Antoni Gaud And His Unique Architectural Masterpieces Across Barcelona

Known for his free-flowing designs based on nature, Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí redefined architecture in 19th-century Barcelona with masterpieces like the church of the Sagrada Familia and Casa Batlló.

Renowned for his bizarre and eccentric marvels, Catalonian architect Antoni Gaudí redefined what it meant to be modern. His surrealist works were inspired by Victorian, neo-gothic, and even Oriental art forms, but it was his love of nature — its free-flowing lines and phantasmagoric structures — that defined his inimitable style.

From the still-in-progress spires of the towering Church of Sagrada Familia, to the houses seemingly made of candy in Parc Güell, Gaudí adorned his beloved city of Barcelona in his signature style. Incredibly proud of his Catalan heritage, he is widely considered the father of the Catalan Modernista style.

Salvador Dalí loved him; Picasso hated him. But whatever you think of Antoni Gaudí, he’s not called “God’s Architect” for nothing. He’s even in the running for sainthood.

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1 of 34Casa Batlló in Barcelona, Spain. A remodel of a previously built house, it was redesigned in 1904 by Gaudí.Getty Images 2 of 34The local name for the building is Casa dels Ossos (House of Bones) because of its skeletal look.Flickr

3 of 34Inside Casa Batlló.Wikimedia Commons 4 of 34The Casa Batlló atrium in detail. Gaudí was known for his flamboyant use of color. Flickr 5 of 34Part of Casa Batlló’s roof. Angus McIntyre/CC4.0/Disoriented.net 6 of 34More roof detail.Getty Images 7 of 34Exterior of Casa Batlló. Flickr 8 of 34Park Güell, Barcelona. With urbanization in mind, Eusebi Güell commissioned Antoni Gaudí to design this privatized park system composed of gardens and architectural elements. Fshoq

9 of 34Stairway in Park Güell. Wikimedia Commons 10 of 34Benches at Park Güell.

Gaudí was fortunate enough to have almost unlimited cash at his disposal because the city of Barcelona in the late 19th and early 20th centuries prioritized art and architecture in order to show off the new wealth of its growing upper class.Wikimedia Commons 11 of 34Reptile in Park Güell. Wikimedia Commons 12 of 34A fountain in Park Güell depicting a snake and the Catalan coat of arms. Wikimedia Commons

13 of 34Exterior of Casa Milà, the last private residence designed by Gaudí between 1906 and 1912.Wikimedia Commons 14 of 34View from below Casa Milà.Wikimedia Commons

15 of 34Chimneys atop Casa Milà for the wealthy Catalan Milà family. PXHere 16 of 34Inner courtyard area of Casa Milà. Wikimedia Commons

17 of 34Parabolic arches inside Casa Milà.
Wikimedia Commons 18 of 34A view down on Casa Vicens, a modernist building that is considered to be Gaudí’s first major project. It was built between 1883 and 1885, although Gaudí drew up the initial plans between 1878 and 1880 during his “Orientalist period.“Wikimedia Commons

19 of 34Exterior detail of Casa Vicens.Wikimedia Commons 20 of 34Wikimedia Commons

21 of 34Interior sitting porch in Casa Vicens. Flickr 22 of 34Exterior gates at Palau Güell, or Güell Palace, the mansion designed by Gaudí for the industrial tycoon Eusebi Güell. It was built between 1886 and 1888. beckstei/Flickr 23 of 34Ceiling detail inside Palau Güell. Flickr 24 of 34"Room of lost steps” in Palau Güell. Wikimedia Commons 25 of 34The central oriel and balconies of Casa Calvet (1899) by Antoni Gaudí for a textile manufacturer. It served as both a commercial property, in the basement and on the ground floor, and a residence.Flickr

