The architectural style of Antoni Gaudi is usually attributed to the Art Nouveau movement. But you can notice that in the designs of his creations the architect used individual features of many other styles. At the same time, each of them was subject to rethinking, and the architect took only those elements that he considered acceptable for his buildings.

The Sagrada Familia Cathedral is the pinnacle of the work of a brilliant architect

The personality remains mysterious and incomprehensible, despite huge amount information about the life and work of this genius. It would seem, what new can be said about a person who spent his whole life basking in fame and luxury, not knowing how to count money and wholly devoting himself to creativity? So why did Antonio die alone, in extreme poverty and oblivion? The answer to this question is - alas! - is not known to anyone.

Gaudi's buildings

Among the famous buildings of the brilliant architect, starting from his earliest works, the following can be distinguished:

• (built in 1883 - 1888) - Casa Vicens - residential house of the Manuel Vicens family, one of Gaudí's first major commissions.

• El Capriccio, Comillas(Cantabria) (built in 1883 - 1885) - Capricho de Gaudi - the summer residence of Maximo de Quijano, Marquis de Comillas, who was a relative of Eusebio Güell, one of the architect’s main clients. This mansion was built for the heir of the Marquis.

El Capriccio

• , Pedralbes in Barcelona (built in 1884 - 1887) - unique buildings in one of the most prestigious areas of Catalonia, built in the style of rich Cuban estates.

• Palace Guell in Barcelona (built in 1886 - 1889) - Palau Guell - residential house of the wealthy industrialist Eusebio Guell, one of Gaudí's early works. The palace contains features of a Venetian palazzo, mixed with a dose of eclecticism.

• in Barcelona (built in 1888 - 1894) - Collegi de las Teresianes - a special educational institution, a college for girls who in the future became nuns. Today it is one of the main attractions of Catalonia.

• Episcopal Palace in Astorga, Castile (Leon) (built in 1889 - 1893) - Palacio Episcopal de Astorga - a palace near the city of Leon, commissioned by Bishop Joan Bautista Grau y Vallespinos.

• in Leon(built in 1891 - 1892) - Casa de los Botines - a residential building with warehouses in Leon, built in the Art Nouveau tradition with the addition of individual elements.

• Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family in Barcelona (1883 - the work was not completed by the architect). Of course, when we're talking about about the work of Antonio Gaudi, then the first thing that comes to mind is one of the most ingenious and bizarre buildings widely known throughout the world - this is the Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona. Among Catholics, the name of the temple sounds like “Temple Expiatori de la Sagrado Familia.”

• (the project was developed in 1892 - 1893, but the mission was not built) - a small project of the architect, which was never brought to life. In planning the future construction, Gaudí completely abandons tradition.

• , Garraf (built in 1895 - 1898) - Bodegas Guell - an architectural complex in Sitges, consisting of two buildings - the entrance building and the cellar itself. The structure was erected by order of the same industrialist Eusebio Güell.

• House Calvet in Barcelona(built in 1898 - 1900) - Casa Calvet - the residential building of the widow of the manufacturer Pere Martir Calvet y Carbonel, which was originally designed as an apartment building. In such buildings, the lower floors and basements are reserved for retail establishments, the owners themselves live on the middle floors, and the rooms at the top are rented out to guests. Today, the Calvet house is one of the landmarks of Barcelona.

• Colony Güell Crypt, Santa Coloma de Cervelo (1898 - 1916) - a chapel built on the territory of the settlement of workers of the textile factory of Eusebio Güell. A wealthy industrialist in his colony wanted to build a school, a hospital and a church for his workers. It was with the construction of the crypt that the implementation of the project began. However, things did not go any further, and the church itself remained unfinished.

• House Figueres on Calle Bellesguard in Barcelona (1900 - 1902) - Casa Figueras or Bellesguard Tower - a beautiful house topped with towers, commissioned by the merchant's widow Maria Sages. The customer wanted to build a new one on her land beautiful building, and Antonio Gaudi fully coped with this task.

