Parque Güell

Gaudí gives free rein to his creative freedom and his exceptional fantasy in the Güell Park. Visitors can see the architect´ s passion for the natural forms on all its corners. He knew well the English Garden-Houses, so that they were his inspiration when he built the park in the Montaña Pelada area (Bare Mountain), inside the old village of Gracia.

The land is rocky and with abundant drops, so that he had to create curved- line streets in order solve the drops problem. He solved the problem of too inclined streets building viaducts by means of a system of cylindrical brick pillars that supported
Timbrel vaults (Catalan vaults) covered with yellowish stone avoiding not to match. The viaducts were decorated with flowerpot holders and benches. Gaudí ordered to plant more trees in order to stress the Mediterranean nature of the place.

The access to the park is completed with two more buildings: one for the caretaker and other one used as an information point. The entrance pavilions have a peculiar aspect: they are made of stone and are covered by Catalan vaults with original forms decorated with trencadís (a coating made of irregular pieces of mosaic, that later was used during the Modernism).

In the main entrance is located the dragon´ s double staircase, that gives access to a huge hypostyle chamber with 86 columns covered with white ceramics at the bottom. The outer columns are inclined in order to make for the square weight. The great square is located over the Hypostyle chamber, nearly creating a Greek temple. You can see several stone lions´ heads in the outer side used as gutters. In this part is located the famous curved bench that Gaudí built with José María Jujol´ s aid.