26 of 34Exterior view of the Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, or the Temple of the Holy Family. This is widely considered Gaudí’s Magnum Opus, and it is still under construction almost 150 years later. This photo has digitally removed the construction cranes that still adorn the outside of the church.Wikimedia Commons 27 of 34Gaudí devoted more than 40 years of his life to designing and building Sagrada Familia — and as a very religious man, he accepted no money for the job. Today, the church is being built almost exclusively on donations.Flickr 28 of 34The breathtaking interior of Sagrada Familia.Getty Images 29 of 34The nave of Sagrada Familia illuminated. Wikimedia Commons 30 of 34Close up features of the facade on the church Sagrada Familia.Getty Images 31 of 34Ceiling detail inside the nave of the Sagrada Familia, in which Gaudí designed the columns to resemble trees and branches.Wikimedia Commons 32 of 34View from the Sagrada Familia’s Papal seating area. Pope Benedict XVI consecrated the temple on Nov. 7, 2010, and proclaimed it a minor basilica.StuckInCustoms/Flickr

33 of 34Star of the Virgin Mary atop Sagrada Familia. Wikimedia Commons 34 of 34Like this gallery?Share it:

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33 Photos Of The Whimsical Works Of Antoni Gaudí, The Eccentric Architect Who Pushed Spain Into The Modernist Era View Gallery

The Early Life And Influences Of Antoni Gaudí

Born on June 25, 1852, Antoni Gaudí i Cornet came from a long line of artisans; coppersmiths, boilermakers, and lathe operators. He was the fifth and last of his parents’ children — and one of only three that lived to adulthood. He suffered from poor health his whole life, dealing with an arthritic illness and the depressive states that accompany chronic pain.

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9 of 34Stairway in Park Güell. Wikimedia Commons 10 of 34Benches at Park Güell.

13 of 34Exterior of Casa Milà, the last private residence designed by Gaudí between 1906 and 1912.Wikimedia Commons 14 of 34View from below Casa Milà.Wikimedia Commons

15 of 34Chimneys atop Casa Milà for the wealthy Catalan Milà family. PXHere 16 of 34Inner courtyard area of Casa Milà. Wikimedia Commons

19 of 34Exterior detail of Casa Vicens.Wikimedia Commons 20 of 34Wikimedia Commons

33 of 34Star of the Virgin Mary atop Sagrada Familia. Wikimedia Commons 34 of 34Like this gallery?Share it:

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Like this gallery?Share it:

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And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts:

Meet Jim Bachor, The Chicago Artist Who Transforms Potholes Into Whimsical Works Of Art

The Gaudí House In All Its Glory

The Architectural Wonders Of Spain

9 of 34Stairway in Park Güell. Wikimedia Commons 10 of 34Benches at Park Güell.

13 of 34Exterior of Casa Milà, the last private residence designed by Gaudí between 1906 and 1912.Wikimedia Commons 14 of 34View from below Casa Milà.Wikimedia Commons

15 of 34Chimneys atop Casa Milà for the wealthy Catalan Milà family. PXHere 16 of 34Inner courtyard area of Casa Milà. Wikimedia Commons

19 of 34Exterior detail of Casa Vicens.Wikimedia Commons 20 of 34Wikimedia Commons

33 of 34Star of the Virgin Mary atop Sagrada Familia. Wikimedia Commons 34 of 34Like this gallery?Share it:

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Like this gallery?Share it:

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And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts:

Meet Jim Bachor, The Chicago Artist Who Transforms Potholes Into Whimsical Works Of Art

The Gaudí House In All Its Glory

The Architectural Wonders Of Spain

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9 of 34Stairway in Park Güell. Wikimedia Commons 10 of 34Benches at Park Güell.

13 of 34Exterior of Casa Milà, the last private residence designed by Gaudí between 1906 and 1912.Wikimedia Commons 14 of 34View from below Casa Milà.Wikimedia Commons

15 of 34Chimneys atop Casa Milà for the wealthy Catalan Milà family. PXHere 16 of 34Inner courtyard area of Casa Milà. Wikimedia Commons

19 of 34Exterior detail of Casa Vicens.Wikimedia Commons 20 of 34Wikimedia Commons

33 of 34Star of the Virgin Mary atop Sagrada Familia. Wikimedia Commons 34 of 34Like this gallery?Share it:

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1 of 34Casa Batlló in Barcelona, Spain. A remodel of a previously built house, it was redesigned in 1904 by Gaudí.Getty Images

2 of 34The local name for the building is Casa dels Ossos (House of Bones) because of its skeletal look.Flickr

3 of 34Inside Casa Batlló.Wikimedia Commons

4 of 34The Casa Batlló atrium in detail. Gaudí was known for his flamboyant use of color. Flickr

5 of 34Part of Casa Batlló’s roof. Angus McIntyre/CC4.0/Disoriented.net

6 of 34More roof detail.Getty Images

7 of 34Exterior of Casa Batlló. Flickr

8 of 34Park Güell, Barcelona. With urbanization in mind, Eusebi Güell commissioned Antoni Gaudí to design this privatized park system composed of gardens and architectural elements. Fshoq

9 of 34Stairway in Park Güell. Wikimedia Commons

10 of 34Benches at Park Güell.

