Gaudy Eixample Plaça de Catalunya

The Fascinating Gaudy Eixample Plaça de Catalunya stands between two of the main boulevards of the Eixample, Rambla Catalunya on the left and Passeige de Gracia on the right. The later, where some of the most outstanding Art Nouveau architecture can be found, is an elegant commercial and residential route leading to the former town of Gracia.

At the end of the 19th century, the middle of Plaça Catalunya was taken over by a circus, fairs and similar entertainment which no longer fit the new prestigious Eixample. In 1928, the architect Francesc de Paula Nebot submitted a remodeling project—Puig I Cadafalch had proposed an earlier plan—in which sculptures were abondant, perhaps too abondant, and several statues were censured under President Primo de Rivera’s dictatorship. This was the case of the famous “La deessa” by Clara portraying a naked woman bathing herself in a squared fountain.The first house on the corner of Passeig de Gracia, now housing a bank, is the 1860 Casa Gilbert, whose owner, Manuel Gilbert, was president of the Gran Teatre del Liceu. Only a year prior to the building of this house, the first in the Eixample, the city walls had started to be taken down. The next building, from 1918, was originally the Hotel Colon. It had seven floors and could house 200 people. The Casa Estruch used to hold a fine weapon collection that was sold to Paris at the beginning of the 20th century.

In front of 1928 Telefonica, Spain’s telephone company, is the Casa Cabot. Originally a jewelry store, it was the tallest building of the city at the time it was designed. A Portuguese by the name of Nestor Lopes, nicknamed “el hombre mosca” (the fly-man) climbed it on Good Friday 1924. Now recycled as part of the huge Corte ingles, Spain’s major department store, only the side façade remains intact.

The Corte inglés offers a hot breakfast and luncheon buffet and an all- day snack bar service as well as a stunning view of the city on its ninth-floor cafeteria.

The Banc d’Espanya opposite El Corte Ingés, was built between 1948-1957. On the side of the building there’s a sculpture of a guardian angel, ironically by Madrid artist Angel Ferrant. This statue was probably added to replace the one that had stood at this spot and can now been seen in the Museu Diosesa. The statue pays homage to the legend of an angel appearing before Vincent Ferrer as he stood right between what is now Telefonica and the bank, outside the city’s walls. The angel assured Ferrer that it was protecting the city.

When you arrive at calle Caspe, there are three institutions on the corner worth mentioning. The Novedades switches back and forth between a theatre and a cinema. In front of it is the Tivoli Theatre next to which is Spain’s first Radio Station, Radio Barcelona. Gaudi enthusiasts should walk to n. 48 to take a look at Casa Calvet (1898). This was Gaudi’s first apartment building. Although not as spectacular as the ones on Passeige de Gracia, it already shows themes that will bloom in later developments.

The Manzana de la Discordia (block of Discord) between Consell de Cent and Arago is the most spectacular block of Modernist architecture in the Eixample. It welcomes on the same spot three of its main figures of Catalan Art Nouveau: Gaudi, Domenech I Montaner and Puig I Cadafalch and named after their original owners. The name is a pun, using the two meanings of “manzanas”, block and apple, to describe the discordant styles found here and the Apple of Discord.

The first house on the corner is Casa Lleo Morera (no. 35) designed in 1902-06 as the first residential work by Domenech I Montaner. This floral style building almost seeming like a wedding cake is perhaps the least impressive of the three due to its many remodeling which depended on the mood and taste of its owners. Today it’s home to the Patronat de Turismo and the leather store Loewe. The latter is responsible for tearing down a great portion of the original ground floor and all of the magnificent sculptures and ornaments that were decorating it. The interior is still rich with Art Nouveau elements made in wood or ceramic. The upper floors bloom like a garden in which dragons seem to protect them overlooking the balconies. You may enter in the hall to look at the ornate interior especially the floral staircase.

The next two houses are of little interest except perhaps for the Perfume Museum at the back of the beauty shop.
Casa Atmatller at no. 41 was created by Puig I Cadafalch in 1898. The stepped gable roof is flushed with colourful ceramic ornaments, the windows and doors tell ancient stories –the legend of Saint George and the dragon, for instance, Catalonia’s patron Saint. Additional heraldic sculptures and medieval-style grotesque characters …The inside is also spectacular with its twisted columns, ceramic tiles on the walls, and fine stained glass work. Puig designed some of the furniture for the Amatller family which can be viewd in the Institute Amatller d’Art Hispanic. Puig disliked egalitarian Idelfons Cerda and his uniform Eixample project so much that he used this house to explode mixing different styles in an attempt to break with the organized, grid pattern and conventional posh neighborhood it was set in. Being the first modernist architect to build in the area, his clear criticism started a battle—that was going to last 20 years—and was soon joined by others, a battle between the individuality of the architecture and the rigidity of the Cerda plan.

