Visitors who come to Barcelona have various reasons for doing so such as the climate, the beaches, the nightlife and different events, the culture and the architecture. Especially the last point is very characteristic of Barcelona and attracts yearly a huge range of visitors. The city puts a lot of effort into the construction of new buildings and the restoration of existing ones in order to maintain its unique town character which is coined by one of the most famous architects of the world: Antoni Gaudí. People consider him as one of the most influencing and controversial creators in Barcelona and just taking a look at the Sagrada Familia clearly shows his popular and checkered status.
Antoni Gaudí was born nearby Barcelona on the 25th of April, 1825. Although not being one of the best pupils in school, he specialized in drawings and layouts and started working in different architect's offices right from the beginning. Furthermore, he got to know the industrialist Eusebi Güell at an inicial stage of his carreer. This contact was highly important as he supported Gaudi in his creative layouts and financed many of his projects. Gaudí in return dedicated many parks or buildings to him like the Parc de Güell or the Finca Güell. Touring throughout Barcelona, visitors will notice the all-over existence of Gaudí and it is highly recommendable to walk up the Passeig de Grácia and to pass both the Casa de Batllo and the Casa Milà. The Casa de Batllo was built in the beginning of the 20th century (1905 – 1907) and many sculptors helped creating the outward appearance, which tells the story of Saint Georg, the patron of the Catalan capital. The Casa Milà was built right after the Casa Batllo and is also known as “La Pedrera” (“The Quarry”) because of its bulky facade, which is made of concrete and iron. After visiting both houses, the Parc de Güell invites its visitors to relax in a perfect melting of nature and architecture. Furthermore, there is a wonderful view of the whole city and a small finca off the park's central terrace, where Gaudí used to live for a while. Certainly the highlight of all his buildings is the Sagrada Familia with its lovingly detailed decoration and its huge dimensions. Gaudí started planning this monumental work in 1883 and kept working on it until his death; which does not mean that he finished his lifework. On the contrary, constructions still go on and there are people who claim it to be a neverending endeavor although the original plans for the cathedral already have been reduced to a third of its former layout. Rising difficulties with adding further parts and the problem of failing funds complicate the building and extend its completion. Further visits to Gaudí-buildings could be made to the bishop's palace of Astorga (in Castilla-León), the Palau Güell, the Casa Vincens and others in the heart or in the region of Barcelona. However, there are also non-Gaudí buildings like the tower AGBAR, which still provide his unique touch. The tower contains bureaus and was financed by the water supply company of Barcelona (Aguas de Barcelona). Its architect Jean Nouvel designed the tower in order to render homage to Gaudí and included some of Gaudís former considerations. Moreover, there was even the idea to take up the design of Gaudís 5-continent-towers from the year 1920 and have them built on the former WTC-area. Can there be better signs for his ongoing influence?
If visitors want to get in touch with all this scenery and explore Barcelona's characteristic houses built by Gaudí, they should be prepared for more than just this. Architects and artists like Frank Gehry or Pablo Picasso have added their characteristics and helped shaping the city, consistently supported by the town council. Visitors can even feel the flair of one of these famous persons. They can live in the former first studio of Picasso, which is located in the Carrer de la Plata and which can be rented e.g. via www.oh-barcelona.com ;a perfect start into a stunning stay.
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