Author's product rating: 
| Advantages: |
Alien rooftop; Gaudí exhibition |
| Disadvantages: |
Inclement weather may rule out rooftop visit |
| Recommend to potential buyers: |
yes |
A building with no straight lines and no reinforcing walls? Impossible, I hear you scoff. But that is exactly what Gaudí accomplished with astounding creativity and flair in La Pedrera.
"La Pedrera" translates to "the quarry", a nickname coined by the astonished population on its completion in 1910. Without doubt Gaudí's most important civil architectural work, it was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1984. Also known as Casa Milà, the building was Gaudí's last private commission before he devoted all his energies to religious projects, the best known being the Sagrada Família. Given a completely clean slate on which to design a corner apartment block, his aim was to create an utterly unique work. And once you've visited, you'd be hard pressed to argue otherwise.
Located on the graceful Passeig de Gràcia, La Pedrera is a comfortable half-hour walk down from Plaça Catalunya, and literally opposite the Diagonal Metro station. Admission costs 1000ptas (~£4.00), but this is halved for children, senior citizens and students (with the official ISIC card). Opening hours are 10 AM to 8 PM every day of the week.
Gaudí once observed, "There are no straight lines in nature", and he took this to its logical extreme in La Pedrera's Art Nouveau design. The huge stones embedded in the exterior resemble mountain ranges and the precipitous cliff walls into which African tribes carve their cave dwellings. The beige, organic and undulating façade recalls desert sand dunes; the twisting ironworks represent vegetation. Unlike many of his other buildings, the façade is plain-coloured, verging on dull; Gaudí hoped that inhabitants would add colour themselves by growing plants and flowers on the balconies.
After queuing in the inner courtyard, a tiny lift whisks you up to a show apartment floor. It's supposed to provide a glimpse of how Catalan families lived in the first part of the 20th century. I found the displays slightly boring and extremely tourist-oriented, but maybe that's just me!
Installed in the attic upstairs is the Espai Gaudí, a permanent exhibition of Gaudí's life and work. The fascinating models, drawings, sketches, photos and videos give the visitor in-depth knowledge of the cultural and historical context of Gaudí's work. The more technical material will interest only architects and the like, but even children can understand Gaudí's fairytale creations. The innovative techniques he pioneered are explained clearly, especially the catenary arches used in the Sagrada Família. Being the attic, one can also admire the beautifully asymmetric arch structure supporting the roof.
Fantasy and abstract surrealism take over in the heady heights of the rooftop. The undulating roof-scape - alien, bizarre, otherworldly - overwhelms the visitor's senses. Grotesque sentinel chimneys, pictured on countless postcards, watch over the breathtaking scene. My companions described it as "Super Mario" and "Sonic the Hedgehog" rolled into one, such was the rooftop's warped beauty! We spent hours there in the sunshine, relaxing and taking photos; even the Sagrada Família was visible in the distance.
On the way back down to Earth (in more ways than one!), you pass the requisite café-bar and souvenir shop. Try to avoid making rash purchases in your dream-like state!
La Pedrera is the architectural demonstration of Gaudí's interpretation of nature and all-round genius. Despite the dangers of being trampled underfoot by tour groups doggedly following their flag-waving leaders, the extravagant building is truly unmissable.
NB. This is the 3rd instalment of my BS series. For the introduction, please kindly turn to "BS Uno - The Odyssey Begins"; general information on Barcelona is scattered throughout the series. Thanks for reading!
PS The Ciao management has informed me that none of my travel ops may be considered for the latest competition, because I'm not old enough :( It's very disappointing, but I'm enjoying this series so much that I might as well complete it!
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