11 of 34Reptile in Park Güell. Wikimedia Commons

12 of 34A fountain in Park Güell depicting a snake and the Catalan coat of arms. Wikimedia Commons

13 of 34Exterior of Casa Milà, the last private residence designed by Gaudí between 1906 and 1912.Wikimedia Commons

14 of 34View from below Casa Milà.Wikimedia Commons

15 of 34Chimneys atop Casa Milà for the wealthy Catalan Milà family. PXHere

16 of 34Inner courtyard area of Casa Milà. Wikimedia Commons

17 of 34Parabolic arches inside Casa Milà.
Wikimedia Commons

18 of 34A view down on Casa Vicens, a modernist building that is considered to be Gaudí’s first major project. It was built between 1883 and 1885, although Gaudí drew up the initial plans between 1878 and 1880 during his “Orientalist period.“Wikimedia Commons

19 of 34Exterior detail of Casa Vicens.Wikimedia Commons

20 of 34Wikimedia Commons

21 of 34Interior sitting porch in Casa Vicens. Flickr

22 of 34Exterior gates at Palau Güell, or Güell Palace, the mansion designed by Gaudí for the industrial tycoon Eusebi Güell. It was built between 1886 and 1888. beckstei/Flickr

23 of 34Ceiling detail inside Palau Güell. Flickr

24 of 34"Room of lost steps” in Palau Güell. Wikimedia Commons

25 of 34The central oriel and balconies of Casa Calvet (1899) by Antoni Gaudí for a textile manufacturer. It served as both a commercial property, in the basement and on the ground floor, and a residence.Flickr

27 of 34Gaudí devoted more than 40 years of his life to designing and building Sagrada Familia — and as a very religious man, he accepted no money for the job. Today, the church is being built almost exclusively on donations.Flickr

28 of 34The breathtaking interior of Sagrada Familia.Getty Images

29 of 34The nave of Sagrada Familia illuminated. Wikimedia Commons

30 of 34Close up features of the facade on the church Sagrada Familia.Getty Images

31 of 34Ceiling detail inside the nave of the Sagrada Familia, in which Gaudí designed the columns to resemble trees and branches.Wikimedia Commons

32 of 34View from the Sagrada Familia’s Papal seating area. Pope Benedict XVI consecrated the temple on Nov. 7, 2010, and proclaimed it a minor basilica.StuckInCustoms/Flickr

33 of 34Star of the Virgin Mary atop Sagrada Familia. Wikimedia Commons

34 of 34Like this gallery?Share it:

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33 Photos Of The Whimsical Works Of Antoni Gaudí, The Eccentric Architect Who Pushed Spain Into The Modernist Era View Gallery

33 Photos Of The Whimsical Works Of Antoni Gaudí, The Eccentric Architect Who Pushed Spain Into The Modernist Era

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Nevertheless, Antoni Gaudí was an observant and curious child. When he was old enough to work, he got a job as a bellows boy in a steam factory blowing on the fire under the steam boiler. He worked every day of the week.

Once, his boss caught him reading a book at work, but instead of scolding him, asked him what the book was about. It was a book on mathematics — and his boss promised to bring him more.

Wikimedia CommonsAntoni Gaudí, Catalan architect, designer, and visionary.

Historians believe young Gaudí’s boss may have encouraged the family to let the boy study instead of work, and they seemed to agree. It was incredibly rare that a son of a tradesman like Gaudí would attend school, but he did. He studied natural science, Euclidian geometry, and Newtonian mechanics.

