcelona. If you are serious about checking out his architecture, you might want to consider the Barcelona Pass Modernista. This gives you admission to 14 different modernista landmarks in Barcelona and its surrounding area. You can save 10 % on the pass by buying it online here.