This park is one of the masterpieces of Antonio Gaudi, an architect recognized throughout the world. The composition attracts with its colors, its history, as well as three unique houses, one of which is a museum of genius.
It is no secret that one of the most generous cities in Spain on the sights is Barcelona. Park Güell is another creation by Antonio Gaudi that is forever in the hearts of Catalans. This work of art is not only appreciated by the locals: the park is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The story of the masterpiece creation
In the 19th and 20th centuries, there was a man named Eusebi Güell. He was a very good friend of Antonio’s.
In 1900, Eusebi thought about building something grandiose, and asked for help to a friend-architect.
Güell was very rich and ambitious. Having visited England, and seeing how the local lords live, he wanted to do something in Spain that surpassed their recreation areas. But the idea was not to be realized: Barselona’s elite rejected Güell’s idea, and construction began on only two of the sixty sites.
Still, by taking on construction, the architect has surpassed himself. There were problems with water in this area, but the creator found another solution. Gaudi designed sites that had more than one level, as well as tunnels. It is noteworthy that the material for all this magnificence was the cheapest raw material: crushed stone, broken ceramics, even industrial waste went into business.
Gaudy’s house in Park Güell
The project was supposed to have several residential buildings in the park. Three of them were built at once in order to present the prospects of life in the area to potential buyers. But the Catalan elite considered the project a failure, and refused to invest in it further. Only the lawyer Trias e Domenech has got the real estate in this area.
Thus, in one building lived Güell, the second bought the lawyer, and the third house, in 1906 for lack of buyers had to buy the architect himself. But he had another reason: his father’s health in recent years has deteriorated significantly.
What happened to the buildings now? Güell’s building was later rebuilt into a school, a lawyer’s home still belongs to his heirs. A more interesting fate near Gaudi’s house. In 1963 it was turned into a museum, and now everyone can look at this part of Spanish history. Park Güell on the scheme was very attractive, but seeing the result live, the local rich people criticized it, and the owner had no other solution but to sell the great creation of the City Hall.
How to get to Park Güell?
You can get to Park Güell by subway or bus. If you have chosen a subway, get off at Lesseps station on the green line. Bus lines 92 and 24 will take you to the bus stop, which is a 7-minute walk away. By the way, if you decide to take a taxi, tell the driver that you need to get to Carrer d’Olot street. Bold cabbies will immediately understand where you are going.
You can also get to Park Güell by booking a tour. The guide will arrive on a special bus, tell you about each stone during the tour and give you a map of the Park Güell at the entrance. Without it, the tourist is difficult to navigate, and even if you visit this place, it is better to buy a guide in one of the kiosks.
The park’s doors are open to visitors all year round, from ten o’clock in the morning. However, the end of the day is different for everyone: in the summer (from May to the end of September), it’s already before 21:00, in April and October already before 20:00. In March and November, working time is only 9 am (from 10 am to 7 pm), and in winter – an hour less.
An adult ticket to Park Güell costs 7 EUR . For children under the age of 17, a ticket costs 5,90 EUR. And for children under the age of 7, a ticket to Park Güell is free.
The location of Park Güell