Casa Batlló

When Antoni Gaudí was asked in 1905, what he hoped to achieve with his work on the Casa Batlló, he replied "a vision of paradise". In his own way, he did manage to meet his goal. The house is a brilliant example of Catalonian modernism, but when it was constructed, many considered it to be a "horrible building". Nowadays, it is seen as one of Gaudí's great, universal treasures and a celebration of modernism, and it still conserves that daring and innovative touch that marked it in the past.

Gaudí was commissioned to do this piece by the Batlló family, important members of the local textile industry. Once again, the artist allowed his imagination free reign and played with colours, materials and almost impossible forms, which have become one of the city's trademarks. What is considered a true work of art today was nothing more than a simple commission for Gaudí in his day. All the earnings he received from the Casa Batlló were invested entirely into his great project: the Sagrada Familia.

All the truly defining elements of modernism are included in this building. Gaudí covered the entire facade and the roof with his classic colourful, ceramic mosaics. He used wrought-iron in whimsical shapes on the balconies and decorative elements in the building's interior. He created a perfect play between light and colour in the windows, which give the spaces inside the building a very special quality.

Legends and anecdotes
The building's tower, chimneys and iconography are rife with legends. The silhouettes are interpreted as paying homage to Sant Jordi, Catalonia's patron saint, and his fight against the dragon. One must bear in mind that modernism was largely inspired by ideas rooted in medieval times. In those legends, the dragon was not seen as a monster but rather as a representation of passion, strength and wisdom.

Gaudí's creative genius extends to the rooms inside the building. It is almost impossible to find a straight angle inside the entire house, which is the subject of a curious anecdote. The story goes that Mrs. Batlló was worried during the construction process because, according to the design, there wasn't enough space for her daughter's grand piano. Gaudí didn't pay the matter much heed until the house was completed, and he realised that Mrs. Batlló had been right after all. The grand piano didn't fit - so Gaudí told Mrs. Batlló to forget about the piano and buy a violin.