If you love color, art and architecture, this park is just for you. Located in Barcelona, Park Güell is one of the most recognizable attractions you have to visit when in the city. This park is one of the works of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi, located in upper Barcelona with stunning views of the city. You can enjoy the views and the relaxing walk surrounded by greenery and modernist works.
History of Park Güell
What many don’t know is that Park Güell wasn’t originally designed to be a park. In 1900, it was initially going to be a housing estate envisioned by Eusebi Güell, the main sponsor of the project. He wanted to create a private community or estate, and include 60 lots for wealthy families, surrounded by greenery and open space. It was built farther away from central Barcelona, with cleaner air and more space to build. Güell commissioned Gaudi to design it.
The first model house was completed in 1904, however, the sale of this house failed. Güell convinced Gaudi to purchase the home, and he did. It remained Gaudi’s home until he died in 1926. After his death, it was opened as a public park attracting millions of people from around the world to visit.
Park Güell was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. The UNESCO, or United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, seeks to protect and preserve cultural and natural heritage from around the world. There are a total of 1154 properties on the list, and Park Güell is one of them.
The colorful aspect of the park is its main attraction, similar to something you’d see in Candy Land. The use of the multi-colored trencadís, broken tile mosaics and the intricate designs highlighting the architecture is what attracts and amazes visitors.
Iconic Features of the Park
Upon entrance into the park, you will follow a path leading to the incredible view of the whole city. The area is surrounded by Gaudi’s trencadís mosaic tile bench, so you can sit and relax while taking in the city.
Also known as the serpentine bench, this bench is an amazing example of using mosaic tile in architectural design. When creating this iconic bench, Gaudi used discarded tiles from a nearby factory. Even though some parts of the bench match and are clearly planned, the beautiful thing about trencadís is that not one tile matches in either color or style.
Nicole, a college student also studying abroad in Barcelona, mentioned how visiting this park has been on her bucket list since she was little. "Ever since I saw The Cheetah Girls 2, where the 4 girls were sitting on the mosaic bench singing, I knew I wanted to come to the same exact spot and recreate the scene from the movie."
At the main entrance of the park, you will see Gaudi’s colorful mosaic salamander known as el drac, or the dragon. The two huge staircases lie right along with the mosaic salamander as well.
"I love architecture and seeing Gaudi's work incorporating the mosaic tiles which are even more mesmerizing," said Daniel, a photographer visiting Barcelona. Daniel also mentioned how he thinks "the salamander statue is incredible and means a lot to the city since it is so well-known."
Just above these staircases lie the incredible colonnade that’s function is to support the square that is right above. The colonnade is formed by 86 massive columns that are used to compensate for the weight from above.
The roof is made of small domes built by using clay bricks decorated with various mosaic tiles. This design was made by Josep Jujol, one of Gaudi’s assistants.
You will also notice the two buildings, or pavilions, located at the entrance of the park. The one to the left can be entered, where you can watch different videos and read some information about Gaudi’s Life and the park. The one to the right is a gift shop where you can purchase Park Güell souvenirs. Both of these buildings close at 6 p.m.
Things to remember when purchasing tickets
With more than nine million people visiting Park Güell every year, it is definitely one of the most iconic attractions in Barcelona. Even though you can purchase the tickets upon arrival, it is much easier to purchase online to skip the line.
The general admission ticket cost 10 euros and the guided tour tickets cost 22 euros. Children over seven and senior tickets cost 7 euros and children under six can enter for free.
You purchase the tickets based on the assigned time chosen. There is a 30-minute grace period for entry and once you pass the 30 minutes, you will lose the entrance and will need to purchase a new ticket.
Once you are inside the park, you can take as long as you like to enjoy everything the park has to offer. But once you exit the park, you can’t re-enter the park.
The closest metro stops to the park are Lesseps or Vallcarca on the green line, L3.
Why Park Güell?
Regardless of its failure when being built, Park Güell is still known as one of the most remarkable architectural landmarks in all of Spain. It is the perfect place to visit when in Barcelona, taking in nature and design.
From taking pictures to taking in the view or from playing in the park to bringing snacks and having a picnic, the options are endless when visiting this remarkable, one-of-a-kind park.
Comments