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By essetefano – Wikimedia

Top 10 Facts about Park Guell in Barcelona

Park Güell is one of the most popular attractions in Barcelona. The architecture of these buildings is unique and has employed the use of vibrant ceramic tiles.

The architect of the park is none other than the famous Antoni Gaudi. While designing it, he ensured that one would have the best views of the city while at the park.

There is a forest in the park too making it an enchanting place to be. Gaudi did not intend to make this place a park but an enclosed residential living space.

Well, that did not happen and the upside of it is that it is now a tourist magnet. Gaudi had been commissioned by Eusebi Guell who died in 1914.

Soon after Guell’s death, whom the park is named after, construction work was stopped.

There are a lot of interesting facts about this park. Here are the top 10.

1. Park Guell was a failed housing project

By Imelenchon – Wikimedia

More than 12 million tourists visit Park Guell annually. They come to admire this unique work by Antoni Gaudi.

Well, what many may not know is that the Park was one of Gaudi’s projects that failed. The initial plan for the project was to build a complex of high-quality houses.

The landowner, Eusebi Guell commissioned Gaudi because of his vivid creativity. They first built a model house to showcase the residential complex.

Many people were not impressed by the design and therefore no one bought into their idea. The model hose is now known as Gaudi house museum.

Gaudi abandoned the project after Guell died in 1914. The city of Barcelona bought the complex.

2. It took Gaudi 4 years to create the park

Antoni Gaudi started building Park Guell in 1900 and stopped in 1914 after the death of the owner, Eusebi Guell.

The park was opened to the public in 1926. In 1984, UNESCO designated it as a World Heritage Site under the title Works of Antoni Gaudi.

The death of Guell and lack of investors led to the abandonment of the housing project. Six houses were built and later the park was opened to the public for events and tourism.

3. Antonio Gaudi lived in the park

Gaudi House Museum By Georges Jansoone – Wikimedia

The designer and architect of the park became one of the first tenants in Park Guell.

Gaudi lived in one of the showhouses that were completed, this was in 1906. He lived there with his father and niece.

This allowed him to supervise the construction work done at the park.

His former house is now a museum where one can see the furniture, he designed alongside other items that he used.

Gaudi lived in that house until his death in 1926 after he got hit by a tram.

4. The housing project was inspired by nature

Antoni Gaudi got his inspiration from nature. This is evident in all his projects that have fascinating façades.

Park Guell was no different, the natural beauty around the park can be felt while strolling through the park.

According to Guell, the owner, he wanted Gaudi to design a garden city.

He envisioned a housing complex where nature and humans natured a relationship.

Gaudi did not alter the environment but rather used his creativity to design houses that were befitting to the landscape.

He mirrored the shapes of the trees in the park to build the park’s columns. You will therefore not find any straight line in any of Gaudi’s designs.

5. Anthony Gaudi did not design the house he lived in

By Georges Jansoone – Wikimedia

We all know that Antoni Gaudi designed and was the lead architect of Park Guell.

One thing most people do not know is that the house that Gaudi bought and moved into was designed by someone else.

The designer of that house was Francesc Berenguer, a Catalan architect.

Gaudi had however signed the plans that were designed by Berenguer because he was not a qualified architect.

6. The park is home to different animals

Gaudi loved nature and animals. He, therefore, sought to ensure that his designs were the embodiment of everything nature and life.

Park Guell is some to different species of birds, such as parrots not native to Barcelona, hummingbirds, and the short-toed eagle.

You will also find a variety of insects, both crawling and flying, that contribute the blooming flowers at the park.

7. The terrace offers the best view of Barcelona

By Mstyslav Chernov – Wikimedia

One of the best attractions in Park Guell is its terrace. It offers beautiful views of the city of Barcelona.

Most people that visit the park take advantage of the terrace for the best photographs.

The terrace is 110 metres long and is decorated with colourful mosaics, ceramic rubbles, and iron railings. Gaudi designed it as an entertainment space for the complex residence.

Along the terrace are twisting benches where one can rest. These benches were ergonomically designed so the comfort is unmatched.

Gaudi had named the space as the Greek Theatre which was to host plays and other fun events.

8. There is more than one entrance to the park

There are multiple entrances to Park. The most beautiful and popular one is the main access from the Carrer d’Olot.

This entrance allows the visitors to enjoy a remarkable view of the stairway with the hypostyle room.

There other popular entrances are Carretera del Carmel and Passatge de Sant Josep de la Muntanya.

If you will be using a coach, then Carretera del Carmen would be a suitable entrance because of the parking space.

9. The most photographed feature in the park is the trencadís

By William Avery – Wikimedia

One of the most photographed features in Park Güell is the colourful salamander. It is found along the staircase in the monumental area.

This is one of the best creations by Gaudi which displays his good eye with mosaics.

His unique mosaic style was named trencandis which means chopped in Catalan.

It is because he used small pieces of broken ceramics and glueing them together using cement.

This decorative artwork has made the park look vibrant and was first used in one of Guell’s estates in Barcelona.

10. Hypostyle Room was meant to be a market

A segment of park Guell is known as the Hypostyle Room. This space was designed to be a market the complex residents would use.

The room has 86 winding columns and many other intriguing features. The design borrows from Roman temples.