You know El Palacio Güell of Gaudí in Barcelona?

Güell Palace is the work that marked the beginning of the ascent as an architect Gaudi. The textile industry Encaragada Eusebi Guell, was initiated in 1886 and finished in 1888.

The design of the facade remains the same style of Gaudi's creations of that era, characterized by Orientalism: in this palace culminates a period of dominance of Arab-inspired shapes, Byzantine or Moorish, with other buildings such as Casa Vicens, El Capricho de Comillas or Güell Pavilions.

As the street on which the palace is so narrow, it is difficult to see the facade as a whole. But Gaudí was at all and designed a majestic monumental entrance doors with parabolic arches and wrought iron bars openwork, ornamented with the coat of Catalonia and a helmet with a winged dragon, designed by Joan Oñós.

The entrance of the palace is huge, as it was designed so that visitors could access it on horseback or in carriages. In the basement there were some stables where the horses could leave something completely innovative for its time. Could be accessed through the stables to an ingenious propeller-shaped ramp designed by Gaudí.

A little history

The area is located, at the time, was the center of Barcelona, ​​where they were the wealthiest families. This is a house between adjacent walls to another house which was also owned by the Güell family. This family lived in the palace since 1888, and its halls were held some of the most important events of the Universal Exhibition of 1888.

The strange thing is that today is still the residence of the Güell, although considered the city center is now in Paseo de Gracia and its surroundings. However, in 1910 the Earl left the building to go to live in a house that was purchased within the precincts of the Park Güell, in the upper part of Barcelona, ​​Gaudí also made for him then. Since that time, the palace was inhabited by the Count's daughter, Merce Güell, until 1945, when the palace was sold to the Provincial de Barcelona, ​​which he installed in the Museum of Performing Arts. Between 1974 and 1976, this institution made some changes in the building, restored the first floor, to allow its opening to the public.

The last general restoration of the building, led by Antoni González Moreno, took place in 1983 and ended in 1997. This restoration included a reinterpretation by different artists from the chimneys and roof vents, which retains only a fireplace with the original trencadís Gaudí. The Palau Güell was declared World Heritage by UNESCO in 1986.