Parc Güell (or Park Güell), Barcelona's most famous park is one of the symbols of the Catalan capital, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Discover an extraordinary space straight out of the crazy and brilliant mind of architect Antonio Gaudí! A magical and unique place that surprises and enchants visitors, it remains a must-see colorful stopover for anyone visiting Barcelona.
The story of an atypical park
Former residence project reserved for the bourgeois class, Park Güell is the result of a collaboration between the architect Antonio Gaudi, the greatest representative of Catalan modernism, and his patron Eusebi Güell. The initial idea was to create a kind of closed and supervised residence reserved for the well-to-do bourgeoisie and the rich Catalans, a kind of garden city to house superb villas, a school, a market, a small church, pavilions of concierge ...
The Gaudi and Güell project unfortunately did not meet with the expected success and was a commercial failure. The rich for whom it was intended, then considered the district too far from the city, too high and insufficiently urbanized. The work was completed in 1914 with the construction of only two houses out of the 60 initially planned, the model house bought by Gaudi and the “Casa Larrard” ordered by Eusebi Güell. The whole was subsequently bought by the city of Barcelona in 1922 from the heirs of Eusebi Güell and transformed into a public park which opened its doors in 1926 when Gaudi died.
How to visit Park Güell?
Whether it is with an amateur's eye in architecture (I invite you in this case to read the itinerary idea of Expedia Explore), or simply to stroll with family (or lovers), Parc Güell remains a must see for anyone staying in the Catalan capital. The park was also declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1984.
Here in a few linens, its main parts not to be missed:
- An entrance with pavilions and a monumental staircase. Next to the main entrance to the park are two small houses that seem to come out of a fairy tale. One of them serves as a shop while the other, the Maison du Gardien, watches over audiovisual exhibitions relating the history of the park.
- The hypostyle hall and its 86 striated columns
- Caves
- Place de la Nature and its (mythical) bench
- Streets, paths, viaducts
- A megalithic monument
- Gaudi's Maison-Musée which houses a collection of works by the architect, valuable furniture and documents. The architect lived in this house between 1906 and 1925.
The secrets of Parc Güell
Parc Güell located in Carrer d'Olot 3, north of the Gracia district, is a hymn to nature that Gaudi wanted to copy without imitating it. He was thus inspired by its colors and shapes but diverted them in his own way. This space covering more than 17 hectares is a succession of undulating or geometric shapes, columns resembling trees and sculptures of animals. The majority of the surfaces are decorated with mosaics made of small colored pieces of ceramic. The whole forms an impressive ornamental creation free from any rigidity and classicism. At the central point of the park is a large plaza with a huge bench 110 meters long, similar to a mosaic snake.
Park Güell through its colorful and sinuous shapes is full of both political and religious symbols. The Catalan countries are thus represented on the fountains of the main staircase with on one of them the coat of arms of Catalonia and a serpent, symbolizing medicine but also the brass serpent used by Moses during his flight from Egypt. On another fountain, a salamander that we discover in a yellow and red ceramic niche, the colors of Catalonia, represents the city of Nimes where Eusebi Güell grew up.
Tips and practical information
Schedules
Park Güell is open daily from 08 a.m. to 00 p.m. (times vary depending on the time of year).
Prices
The site includes 2 zones, one free, and one paid:
- There pay zone gives access to the “Monumental Center”, that is to say to the most famous areas of the park (the Dragon Staircase, the Place de la Nature, or the Hypostyle Hall). You will also have access to the museum.
- There free zone corresponds to the large garden that surrounds the center. This one is very charming, but you might get frustrated if you stuck with that area. Fortunately, there is a little trick (see below) ...
The tickets for Parc Güell are sold at ticket offices or vending machines located in the Park and at Lesseps and Vallcarca (L3) metro stations. It is strongly recommended to buy tickets on the Internet to avoid the long queues that form (400 people enter every half hour). By purchasing your tickets online you will also pay less. Booking on the Internet also ensures you have a place as entry availability is subject to the number of visitors, up to a maximum of 400 people every half hour.
Reduced prices for children between 7 and 12 years old and over 65 years old
Children under 6: free entry.
Visit tip
The trick to visiting the paid zone, without paying : if you are early in the morning, go to the entrance at 7 am, entry to the Monumental Center is free until 7:30 am. In addition, you will surely be able to enjoy the Golden Hour at this time, which will allow you to take beautiful photos, with a lot less people than in the middle of the afternoon.
Go to Park Güell
The park is easily accessible by metro Lesseps, line L3.
Official park website: www.parkguell.cat
Come on, a little video to finish ...
