The Palau Güell (, en, Güell Palace) is a mansion designed by the

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

Antoni Gaudí Antoni Gaudí i Cornet (; ; 25 June 1852 – 10 June 1926) was a Catalan architect from Spain known as the greatest exponent of Catalan Modernism. Gaudí's works have a highly individualized, ''sui generis'' style. Most are located in Bar ...

for the industrial tycoon

Eusebi Güell Eusebi Güell i Bacigalupi, 1st Count of Güell (; 15 December 1846 – 8 July 1918) was a Catalan entrepreneur who profited greatly from the industrial revolution in Catalonia in the late 19th century. He married Luisa Isabel Lopez y Bru —a ...

, and was built between 1886 and 1888. It is situated on the Carrer Nou de la Rambla, in the El Raval neighborhood of

Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...

Catalonia Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a '' nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy. Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the no ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Works of Antoni Gaudí". The home is centered around the main room for entertaining high society guests. Guests entered the home in horse-drawn carriages through the front iron gates, which featured a

parabolic arch A parabolic arch is an arch in the shape of a parabola.Article about parabolic arch by The Free DictionaryParabolic arch , Article about parabolic arch by The Free Dictionary accessdate: March 2, 2017 In structures, their curve represents an effi ...

and intricate patterns of forged ironwork resembling seaweed and in some parts a horsewhip. Animals could be taken down a ramp and kept in the livery stable in the basement where the servants resided, while the guests went up the stairs to the receiving room. The ornate walls and ceilings of the receiving room disguised small viewing windows high on the walls where the owners of the home could view their guests from the upper floor and get a "sneak peek" before greeting them, in case they needed to adjust their attire accordingly. The main party room has a tall ceiling with small holes near the top where lanterns were hung at night from the outside to give the appearance of a starlit sky. In 2004, visits by the public were completely suspended due to renovations; some of the stone used in the original construction was weak and had cracked over the years causing structural problems within the building. It is currently completely open, with all restoration work completed in April 2011. It was used in

Antonioni Michelangelo Antonioni (, ; 29 September 1912 – 30 July 2007) was an Italian filmmaker. He is best known for directing his "trilogy on modernity and its discontents"—''L'Avventura'' (1960), ''La Notte'' (1961), and ''L'Eclisse'' (1962 ...

's film '' The Passenger'' as a backdrop for the first meeting between Jack Nicholson and Maria Schneider.

External links

Palau Güell - Official Site

* Güell Palace: (http://www.gaudidesigner.com/uk/palacio-guell.html) {{DEFAULTSORT:Palau Guell Houses completed in 1888 Antoni Gaudí buildings Buildings and structures in Barcelona Tourist attractions in Barcelona World Heritage Sites in Catalonia Houses in Catalonia Modernisme architecture in Barcelona Art Nouveau houses

See also

External links