Parque Güell

1900 to 1914
Antoni Gaudí
Barcelona, Spain

Parque Güell - Main entrance. Staircase topped with Doric columns
Copyright © Mary Ann Sullivan

Antoni Gaudí's Parque Güell (pronounced par kay gwel) was originally intended as part of a residential garden community. This never came to pass, and Parque Güell was eventually sold to the city of Barcelona. Today it remains a public park and World Heritage monument.

The staircase above leads to the entrance of the "Doric Temple" or "Hypostyle Hall." The columns are hollow and thus double as storm drain pipes. In order to maintain a feeling of space, Gaudí left out some of the columns.

Parque Güell - Public square wall/bench
Copyright © Mary Ann Sullivan

The huge public square in the center of the Parque Güell is surrounded by a continuous, undulating wall/bench cove in mosaics. This structure sits atop the Doric temple and offers a bird's-eye view of Barcelona.

Parque Güell
Caretaker's Cottage
© Mary Ann Sullivan

As in all of Gaudí's work, there is a strong element of playfulness. The caretaker's lodge, seen here from the vantage point of the public square, is reminiscent of something a child would dream up, like the gingerbread cottage in Hansel and Gretel.

The entire park is made of stone, ceramic, and of course natural elements. The mosaics were done with broken ceramic tiles, plates, cups, and the like. By using recycled ceramics rather than firing new ones, planting a number of trees, and designing viaducts that made it possible to avoid leveling the land, Gaudí's work in Parque Güell demonstrated his high regard for nature.