The Genius of Gaudi - Casa Batlló

The Gaudi experience reached a rousing crescendo with our tour of his brilliant Casa Batlló – a house that he redesigned and remodeled in the early 20th century. Nicknamed the ‘House of Yawns’ due to the mouth-like windows, Casa Batlló was an exhibition of everything that is classically Gaudi – an almost complete aversion to straight lines, outrageous experimentation with color and a heavy influence from nature.

Walking through the house was a fascinating and delightful insight into Gaudi’s imagination. From the staircase that resembled the spine of a dinosaur, to the blue-tiled inner atrium that gave the impression of standing in a waterfall, to the attic that was like walking through a giant rib cage, all the way to the roof that was curved like the back of a dragon – all perfectly designed and perfectly functional, working in harmony to form a truly breath-taking creation.

Again – Gaudi…what a genius!

The Genius of Gaudi - Park Güell

Without doubt one of the coolest parks we’ve visited, Gaudi’s Park Güell was a bit like stepping into a Mediterranean Hansel and Gretel fairytale.

We happened to be there on a gloriously warm afternoon and – along with the rest of the tourists in Barcelona – thoroughly enjoyed immersing ourselves in Gaudi’s never-never land.

Sitting here now trying to describe it is actually quite a difficult task – the above photos only tell a fraction of the story – outlandishly bold mosaic, an aversion to straight lines and architecture that is more like ginger bread houses than anything else.  The fact that we are struggling to find the words to describe this bizarre place is probably just a reflection of Gaudi's true originality and creativity.