IWCB Visit to Palau Güell, March 23, 2012

A group of IWCB members spent a few hours exploring the area to the south of La Ramblas, known as El Raval, as led by our intrepid guide, Liz. We first met for coffee at the newly restored Hotel España:

The carved fireplace in one of the lounges:



The formal dining room:



Close-up of the dining room ceiling:


From there we went to tour the recently reopened Palau Güell, on Carrer Nou de la Rambla. It is the only major Modernista building in the old city, built by Antonio Gaudi in the late 1880's for his patron, Eusebi Güell. It is full of Gaudi's favourite styles-art nouveau, Gothic and Islamic. After the Civil War, it was taken under police control and political prisoners were tortured in the basement. Some highlights starting with the front door:





Gaudi's signature parabolas feature in the basement:



Vaulted ceiling in the basement:



Looking out the front entrance to the street-horses and carriages would have entered through this door:



Up the main staircase:






Note the carved wooden ceiling:



Looking out a window toward La Ramblas:








The dining room:




Outside on the terrace:








Another carved wooden ceiling-note the details:


In the centre of the house, the main hall has a dome reaching up to the roof, as well as an organ for formal recitals:




Ground level of this main hall:




And on the roof, polychrome-tiled chimney pots in various shapes:
















The group posing on the rooftop:


Hasta luego...

Location:El Raval, Barcelona