Casa Batlló is an outstanding architectural delight. Once
the family home of Antoni Gaudi, the building has been restored with much
respect of its architectural heritage, opening to the public as a private
museum to the in 2002. It design is unprecedented in the architectural world,
and on The Noble floor which was the main living space of the family, there is
not a single straight line to be found anywhere
The fluid, fluctuating textures of the walls echo the natural ebb and
flow of the tide. Each softly curved surface creates the illusion of the
building as a living, breathing creature, and at times it feels as if you are
inside a giant beautiful mollusk, deep in depths of the sea.
A visit to the Casa Batlló is a wonderful surreal experience;
the museum have used the latest technology to make each visit as informative
and entertaining as possible. The electronic guide, which is the same size as
an iPhone, contains extra effects and images to show how the rooms would have
looked completely furnished, when Gaudi lived there.
The building is
surprisingly light and airy. Its central structure contains a beautifully tiled
vertical shaft to a decorated window situated on the surface of the Dragon Roof
Terrace, which provides both light and internal ventilation. Not one of the
tiles has a straight surface and the carefully coordinated colour gradient
gives the impression that it is as light at the bottom as the top!
The stunning roof
terrace is shaped like the vertebra of a dragons back, and is decorated with carnival
masks of the dragon’s victims. The design is a celebration of the legend of
Saint Jordi (Saint George). It a wonderfully
romantic story of damsel rescued by a dashing knight!
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Exterior Casa Batlló
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Exterior Casa Batlló
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Interior: The Nobel Floor
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The Nobel Floor: Stained glass which appears to be made from different colours from each side!
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The Nobel Floor; huge golden light in the center of the sitting room ceiling
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The Noble Floor: fabulous jeweled chandelier
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View from interior stairwell
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View from interior stairwell
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Dragon rooftop terrace |
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Dragon rooftop terrace
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Please note that I have a new blog with travel features, poetry and short story excerpts at: http://soniakilvingtonwriter.com/