By: Alexa Herrera
Walk into Gaudi’s World at Casa Batlló
As you walk through Gaudí’s masterpiece of a building, you might feel like you are underwater. Or, you might feel as if you are in a fun house with the walls curving and the ceiling having 3D bumps and swirls on it.
Casa Batlló is a unique building located at 43 Paseo de Gracia designed by Antoni Gaudí.
The outside of Casa Batlló goes with the theme of under water with tiles and glass in shades that would occur naturally in the sea.
When visitors take a tour, they are able to immerse themselves in the world of Gaudí and see his style in every room they walk into.
History of the building
It was built in 1877 by one of Gaudí’s architecture professors named Emilio Sala Cortés. Then, in 1903, Josep Batlló purchased it and hired Gaudí to reform the building.
The architect was allowed full creative freedom in designing the building.
Between 1904 and 1906 Gaudí completely transformed the building. He created a marine-inspired building made of stone, ceramic and recycled materials.
In 1937, Batlló died, and after his wife died 6 years later, their children managed their house until 1954. From that year on, Casa Batlló went through many reformations. Many of the interiors of the rooms were revamped, and the balconies were restored to their original color.
The Bernat family bought the home in 1995 and later opened it to the public for tours.
In 2005, Casa Batlló became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Rooms One through Nine
Entering the first room in the building, you will be in a foyer with two statues. This room serves as an introduction to the under-the-sea theme.
This is the entrance room with skylights that were designed to look like turtle shells.
The ramp of the staircase in the room is designed to look like the spine of an animal, and the design on the wall looks like scales.
Walking upstairs, room two’s main focuses are light and color. Visitors feel like they are transported into an aquatic environment with skylights that look like turtle shells.
The animal skin wallpaper changes throughout the house, so in room three, it is darker in color.
Room three was Josef Batlló’s study. It features a mushroom-shaped fireplace and stained glass windows.
The mushroom-shaped fireplace was created in that way to conserve heat in the study.
Next, you walk through giant 20 centimeter thick wooden doors into room four. You are greeted by more colorful stained glass and a lot of light. This is the main living room, and Gaudí worked with the best craftsmen of wood and glass to create it.
Not only is the room itself magnificent, the ceiling is also interesting. It looks like a spiral, and the center is a chandelier with 3,000 glass gems.
The stained glass looks like mollusks contributing to the underwater theme.
In room five, there are bumps on the ceiling made to look like droplets of water about to drip down. This is just one of the examples of how Gaudí drew his inspiration from nature and God.
Taking a break for fresh air, you can visit the patio that is considered room six. It was built for the Batlló family to enjoy outside.
This art piece is different from mosaic because it is made from broken pieces from collapsed buildings.
In rooms seven, eight and nine visitors can see how Gaudí designed things for both purpose and aesthetic.
The ventilation system is an example of this. It was designed to ensure a good quality of living and sustainability but also ties into the underwater theme.
The ventilation system is below the window and looks like the gills of a fish.
Rooms 11-13
Walking upstairs to the attic there are arches and the walls open like the gills of a fish. Domestic duties for the family were done there.
There is also a rooftop lounge on this floor. The roof was designed to look like a dragon’s back, and you will be in awe of the giant, colorful chimneys.
The cross has letters on it referring to Jesus Christ and shows Gaudí’s devotion to the Catholic church.
There are many interpretations of the design of the rooftop. One is that the roof is a dragon because Gaudí wanted to pay tribute to Saint George who is the patron saint of Catalonia. According to a legend, Saint George killed a dragon to save the city.
You can also stop and buy a drink or snack and sit and enjoy the mesmerizing designs of Gaudí.
The roof also has a small room which contains the water tank for Casa Batlló. The water is stored in large bowls there to be distributed to the various rooms.
Immersive Experience
Stepping into a box-shaped room, you are surrounded by screens that stretch from the floor to the ceiling and stretch across the walls. It is dark, but the screens will play videos that make you feel like you are in Gaudí’s mind.
The screens show shapes, colors and design plans for Casa Battló. This 360° experience was designed by Refik Anadol, an artist and director, to see with Gaudí’s eyes.
This is a picture from inside the cube, which was created using the largest digital library in the world on Gaudí.
Brianna Fell, an American tourist, said this was one of the best parts of the tour.
“I felt like I was able to imagine what was going through Gaudí’s mind when he was designing this building,” she said.
Fell said while it did make her a little dizzy, she had never been in any interactive experience like Gaudí’s cube.
Tickets and Times
Casa Batlló is open from 9 a.m. to 8:15 p.m. every day, and there are three types of tickets visitors can buy.
The first is a general visit ticket which can be purchased online or in person. This ticket includes an audio guide and an interactive experience called the Gaudí cube and costs 35€.
You can also get the silver or gold version of this ticket for a higher price, but it includes a few more things such as another interactive experience and access to more rooms. The silver is 43€, and the gold is 45€.
Another type of ticket is for a morning visit with fewer people around which costs 45€. That is only available to purchase online and for Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 8:30 a.m. and 8:45 a.m.
The final ticket is to tour Casa Batlló but also to enjoy a concert and drinks on the roof which costs 59€.
There are many types of discounts for children, students, groups and others that are listed on the website.
A Unique Experience
The outside of Casa Battló is beautiful and unique. The colors pop out to people walking by and entice them to go inside.
Milagro Hidalgo said everyone should visit Casa Batlló. Hidalgo is visiting from Central America and said the tour was “fantastic.”
“The colors make the building a cheerful and happy place,” she said. “I would recommend for people of every age to enjoy the inside and outside.”
Casa Battló showcases Gaudí’s complex style with hidden meanings behind every aspect of the building. Visitors can admire the house and let their imagination guide them to their own interpretations of one of the artist’s masterpieces.
Comentários