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Welcome to the Garden of Eden by Gaudí!
In 1900,
Gaudí began working on a project that sought to create an English-style garden
city ... a kind of paradise on earth, where the wealthiest families in the city
of Barcelona could buy a bucolic retreat in the woods at the top of City.
Fourteen years later, the construction of this small town was abandoned, with
only two houses and common areas being built.
Hänsel and Gretel Pavilions
In 1901,
Gaudí went to see the play "Hänsel and Gretel", translated by a
friend, on stage at the Liceu Theater. He became so enthusiastic about the
Grimm brothers' chocolate and caramel houses that he decided to recreate them
in his project, and so these two beautiful (and, unfortunately, inedible)
pavilions emerged.
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| Hansel and Gretel Pavilions |
The
one on the left was the
concierge, of this kind of private condominium designed by Gaudí, with a
waiting room and a telephone booth. It is currently occupied by a bookstore and
a souvenir shop. The other pavilion, Casa del Guarda, was the doorman's
residence and today is MUHBA Park Güell, a museum with an exhibition
called "Güell, Gaudí and Barcelona". The entrance is included in the
park ticket.
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| MUHBA Park Guell |
Stairs of the dragon, the salamander, the lizard ... well, the bug (I already explain)
The staircase of Park Güell has 33 steps, divided into three groups of 11 ...
and here emerge the version of "Masonic staircase". Masons establish
33 degrees of knowledge, thirty-third being the maximum level that can be
reached. Gathering to the 33 steps, there are several five-pointed stars
distributed all over the park. For Masons, the number five is the symbol of the
Mason Companion. It is for details like these that it is said that Gaudí
belonged to Freemasonry.
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| The staircase of Park Guell |
It is one
of the most photographed places, but no one knows what animal is, because the
animal ... has no tail. Officially, it would be a dragon, some say it's clearly
a salamander, but most opt for the "it's a lizard ... tail-cut"
version. It is multicolored. It is also covered with trencadís (small fragments
of enameled ceramics), which has become a mark present in several works of
Gaudí. As for the type of animal ... you decide!
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| Park Guell |
Hipóstila Room, the room of 100 columns ... that are 86
You can
count and count again ... but the room also called the "100-column
room" actually has 86 columns, which support a corrugated ceiling, full of
mosaics and decorated by Josep Maria Jujol, one of Gaudí's
collaborators. The rosettes of Jujol represent the four seasons of the year.
The room was designed to serve as a market, which would supply the residents of
this unique garden-city.
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| Hipóstila Room or the room of the 100 columns |
Greek Theater or Nature Square
The
original name of this space was "Greek Theater", because it was built
with the purpose of performing outdoor shows, which could be seen from the
different terraces that surround it. The benches in this square are
ergonomic. They were designed to conform to the human body and it is said
that Gaudí asked a worker to serve as a "mold" for the first bench.
The bench has been tried and approved with distinction ... by me! It is a great
place to rest your body and your eyes!
 |
| Greek Theatre or Nature Square |
Porch of the Washerwoman
On the east
side of the Nature Square, there is an iron door that leads to the Gardens of
Casa Larrard, the old manor house of Eusebi Güell and that is since 1931
a college.
 |
| Porch of the Washerwoman |
Gardens of Austria
This area,
in the original project, was intended for the construction of houses. With the
end of the initial project, this space was converted into a municipal nursery
and the trees were donated by Austria during the "Viena en
Barcelona" exhibition held in 1977.
 |
| Gardens of Austria |
Gaudi House-Museum
It was the
Pilot House of the project and Gaudí lived here for almost 20 years (from 1906
to 1925) with his father and niece. Then he moved to the Holy Family (La
Sagrada Familia) and lived there until his death. Today it is the Gaudi
House-Museum and can be visited from October to March, from 10am to 6pm;
From April to September, from 9 am to 8 pm; 25 and 26 December and 1 and 6
January from 10 am to 2 pm. Price € 5.50, but can be purchased along
with the ticket to visit La Sagrada Familia, taking the total cost of € 26.
Tickets can be purchased HERE,
the ticket office closes 15 minutes before closing time.
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| Gaudí House-Museum |
Viaducts
To overcome
the uneven terrain, Gaudí created three viaducts of five meters wide.
The purpose of this "system" of bridges and viaducts, supported by twisted
columns, was to "cover" the carriages from the main entrance (on Olot
Street) to the part of the urbanization (monumental part of the park).
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| Viaducts |
How to get to the Park Güell?
There are
several options, however in my opinion the best routes to get to Park Güell
are:
By bus:
- Line
24 (Paral·lel / El Carmel), stop on Plaça Catalunya (next to the Apple
store), passes Paseo de Gracia and has a stop on Carretera del Carmel, near by
the entrance of the Park.
- Line
92 (Pí. Marítim - Av. Tibidabo), stop on Port Olímpic (Trelawny-Passeig
Marítim) passes through La Sagrada Familia and Sant Pau Hospital, and has a
stop at Carmel Road, near by the entrance of the Park .
By metro, line 3, Vallcarca station:
Go through
the Avinguda de Vallcarca and turn into the Baixada de la Glòria (pedestrian
street with escalators). Use the escalators until you reach Av del Coll del
Portell (where the escalators end) and turn right. Go through the Av del Coll
del Portell and turn onto the Rambla de Mercedes. Go through the Rambla de
Mercedes and turn left into Carrer d'Olot. Go through Carrer d'Olot until you
find the ticket office of the Park.[~ 30 min.]
Tourist bus
Blue route,
stop "Park Güell" (exit at Travessera de Dalt). Then you have to walk
along Larrard Street until you reach the Park ticket office (~ 10 mins).
Official
site:
https://www.barcelonabusturistic.cat/en/home
Barcelona City Tour
East Route
(green color), stop "Park Güell" (exit at Travessera de Dalt). Then
you have to walk through Larrard Street until you reach the Park ticket office
(~ 10 min.).
Official
site:
http://barcelona.city-tour.com/en
Opening Hours and Prices
Although it
is a public park, the City Hall limits the number of entrances, in order to
conserve the park. Thus only 400 people are admitted inside the premises and
therefore it is necessary to “reserve” the entrance to the park. You can check
the times and prices HERE and buy
your tickets HERE.
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