Though Gaudí was independent, stubborn, and didn’t necessarily appreciate the disciplined life of a scholar, he completed his general education. He’d always loved and appreciated architecture, so he enrolled in the Barcelona Architecture School (BAS).

Upon his graduation from BAS, the school’s director, Elies Rogent, stated of Gaudí, “We have given this academic title either to a fool or a genius. Time will show.”

And it did.

Gaudí’s Architecture Takes Barcelona By Storm

The year he graduated from architecture school, Gaudí designed a showcase for a glove shop. What seemed like an innocuous job turned out to be the start of his wildly successful career, as the case was subsequently shown at the World’s Fair in Paris.

From there, the city of Barcelona hired him to design some lampposts for the Plaça Reial. Just these small projects enticed who would become one of Gaudí’s most loyal patrons — local entrepreneur Eusebi Güell. The very same who later commissioned Gaudí to design Güell Estate, Park, and Palace.

Gaudí’s first residential project was Casa Vicens, built between 1883 and 1885. Financier Manuel Vicens commissioned it as a family summer home.

Wikimedia CommonsAntoni Gaudí (in the background) with his father (center), his niece Rosa, and doctor Santaló on a visit to Montserrat in 1904.

On the precipice of fame, Gaudí took on his most noted project, Barcelona’s church of the Sagrada Família, in 1883. Architect Francisco de Paula del Villar made the initial proposal for the structure, but Gaudí took over a year to do the planning. He scrapped his original neo-Gothic plan due to monetary constraints and went with a more unconventional design.

Today, the basilica’s iconic exterior has intricate spires and detailed sculptural elements depicting moments in the life of Jesus Christ. Inside, there are over four dozen tree-trunk-shaped columns that branch into a ceiling of stained glass windows in electric hues. It is, without a doubt, one of the most dazzling basilicas in all of Europe.

It was Antoni Gaudí’s Magnum Opus — and it isn’t even completed yet. Indeed, Gaudí intended for the church to continue long after he died, and 2022 marks the church’s 140th year of construction.

Antoni Gaudí’s Sad Final Years

PexelsThe church of Sagrada Familia.

Gaudí designed many amazing buildings during his lifetime; the Casa Milà, Casa Batlló, Casa Calvet, and others. However, he dedicated 40 years of his life — the last 12, exclusively — to Sagrada Familia. He had a workshop there and even built a school for the children of the construction workers.

He also accepted no money for the job. Gaudí devoted his last years to the church and his new, great vocation: serving God through architecture. This led to his nickname of “God’s Architect.” He even had a built-in response whenever asked about the basilica’s completion, “My client is not in a rush.”

However, his client may have been in a rush to meet his architect.

Antoni Gaudí was hit by a trolley on June 7, 1926, and lay clinging to life on the street. Passersby carried him to a hospital three blocks away. They believed him to be homeless due to his tattered clothing and unkempt beard.

Journalist Josep Pla wrote, “At the end, Gaudí truly was a poor man, and moreover, he looked the part.”

Gaudí was able to tell the nurses his name before he passed out from the pain. But it didn’t matter; as an architect — no matter how respected in his field — he was not a household name.

It took the chaplain of the Sagrada Familia to identify him as the visionary designer.

Gaudí died two days later; penniless, in a shabby hospital for those with little means. In his pockets, he had only a small handful of currants and peanuts — and a bible. In his head, the schematics for some of the most imaginative and fanciful buildings in the world.

Next, find out more about Brutalism, the architectural style bemoaned by artists everywhere. Then, read about a missing man who was found dead inside a papier-mâché dinosaur sculpture in Barcelona.

Known for his free-flowing designs based on nature, Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí redefined architecture in 19th-century Barcelona with masterpieces like the church of the Sagrada Familia and Casa Batlló.#

The Early Life And Influences Of Antoni Gaudí#

Gaudí’s Architecture Takes Barcelona By Storm#

Antoni Gaudí’s Sad Final Years#

Known for his free-flowing designs based on nature, Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí redefined architecture in 19th-century Barcelona with masterpieces like the church of the Sagrada Familia and Casa Batlló.

The Early Life And Influences Of Antoni Gaudí

Gaudí’s Architecture Takes Barcelona By Storm

Antoni Gaudí’s Sad Final Years