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Spain an architectural wonder by Antonio Gaudi

Spain is situated in the Iberian peninsula and is the land of many cultures and beautiful natural landscapes. It is known for the Flamenco dance, music, mouth-watering food, Moorish heritage and architectural works of Gaudi. Hoard those Park Guell Tickets as you visit the architectural masterpieces by the great Antonio Gaudi. Sagrada Familia was one of the most renowned and ambitious works of Gaudi and in the present times, it is the biggest unfinished Catholic church in the world with art nouveau elements. El Capricho happens to be a villa designed by Gaudi with a tower made of brick and embellished with ceramic tiles resembling a minaret. The Episcopal Palace of Astorga is a fine example of Catalan modernism built in grey granite. Palau Guell situated near the Ramblas was built for Eusebi Guell who was an ardent fan of Gaudi’s work where the magnificent roof epitomizes “heaven” with a fairy tale garden. Casa Botines is situated in the province of Leon as a tribute to Leon’s emblematic buildings it was designed with a medieval touch and neo-Gothic characteristics with a basement, four floors and an attic. Torre Bellesguard is also known by the name of Casa Figueres which was inspired by a medieval castle from the 15th century.

Park Guell

As you book those Park Guell Tickets it’s time to discover and explore one of the many masterpieces designed by Antonio Gaudi. The park was built around 1900 and in present times it is a UNESCO World Heritage site – a garden complex with a series of synchronously designed buildings which also include Gaudi’s house also which is now a museum illustrating Gaudi’s work. The garden complex gave Gaudi to perfect his style of design which was influenced by organic shapes. The unique structure of the building is the “trencadis” ( surfaces covered with irregular ceramic pieces) which were symbolic of Gaudi and Art Nouveau. In front of the arcade is the iconic dragon designed by Gaudi which is laced with mosaics. As you stand on the terrace you get an alluring view of Barcelona. The park was designed upon the request of Count Eusebi Guell who wished to build a chic park for the aristocrats of Barcelona.

Casa Batllo

Visit Casa Batllo with Casa Batllo Tickets which is located in the heart of Barcelona. The native name of Casa Batllo is Casa dels ossos or the House of Bones because of its visceral, skeletal design. The already-constructed house was remodelled by Gaudi in 1904.

Gaudi used construction elements of Modernisme or Catalan Art Nouveau which includes ceramics, stone and forged iron. The structure of the building is irregular with very few straight lines as most of the facade is embellished with colourful mosaics known as trencadis. The roof is arched in such a way that it resembles the scales of a dragon and the rounded tower crown with a turret and cross stands in for the lance of Saint George(patron saint of Catalonia) which was shoved into the dragon’s back. The “loft” is one of the offbeat spaces with sixty “catenary arches”(curves formed by a wire or rope )which resemble the ribcage of an animal.

Casa Vicens

Proceed towards Casa Vicens with Park Guell Tickets as Vicens is an example of the first Art Nouveau buildings constructed between the years 1883 and 1888 which was a creative and ingenious residential project constructed for Manel Vicens i Montaner who was a trade agent and a broker. The design reflects Neo Mudejar architecture with a mixture of oriental and neoclassical designs. The property was once a part of Gracia which was a retreat for middle-class families. The structure has an amalgamation of different styles and elements which were in accordance with the prevalent trends. The building has four floors with a basement that was once used as a wine cellar, the first floor had a kitchen with a dining room with a hearth in the centre and the second floor had bedrooms while the topmost floor or the attic was used as staff quarters. The built property was supposed to be the summer home of the owner which encompasses Catalan, Islamic, Japanese and English influences and techniques. The design for the pressed tiles used by Gaudi was influenced by the French marigold which grew on the grounds of the estate.

Casa Mila ( La Pedrera)

The journey towards Casa Mila which is also known as the stone quarry becomes a smooth sail with Casa Batllo tickets.  The building gets its name from the “Mila family “the couple who had the first floor with them and rented out other apartments. Casa Mila is a recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984 and is a renowned modernist building which was constructed between the years 1906 to 1912 and happens to be Gaudi’s last residential design and also one of the most creative of all designs establishing it as a piece of art. Casa Mila has two buildings around two courtyards which give it a figure-of-eight shape and an eye-catching roof terrace not only with chimneys or staircases but the use of colours and shapes is awe striking along with some chimneys which appear like medieval knights stationed to guard the roof. The facade has nine floors including the basement, ground floor, mezzanine, main floor and four upper floors with an attic. Do not miss the audio-visual light show which is hosted on the roof.

Guell Pavilions

Pavellons Guell or Guell Pavillions in the neighbouring Pedralbes is a complex of buildings which were designed by Antonio Gaudi and were built between 1884 and 1887. Gaudi fabricated two pavilions, a stable with a wrought iron gate has an imaginative dragon with glasseyes which was inspired by the myths of the Garden of the Hesperides which narrates the fables by Jacint Verdaguer. The shape of the dragon was in accordance with the stars in the Serpens constellation. The other gates lost their use with the creation of the Avinguda Diagonal. The facades at the Guell Pavillions contain the signature building style of Gaudi with parabolic arches, and Catalan vaulting with lanterns laced with coloured ceramic tiles. Later the estate was handed over to the Spanish Royal Family according to Guell’s will and was converted into a royal palace in 1918. The two pavilions have a strong Islamic influence and the architect depicts the taste for polychromy which are also visible in the Vicens House. The first pavilion is famous as the gatekeeper’s lodge which is formed by two attractive domes. Gaudi used raw mud to build the retaining wall as the mud was a cheap item but with visit good heat capacity.