Parc Güell

Saturday, January 21, 2012

On a Saturday in January, my roommates and I spent a beautiful Saturday at Parc Güell.  Having not done any research before this adventure I was pleasantly surprised by the beauty of the park.  Parc Güell is a garden complex with architectural elements located on the hill of El Carmel in the Gracia district of Barcelona.  The park was designed by the famous Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi from 1900-1914.

Originally the park was designed as a commercial housing site, inspired by the Count Eusebi Güell, whom the park was named after.  The location of the park was meant to exploit the fresh air and beautiful views from the site.  Ultimately the project failed and only two houses were built.  Antoni Gaudi bought one of the two houses with his savings and moved in with his family and his father from 1906-1926.  The house that Gaudi lived in with his family was built by Francesc Berenguer in 1904.  Here are a few pictures from my visit to Parc Güell.

A view of the entrance to Parc Güell.

A picture of the fountain near the entrance of the park.

Gaudi's famous dragon, as restored after the vandalism in February of 2007.

Pavillion at the entrance of Parc Güell.

One of Gaudi's unique tiles in Parc Guell.

A view of the city of Barcelona from Parc Güell.

Casa Marti Trias i Domenech

My roommates and I posing for a picture with the city as our background.

A view of Tibidabo from Parc Güell.

A view of city from the highest point of Parc Güell.

La Sagrada Familia.

Taking a picture with the cross at the peak of Parc Güell.

Children playing an intense game of something similar to duck-duck-goose, which is a popular game in the United States.

The house Gaudi lived in from 1906-1926.  It is now the Gaudi House Museum since 1963 and was declared a historical artistic monument of national interest.