The capital city of Catalonia and the second largest city of Spain, the city of Barcelona is located in the comarca of Barcelonès, along the Mediterranean coast between the mouths of the rivers Llobregat and Besòs.
Said to have been founded in the 3rd century BC by the Carthaginians or the Phoenicians, Barcelona was also ruled by the Romans and Visigoths later. Captured by the Moors in AD 715, Barcelona was retaken by the Franks under Charlemagne in 801, and was made the capital of the Spanish March (Catalonia). After Catalonia united with Aragon in 1137, Barcelona became a flourishing commercial centre and the rival of Italian ports.
Modern Barcelona is the industrial, commercial, cultural and, educational centre of Spain. It is the seat of the Generalitat de Catalunya and its three branches- the Executive Government, the Parliament of Catalonia and the Supreme Court of Catalonia.
Unambiguously a Mediterranean city, not only due of its geographic location but also because of its rich cultural, history and traditions, Barcelona has rich history and culture and it has wonderful museums, theatres, art galleries, nightlife of impressive high standards and beside that this art and design centre has a lot of interesting sights for its visitors.
Barcelona is one of the most popular tourist destinations widely known for its great, historic, and amazing architecture. One of the stylish and elegant cities of the world, Barcelona attracts volumes of tourists every year. Modern Barcelona is known for its handsome architecture, including buildings by Antoni Gaudí. The city has a great treasure of unique, fine, and historic edifices. Barcelona’s architecture is one of its major tourist attractions.
The city offers a great collection of versatile and antique architecture. There are a number sites associated to Antoni Gaudi in Barcelona. Antoni Gaudi i Cornet was a leading Catalan architect who belonged to the Modernisme (Art Nouveau) movement and was famous for his exclusive style and highly idiosyncratic designs. Antoni Gaudi’s work in Barcelona led to the creation of some of the city's most notable landmarks.
Gaudi studied at the Escola Superior d'Arquitectura in Barcelona and configured his first major commission for the Casa Vincens in Barcelona using a Gothic Revival style that set a precedent for his future work. Gaudi's work is admired by architects around the World and his fantastic designs have greatly influenced the face of Barcelona Architecture.
Antoni Gaudi created a sumptuous, curving, almost bizarre design style that recognized him as the pioneering leader of the Spanish Art Nouveau movement. Visitors can enjoy Gaudi's work all over the city. Sagrada Familia, Casa Batllo, Casa Mila, Colonia Guell and Park Guell are most famous work of Antoni Gaudi at Barcelona.
Casa Batlló is a wonderful building designed by Antoni Gaudi on Passeig de Gracia. The building was designed by Gaudi for Josep Batlló, a wealthy aristocrat, as an upmarket home. From the outside the frontage of this building looks like as it has been made from skulls and bones and colors and shapes used for this building founded in marine life. This building showcases stunning and original work that convinces visitors to come again and again.
Sagrada Familia, a giant temple is a truly magnificent building that has been under construction since 1882 is Gaudi's most famous works in Barcelona. The building is not yet fully constructed so be prepared to see a lot of work continuing when you visit. However this in itself is interesting, especially if you visit the museum inside the building. There you will see the stone masons at work carving stones to be used in the building.
Casa Milà, usually known as La Pedrera is the largest civil building designed by Antoni Gaudi. It is conceived as superb and overpowering like waves of lava. Wavy walls made of rough-chipped stone suggest fossilized ocean waves, while doors and windows look like they are dug out of sand. The most astonishing part is the roof with an almost lunar appearance and dreamlike landscape. In 1984, UNESCO recognized Casa Milà as a World Heritage site, and it is today used for cultural expositions.
Colonia Guell sited outside the western borders of Barcelona is packed with green areas, cultural centers, theaters, libraries, schools and leisure areas. Most prominent are the church and its crypt, an architectural masterpiece typical of Gaudí's modernista style. Colonia Guell can still be visited in the town of Santa Coloma. There is an exhibit at the visitor center with English translations, but the best way to get a feel for the place is to just stroll around and discover its beauties.
Park Güell is a wide garden complex with architectural constituents located on the hill of el Carmel in the Gràcia district of Barcelona. Gaudi was strongly influenced by natural shapes and also used them in his work. Guell Park encompasses astonishing stone structures, dazzling tiling and enthralling buildings. At the top of Guell park is a terraced area where visitors get a wonderful view of the park and of Barcelona City.
Orson Johnson writes for
Holiday Velvet, a website providing listings for bed and breakfasts, villas, hotels and
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