Antoni Gaudí was born in 1852 into a family of coppersmiths. During his youth, he suffered many times from the rheumatic fever which caused him to spend much time in isolation, and with nature. It was this exposure to nature at an early age which is thought to have inspired him to incorporate natural shapes and themes into his later work.
After meeting your professionally trained guide, you will set off to visit Finca Güell, (Güell estate) where in 1884, Gaudi was commissioned for various projects on the estate including the construction of a wall with three gates, the main gate and stables, a mirador, a fountain, the private chapel of the house, and various decorative complements.
From here, you will travel to one of Barcelona's most famous avenues. The Passeig de Gràcia, which is home to two of Gaudi's most famous Façades. The Casa Batlló was built in 1877 and restored by Gaudi in 1906 for the Batlló family. The goal seems to have been to build something without any straight lines. Theories on the architecture include it represents a dragon, bones and/or the sword of St. George. Further along the avenue is La Pedrera, or the Casa Mila. Impressed with the design of the Casa Batllo, Gaudi was commissioned to design this apartment building. The building does not use load-bearing walls, but rest on pillars and arches. This allowed the architect to create completely irregular floor plans where even the height of the pillars and ceilings differ from one to another. Due to its rock like appearance on the outside, locals took to calling it a quarry, "Pedrera" and the name has remained. This would be the last building he designed before turning his attention to his best known work. Depending on crowds, a visit will be made to the interior of one of these buildings.
In 1900, Park Güell was commissioned by Eusebi Güell who wanted to create a stylish park for Barcelona aristocracy. The park contains amazing stone structures, intricate mosaics and fascinating buildings that reflect Gaudi's love of natural shapes. The site is a UNESCO world heritage site. The Sagrada Família, The Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, or Temple of the Holy Family, is a massive, privately-funded Catholic church that has been under construction since 1882 and is not expected to be complete until at least 2026. Every part of the design is rich with Christian symbolism, as Gaudí saw the church as the last great sanctuary of Christendom. The 18 towers represent (in ascending order of height) Jesus Christ, the highest and topped with a cross, the twelve Apostles, the four Evangelists, and the Virgin Mary. The tallest point, at a height 570 feet will be just lower than Montjuic, as Gaudí believed that his work should not surpass that of God. The Church will have three grand façades: the Nativity façade to the East, the Glory façade to the South and the Passion façade to the West.
The Palau Güell (palace) is a town mansion that Gaudi was commissioned to design where the Güells could entertain their high society guests. It is also a UNESCO world heritage site.
Your last visit will be to the Plaça Reial, one of Barcelona's most beautiful squares. It is located in the charming Gothic Quarter close to the lively and popular boulevard Las Ramblas. Here alongside the palm trees and big fountain you will see the street lamps that were designed by a very young Antoni Gaudi, before he was considered the major exponent of Catalan Modernism. From here, you will return to the pier.
