If I Were Going...: Güell Pavilions, Parc Güell and Real Santuario De San Jose De La Montaña

Parc Güell

Sometimes poor planning cheats you out of something you would have liked to do. So it was with the Parc Güell, a public park featuring some of Antoni Gaudi's iconic buildings.

As we were planning out our last day in Barcelona, we decided we wanted to see Parc Güell after visiting Montjuïc. I remembered seeing it on the same hop on/hop off bus route (our bus had two routes, both of which we had taken at least once). So we hopped off at the stop and walked up a hill, growing increasingly confused that we didn't see a big park.

When we arrived, we discovered that we were at the Güell Pavilions, not Parc Güell, which is on the other bus route. So, we paid the small entry fee and went in to investigate. With the exception of the famous dragon gate ...

This is quite something

... it really wasn't worth it. The small complex of buildings, designed by Gaudí and built between 1884 and 1887, is being renovated. What is accessible is in pretty rough condition.

Just an empty room

The Pavilions are Güell's former estate, of which there are two parts -- only one is open to tourists right now.

The gate and its flanking gate houses are interesting.

No denying this is cool

The dragon (a favorite theme of Gaudi's) represents Ladon, offspring of Typhus, who guarded the Garden of the Hesperides, which was overcome by Hercules as one of his twelve labors. Over the dragon there is an antimony orange-tree, another allusion to the Hesperides. The shape of the dragon corresponds with the position of the stars in the Serpens constellation, because Ladon was turned into a snake as a punishment for stealing the oranges.

The roofs on the gatehouses have distinctively Mudejar tiles.

A dome and a multifaceted turret

Gaudí was also partially responsible for the design of the estate's gardens, where he built two fountains and a pergola, and planted several Mediterranean species: (pines, eucalyptus, palms, cypresses and magnolias). Right now, the grounds are in great need of some TLC.

Kind of scrubby

Frustrated, Scott decided to head back to the room and rest. I decided to take the other bus route and check out the Parc. After getting off the bus, I walked up the lower part of Carmel Hill, where I encountered the three escalators that lead the rest of the way up ...

You can take the stairs or outdoor escalators

... to the Parc entrance, which looks like something from Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland (although it is probably vice versa) ...

Curiouser and curiouser

When I arrived, I discovered that part of Parc Güell is a public park with unlimited access and part requires tickets with timed entries. The next entry was two hours away. I decided to explore the public part and then see if the wait lessened as the day went on so that I could return with Scott. When I left, the lines were just as long, so I saw only the public part. It's a shame because it looks amazing from the pictures I saw on Google.

At least part was open

Parc Güell was built between 1900 and 1914 and was officially opened as a public park in 1926. The brainchild of Eusebi Güell i Bacigalupi, 1st Count of Güell, it was supposed to be an estate for the rich. Güell employed Gaudi to design the area. Its design reflects Gaudí's naturalist phase, during which he found inspiration from organic shapes found in nature, which can be seen in the tiled mosaics ...

Natural designs

... on the serpentine bench ...

A lovely place to sit

... that edges the terrace that is in the paid-admission portion, but can be seen from the park.

Looking in from the outside

It was obviously quite crowded. I hated missing the view from the edge, but it was pretty good from where I was standing, as well ...

Looking out over Barcelona

... especially, the Sagarda Familia.

You can see it from everywhere

Güell and Gaudí imagined an organized grouping of high-quality homes with the latest technological advancements, finished off with an artistic touch. The intention was to exploit the fresh air (well away from smoky factories) and beautiful views from the site.

Well, the air is not that pure

Sixty triangular lots were set aside for luxury houses. Güell added to the prestige of the development by moving in 1906 to live in Larrard House. I am not sure it that house is still standing. Ultimately, only three houses were built, none designed by Gaudí.

Completed in 1904, this was intended to be a show house

When no buyers came forward, the house was put up for sale. Gaudí, at Güell's suggestion, bought it with his savings and moved in with his family and his father in 1906.

The house became the Gaudí House Museum in 1963

In 1969 it was declared a historical artistic monument of national interest.

Lots of pretty details

The third house built was for Güell's lawyer, Martín Trías Domènechl. It sits high above most of the park. No other houses were built, so the venture was unsuccessful.

Now, the Parc Güell is one of Barcelona's major attractions

Roadways around the Parc to service the intended houses were designed by Gaudí as structures jutting out from the steep hillside or running on viaducts, with separate footpaths in arcades formed under these structures.