• Park Guell in Barcelona(1900 - 1914) - Parque Guell - a garden and park complex with residential areas with a total area of ​​just over 17 hectares, built in the upper part of Barcelona.

• (1901 - 1902) - Finca Miralles - a gate for the house of the manufacturer Miralles, built in the form of a fancy sea shell and harmoniously fit into the arched opening.

• Villa Catlaras, La Pabla de Lillet(built in 1902) is a country house in Spain, designed by a talented architect. The uniqueness of the building is visible even in the drawing - no one had done anything like this before Gaudi.

La Pabla de Lillet

• Artigas Gardens in frontPyrenees mountains(1903 - 1910) - Can Artigas gardens in Pobla de Lillet - magnificent buildings within the garden and park complex, located at the foot of the Pyrenees mountains at a distance of 130 km from Barcelona.

For a long time, this pearl of Gaudi’s architectural creativity remained unknown to the whole world, but in the early 70s of the 20th century, the gardens were discovered, put in order and opened to tourists. Since then, the Can Artigas gardens have been one of the landmarks of Spain, as well as a unique example.

• Warehouses of the Badia blacksmith artel(1904) - were designed by order of José and Luis Badio, owners of the blacksmith workshops from which Gaudi ordered forged metal parts to design his architectural projects.
• (built in 1904 - 1906) - Casa Batllo - residential house of Josep Batllo i Casanovas, a wealthy textile magnate, rebuilt by Gaudí according to his own design.

• Reconstruction of the Cathedral to Palma de Mallorca(1904 - 1919) - Catedral de Santa Maria de Palma de Mallorca - in this Catholic cathedral Antonio Gaudi produced restoration and decorative works commissioned by Bishop Campins.

• (1906-1910) - residential building of the Mila family, Gaudí's last secular work, after which he devoted himself entirely to creating the Temple of the Atonement of the Sagrada Familia. Casa Mila is also one of the most important attractions of the Catalan capital.

• Parish school at the Sagrada Familia Church of the Redemption in Barcelona(1909 - 1910) - Escjles de la Sagrada Familia - originally a school for the children of workers involved in the construction of the Sagrada Familia Cathedral, was planned as a temporary building. Subsequently, after the construction of the cathedral was completed, they wanted to demolish the school. But the building turned out to be so expressive and unique that it still stands not far from the cathedral.

Gaudi's architectural work is not only multifaceted and interesting. It represents a truly rich heritage for all generations of future architects, who will be able to learn from the examples of these unique buildings and create their own masterpieces.

Nowadays, few people have not heard of the architect and the Sagrada Familia, his most famous work. Catalans idolize Gaudi, because it was thanks to him that Barcelona acquired its unique style.

Biography of Antonio Gaudi reveals the mass interesting moments about his life, despite the fact that all his life the genius was a rather reserved person, having practically no friends. Architecture was the main meaning of his life, an element in which he did not give concessions to anyone, often being tough and cruel with workers. Antonio Gaudi i Cornet born on June 25, 1852 in Reus (Catalonia), or in a village near this town, becoming the fifth child in the family. It is the fact that his entire childhood was spent near the sea that explains the bizarre shapes of the genius’s buildings, reminiscent of sand castles. Even as a child, Antonio suffered from pneumonia and rheumatism. Due to his illnesses, he had practically no friends, so the boy was often alone with nature, even then dreaming of becoming an architect. Subsequently, this influenced the creation of forms in his creations that were close to natural.

Since 1868, Gaudi moved to Barcelona, ​​where he took architectural courses. One of the teachers called him either a genius or crazy for his unconventional projects. Gaudi never used drawings or computers; in his work he was guided only by intuition, making all calculations in his mind. It cannot be said that the architect was in search of his own style; he simply saw the world this way, creating masterpieces of architecture. Here we can point out the fact that Antonio’s ancestors, right up to his great-grandfathers, were boilermakers; the most complex products were made “by eye”, without drawings. Apparently it was theirs family trait. In 1878, he was finally noticed and received his first commission - designing a street lamp for Barcelona. The following year the project was fully implemented.