Next door atno. 43 is Gaudi’s mirage-like Casa Batllo built over an existing structure in 1906. It’s a wavy organic blueish green house with wrought iron balconies that look like masks or perhaps skulls, bony pilars, a scaly rippling skin façade culinating in a reptile back and tail for the roof. Gaudi wanted Casa Batllo to represent the victory of Saint-George, the patron Saint of Catalonia, over the dragon. The cross is Saint-George’s lance thrusted in the beast’s tail. The blue, green, gray and white mosaic tiles of the façade takes on different hues according to the reflection of the light. On a gray day or when lit up at night, the house changes its mood and creates new aspects and atmosphere depending on the way it’s lit. In 1969 it was declared National Cultural Heritage.

Turn the corner, walk down half a block on Arago, and at no. 255, you’ll find Domenech I Montaner’s 1880 Casa Montaner I Simon. One of the earliest modernist projects in barcelona and Montaner’s first important building, it originally housed his brother’s publishing firm. Now, converted into the Fundacio Antoni Tapies, with the artist’s tangled metal “Cloud and Chair” on the roof, it is a showpiece of the best-known Catalan living artist.

Next stop, perhaps for a drink, is Café Torino. Originally this café was at number 18 and partially designed by Gaudi, but was demolished during the Republic. The new setting is still in an Art Nouveau surrounding.

Bulevard Rosa was Barcelona’s first shopping mall. Its 100 shops or so are as varied as any other shopping mall elsewhere. Business hours are Monday through Saturday from 10:30am to 8:30pm. On the second floor of this mall is the Bulevard dels Antiquaris, a space dedicated to the reselling of Antiques including art work, furniture, toys –especially collector dolls—coins, African and Native American, and just about about anything that’s collectable.
Up a few blocks on the corner of Provença is the fascinating Casa Mila, popularly known as la Pedrera (Stone Quarry). When Gaudi built it, it was far away from any other constructions. Mrs Mila was scandalized when she saw the finishing product saying it was nothing like what she had seen on paper. Not only was it criticized by the patron but by the entire upper bourgeoisie and intellectuals of the period. But today this wavy organic structure with twisted wrought iron balconies and doors (work by Gaudi’s assistant Jujol) is acclaimed as a master piece by the world. There aren’t any right angle here, it’s all circular shapes. The roof is especially stunning: spiral chimneys with winged helmet –perhaps reminiscent of Hermes, the patron god of the business class or of Wagner’s operas. Guided tours are available or during the summer concerts are held here as you contemplate one of the world’s most fascinating roof. The Caixa bought the building to make it into a temporary exhibition hall.

At the junction of Passeig de Gracia and Diagonal is the interesting Palau Robert behind which is a great garden right in the centre of the Eixample. Today this 19th century palace is home to a tourist information centre offering exhibition on a variety of traveling related topics.

If you need a break, walk up a block more on Passeig de Gracia above Diagonal and you will be able to relax at Buenas Migas, a finger food café. Whereas if you are full of stamina continue on Diagonal up to number 373 to contemplate Puig I Cadafalch’s semi gothic Palau Quadras. This majestic palace was designed in 1904 with baroque sculpted figures climbing up the brick façade.

Right across at no. 442 SalvadorValeri’s Casa Comalat built in 1911. Thes architecture is much more interesting when viewed from calle Corsega, where the udulated façade and the colourful ceramic mosaics are reminiscent of the wonderful Gaudi touch!

Back on Diagonal a castle-like neo gothic with medieval and Rennaissance elements but obviously modernista in the use of material such as brick and carved floral stone ornaments and mirrored walls. Standing emperially at no. 446 and taking up the whole block, this eclectic apartment block is Puig I Cadafalch’s biggest work. Officially known as Casa Terrades although most people are more familiar with it’s nickname Casa de les Punxes (House of the Points) which refers to the pointy (spiky) witches’ hats shaped pinnacles. It seems to come out of a fairy-tale…

Go back to Passeig de Gracia to take the subway (blue line, #5) to Hospital Sant Pau stop. When Domenech I Montaner was commissioned in 1902 to build a hospital near Gaudi’s spectacular Sagrada Familia, he wanted to beak up with two traditions: the first being the controlled checkered plan of the Eixample and the second, designing an Eden-like atmosphere to help the patients recovery to be prompt. To do so, he created a park –taking up nine blocks of the Eixample—with individual pavilions rich in colourful ornaments and varied sculptures of religious, folkloric and legendry figures. The finished product has somewhat the aspect of a village within a city. The 48 pavilions stand above the concealed hospital areas and services united by an intricate labyrinth of underground corridors. The project was so ambitious that it was completed after his death in 1930, by his son Pere.

Now go down the diagonal promenade Avenida Gaudi. You may want to stop on one of the numerous sidewalk cafes lining the strip or have a meal at Barcelona’s most famous pizza parlour Quatre Estacions. As you get closer to the end of the street the mirage of Gaudi’s best known work will start appearing.

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