At some point, the park of national significance was regarded as the biggest failure of the 19th century in Spain! Once you pass the gate with gingerbread houses on each side, you might feel like you’ve just entered a gingerbread caramel kingdom! Park Guell is very bright, colourful and unique!
The fairytale continues… Upon entering the park, a giant yet magnificent dragon appears from behind an impressive grand stairway. Its scales are executed in the style of Art Nouveau and made from the tile-shard mosaic. If you’re passionate about Gaudi’s works, then, perhaps, the dragon will seem familiar. And the amazing curved bench, reminiscent of a human profile, simply cannot be missed!
The park has multiple levels. You’re walking along a footpath and suddenly end up on an elevated walkway a few metres above the ground. Galleries seem to grow straight from the ground. That’s because the architect wanted to retain the natural terrain of the place. Natural caves, alleys and halls with columns – a fantastic opportunity to hide away from Barcelona’s hot sun. Everything here was created with people in mind. You come into the shade and you can sit on a bench. It’s always there at your disposal.
Yes, Antoni Gaudi was the park’s designer, but he was also one of its few residents. He offered to help his friend Eusebi Guell. The Spanish patron wanted to create a small village with a gorgeous view of the city. The park was supposed to have a Greek design, but Gaudi didn’t conform to canons and rules. He created a park in his own incredible style!
The Spaniards liked the park, but they were in no rush to buy the houses. Only three of them were sold. One of them was occupied by Gaudi, the second one by Guell himself, and Eusebi’s lawyer moved into the third one. Who knows, maybe if the park had been tenanted by people, it wouldn’t have survived to this day unscathed.
Furthermore, the house of the great master was turned into a museum after his death. So it’s possible to combine two attractions into one when visiting the place by going on a walk in the park and touring the museum.