House of Vicens

The House of Vicens (Casa Vicens, 1878) was designed for diploma student and building materials manufacturer Manuel Vincens at the beginning of Gaudí's architectural career. The house has a simple rectangular plan, built of stone and brick, but the architect equipped the building with rich ceramic decoration and so many extensions, turrets and balconies that the house looked like a fairy-tale palace. The master drew inspiration from ancient Arab architecture. Gaudi himself designed the window bars and garden fence, and also made sketches of the interior of the dining room and smoking room. This project was the first to use the experience of creating a parabolic arch. This villa can be seen on Carolines Street, unfortunately now without a garden.

His career began with very modest commissions; in addition to a street lamp for the Royal Square, he designed store windows and designed street toilets. But thanks to this, he was noticed by the wealthy industrialist Count Eusebio Güell y Bacigalupi, who became his patron and regular customer until the count’s death in 1918. Count Guell gave Gaudí complete freedom, thereby allowing him to express himself. Everything that Antonio built for Güell became a collection of masterpieces that Barcelona is so proud of.

Gaudí's first work for Count Güell was the construction of the count's estate in the Garraf district (1884-1887). Only the gate with the forged dragon remained intact; the appearance of the mighty monster on the gate was very symbolic, since it is part of the emblem of Catalonia, and its curves follow the outlines of the Draco constellation. This was what Gaudi was all about; all his buildings and sculptures are imbued with symbolism. Next to the gate are the entrance pavilions, which formerly housed the stables, the riding arena and the gatekeeper's house, and now the Gaudí Research Center. The domed turrets on these pavilions are reminiscent of the book One Thousand and One Nights.

Gaudí’s most unique work for the count was the building of the Barcelona residence of the Güells (1886-1891). This building is a clear reflection of Gaudí's own style. A unique combination of materials and multi-colors creates fantastic images. The roof of this building is covered with decorative chimneys and ventilation pipes of unimaginable types, none of which are repeated. Gaudi did not forget about the practicality of his buildings; thanks to the huge arches, it was easy for carriages to enter the stables located under the house. Inside the house there was a spacious main hall, which was crowned with a dome with holes, so that even during the day, raising your head, it seemed as if you were looking at the starry sky. Everything in this building was designed by Gaudí, the balcony railings, the furniture, the stucco on the ceilings, the columns (of forty different shapes).

The architect's main dream was to build churches; he was a deeply religious man. He was approached by the Catholic Church to complete the building of the College of the Sisters of the Order of St. Teresa, which had been abandoned by another architect. The order's funds were very meager, since the order took a vow of poverty. But Gaudi was able to give this building a sophisticated, sophisticated style, decorating it not luxuriously, but modestly: with the coats of arms of the order, turrets with crosses and arches.

Another order of the church was the episcopal palace in Astorga (1887-1893), which he never managed to complete, since the Academy of Fine Arts in Madrid, whose permission was required for the implementation of this project, hounded the architect with amendments, and he quit the job because defended every stroke on his drawings. The palace was completed by a different architect, but retained the general appearance of Gaudi, reminiscent of medieval castles with its turrets and buttresses.

However, of course, the most famous work of the master remains the Sagrada Familia (Cathedral of the Holy Family), made in an atypical style for temple architecture. Construction of the cathedral architect Antonio Gaudi devoted a lot of time and effort, starting it in 1883, however, the building was never completed due to the death of Antoni Gaudi. After the genius passed away, the Sagrada Familia project remained unfinished, since Antonio did not like to draw, and there were no original drawings left after him. The forms and symbolism of the cathedral are so complex, and Gaudí's working method is so unique, that all subsequent attempts to continue the construction looked too uncertain.

