During my recent visit to Barcelona I visited Parc Guell, another place on my 'must visit' list, and a place I did not get to visit when last in Barcelona a year ago. We visited Parc Guell as part of a city tour by coach and spent an hour there, walking around in the hot sunshine, although I must point out that in order to see the entire park, I would advise that visitor's spend at least a morning or afternoon there!
Those who have read my previous review will know I am a fan of Antoni Gaudi's work, and the Catalan Architect designed Parc Guell after being comissioned by Count Eusebi Guell. Guell was an estate agent entrepreneur, and asked Gaudi to design and create a park with luxury houses for Barcelona's aristocracy. The result was Parc Guell, built in 1900 - 1914. However, as our guide on the coach tour informed us, the housing project failed due to Guell running out of money, and only three houses were built. Gaudi himself lived in one of the houses for some time, and this has now been turned into a museum and contains furniture
also designed by Gaudi.
Parc Guell is situated on the hill of el Carmel in the Gracia area of Barcelona. As I explained earlier we visited by coach, which parked in the coach park up on the hill and opposite one of the entrances to the park. Parc Guell can also be reached by using Barcelona's Metro system, where you would get off at Lessops station and follow the signs.
On entering the park from opposite the coach park, there are a few stalls selling souvenirs and hand-crafted goods just outside the entrance. Entry to Parc Guell is free, and walking down the pathway after entering the park you soon come to the house in which Gaudi resided, on your left. Gaudi lived here from 1906 - 1926, and the house now contains furniture and paintings and memories of the architect.
Continuing on, we came to the central area of the park which is a large square terrace with an unusual, and very colourful, curved 'serpent' mosaic tiled seat running around the perimeter, as seen on the photograph here. It is said that, in order to obtain an anatomic shape in the seating, Gaudi had a worker sit on a plaster cast! From this terrace you are provided with an excellent view over the city.
There are steps either side of the square, which lead down to another square underneath, which is known as 'the room of one hundred columns'. These columns support the terrace above, although our guide told us there are only in fact 86 columns! The columns lean in a way to produce a feeling of movement to the portico which is holding them. It really is unusual, and on looking up to the ceiling I noticed again some beautiful mosaic work and large colourful 'sun' mosaic tiles.
Walking down from the columns there are a double flight of stone steps leading down to another entrance to the park. Here you find in the middle of the steps , sculptures of animals covered in colouful mosiac tiles, including a dragon. Some of the sculptures are fountains. At the bottom of the steps, either side of the gates, there are two unusual houses. Both buildings are coated with spectacular pottery in the collage technique which is so habitual in Gaudi's posterior constructions, and have unusual shaped roofs and pinnacles. They reminded me a little of the house in the Hansel and Gretel fairytale! We were told that the park was conceived as a closed space protected from the exterior, which is why a wall surrounding the whole perimeter was built, and these two houses were built as defensive towers. The guard lived in one , and the other was the reception.
There are many walkways around the park, and some are raised and supported by rock pillars designed to look like tree trunks with their irregular shapes, with bird's nests built into the terrace walls. Gaudi was strongly influenced by natural shapes and they were always used in his work.
There are musicians playing Spanish guitar etc at various locations around the park and also a small outdoor cafe and toilets. Prices at the cafe were not cheap. A small bottle of coke costing 3 euros, but I suppose this is to be expected, and entry to the park itself is free after all!
Although the park was very busy with visitors walking around taking photographs, it is so big that it is easy to wander off and find a quiet area where you can sit and relax. What also amazed me was although it was busy, it also seemed very peaceful and has a very relaxing atmosphere. It was easy to forget you were in the city of Barcelona!
It is a beautiful place, and it was just a shame we didn't have time to walk around it all. I would love to go back and spend some more time there.
*Review also appears on DooYoo under same name
Pictures of Parc Güell (Barcelona)
Parc Güell (Barcelona)
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Advantages: Wonderful architecture, galleries and parks, superb romantic atmosphere, great for shopping Disadvantages: Aged quarters can feel a bit grotty, but that is natural and part of their charm. More expensive than nearby localities, but then cities always are.
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