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Park Güell
The park was built from 1900 to 1914 and was officially opened
as a public park in 1926. In 1984, UNESCO declared the park a
World Heritage Site under "Works of Antoni Gaudí".
Park Güell is the reflection of Gaudí's artistic plenitude,
which belongs to his naturalist phase (first decade of the 20th
century). During this period, the architect perfected his
personal style through inspiration from organic shapes. He put
into practice a series of new structural solutions rooted in the
analysis of geometry. To that, the Catalan artist adds creative
liberty and an imaginative, ornamental creation. Starting from a
sort of baroquism, his works acquire a structural richness of
forms and volumes, free of the rational rigidity or any sort of
classic premises. In the design of Park Güell, Gaudí unleashed
all his architectonic genius and put to practice much of his
innovative structural solutions that would become the symbol of
his organic style and that would culminate in the creation of
the Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family (Catalan:
Sagrada Familia).
Güell and Gaudí conceived this park, situated within a natural
park. They imagined an organized grouping of high-quality homes,
decked out with all the latest technological advancements to
ensure maximum comfort, finished off with an artistic touch.
They also envisioned a community strongly influenced by
symbolism, since, in the common elements of the park, they were
trying to synthesize many of the political and religious ideals
shared by patron and architect: therefore there are noticeable
concepts originating from political Catalanism – especially in
the entrance stairway where the Catalan countries are
represented – and from Catholicism – the Monumento al Calvario,
originally designed to be a chapel. The mythological elements
are so important: apparently Güell and Gaudí's conception of the
park was also inspired by the Temple of Apollo of Delphi.
On the other hand, many experts who? have tried to link the park
to various symbols because of the complex iconography that Gaudí
applied to the urban project. Such references go from political
vindication to religious exaltation, passing through mythology,
history and philosophy. Specifically, many studies claim to see
references to Freemasonry, despite the deep religious beliefs of
both Gaudí and Count Güell. These references have not been
proven in the historiography of the modern architect. The
multiplicity of symbols found in the Park Güell is, as
previously mentioned, associated to political and religious
signs, with a touch of mystery according to the preferences of
that time for enigmas and puzzles.
The park was originally part of a commercially unsuccessful
housing site, the idea of Count Eusebi Güell, after whom the
park was named. It was inspired by the English garden city
movement; hence the original English name Park (in Catalan the
name is "Parc Güell"). The site was a rocky hill with little
vegetation and few trees, called Muntanya Pelada (Bare
Mountain). It already included a large country house called
Larrard House or Muntaner de Dalt House and was next to a
neighbourhood of upper-class houses called La Salut (The
Health). The intention was to exploit the fresh air (well away
from smoky factories) and beautiful views from the site, with
sixty triangular lots being provided for luxury houses. Count
Eusebi Güell added to the prestige of the development by moving
in 1906 to live in Larrard House. Ultimately, only two houses
were built, neither designed by Gaudí. One was intended to be a
show house, but on being completed in 1904 was put up for sale,
and as no buyers came forward, Gaudí, at Güell's suggestion,
bought it with his savings and moved in with his family and his
father in 1906. This house, where Gaudí lived from 1906 to 1926,
was built by Francesc Berenguer in 1904. It contains original
works by Gaudí and several of his collaborators. It is now the
Gaudi House Museum (Casa Museu Gaudí) since 1963. In 1969 it was
declared a historical artistic monument of national interest.
It has since been converted into a municipal garden. It can be
reached by underground railway (although the stations are at a
distance from the Park and at a much lower level below the
hill), by city buses, or by commercial tourist buses. Since
October 2013 there is an entrance fee to visit the Monumental
Zone (main entrance, terrace, and the parts containing mosaics),
but the entrance to the Park remains free. Gaudí's house, "la
Torre Rosa," – containing furniture that he designed – can be
only visited for another entrance fee. There is a reduced rate
for those wishing to see both Gaudí's house and the Sagrada
Família Church.
Park Güell is designed and composed to bring the peace and calm
that one would expect from a park. The buildings flanking the
entrance, though very original and remarkable with fantastically
shaped roofs with unusual pinnacles, fit in well with the use of
the park as pleasure gardens and seem relatively inconspicuous
in the landscape when one considers the flamboyance of other
buildings designed by Gaudí. One of these buildings houses a
permanent exhibition of the Barcelona City History Museum MUHBA
focused on the building itself, the park and the city.
The focal point of the park is the main terrace, surrounded by a
long bench in the form of a sea serpent. The curves of the
serpent bench form a number of enclaves, creating a more social
atmosphere. Gaudí incorporated many motifs of Catalan
nationalism, and elements from religious mysticism and ancient
poetry, into the Park. Much of the design of the benches was the
work not of Gaudí but of his often overlooked collaborator Josep
Maria Jujol.
Roadways around the park 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. This minimized the
intrusion of the roads, and Gaudí designed them using local
stone in a way that integrates them closely into the landscape.
His structures echo natural forms, with columns like tree trunks
supporting branching vaulting under the roadway, and the curves
of vaulting and alignment of sloping columns designed in a
similar way to his Church of Colònia Güell so that the inverted
catenary arch shapes form perfect compression structures.
The large cross at the park's high-point offers the most
complete view of Barcelona and the bay. It is possible to view
the main city in panorama, with the Sagrada Família and the
Montjuïc area visible at a distance.
The park supports a wide variety of wildlife, notably several of
the non-native species of parrot found in the Barcelona area.
Other birds can be seen from the park, with records including
short-toed eagle. The park also supports a population of
hummingbird hawk moths. |