In addition to the Sagrada Familia, Barcelona is home to 13 major buildings by Antoni Gaudi, giving the city a unique flavor and allowing you to get an idea of ​​the style of the brilliant creator. These include Casa Mila (a residential building whose walls are painted with inside, and on the flat, uneven roof there are chimneys lined with pieces of glass and ceramics), Casa Batllo (whose wavy, scaly roof resembles a giant snake), Porta Mirales (a rounded wall covered with tortoiseshell tiles), Park Güell (representing an urban style in nature, there is not a single straight line here, this park has become the pearl of Barcelona), the church of the Guell country estate, the Bellesguard house (a villa in the form of a Gothic castle with complex star-shaped stained glass windows) and of course many others, since, having become “fashionable” among wealthy citizens did not leave it until the end of his life.

Architect Antonio Gaudi died when hit by a tram on June 7, 1926. There is widespread information that on this day the first tram was launched in Barcelona and that it was supposedly that the architect was crushed by it, but this is just a legend. Gaudi was an unkempt old man and was mistaken for a homeless man. He died three days later on June 10, in a homeless shelter, but he was identified quite by chance by an elderly woman. And thanks to her, the great architect was not buried in a common grave, but was buried with honors in the building of his entire life, the Temple of the Holy Family, where you can see his grave and death mask.

By decision of UNESCO, Park Güell, Palace Güell and Casa Mila were declared heritage of humanity.

According to legend, Barcelona was founded famous hero ancient greek myths- Hercules and restored from ruins in the 3rd century BC by the Carthaginian Hamilcar Barca, who named the city in honor of his family - Barsino. Today Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain by the number of inhabitants and the tenth largest in the European Union.

The capital of Catalonia is located on the Mediterranean coast. The hills on which the city was built gave the names to its five districts: Carmel, Monterolles, Puchet, Rovira and Peira. Like most European cities, Barcelona consists of the Old Town, which includes the Gothic Quarter, the New Town, dating back to the 19th century, and modern areas.

The architecture of Barcelona reflects the main historical and cultural periods of the formation of the Catalan capital. The old town includes both medieval buildings, made in gothic style, as well as more ancient buildings from the period of Roman antiquity. Eixample or New city is a classic example of modernism of the late 19th – early 20th centuries. On the Boulevard Gràcia you can admire the masterpieces of the famous Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí and the lanterns with benches designed by Per Falques.

The main attractions of Barcelona are located in the historical center of the city. On the Montjuic hill, located next to the seaport, you can visit the ancient fortress (1640), architectural museum open-air, known as the "Spanish Village", the National Museum of Art of Catalonia and the Olympic venues built for the 1992 Summer Games. The site lonelyplanet.com introduces us to the most beautiful sights of Barcelona.

Architectural sights of Barcelona - PHOTOS.

1. Sagrada Familia

The Expiatory Temple of the Sagrada Familia, located in the Eixample of Barcelona, ​​belongs to the architectural genius of the modernist era - Antoni Gaudi. Construction of the cathedral began in 1882. All work was paid for through private donations. Perhaps this is why the Church of the Holy Family was built over several centuries. From 1882 to 1926 it was built under the direction of Gaudí. Since 1926, patronage of the Temple was alternately taken over by other famous architects. The consecration of the temple took place only in the 21st century. The Church of the Holy Family is built in the shape of a Latin cross. The structure has five naves. The bell towers of the temple imitate the appearance of sand towers.

2. Church of Santa Maria del Mar

The Church of St. Mary of the Sea (and this is how the name of the pearl of Spanish architecture is translated into Russian) is located in the ancient quarter of La Ribela, located in the Old Town. The Gothic structure was erected during the mid-to-late 14th century - the time of the commercial and maritime heyday of Catalonia. Santa Maria del Mar is distinguished by its purity of architectural style, strictly adhering to traditional medieval norms. For example, the exquisite, at first glance, stained glass window of the western façade of the church belongs to the Flamboyant Gothic style.

3. Torre Akbar

The 34-story skyscraper, located in Plaza Glorias Catalanes, got its name from the owners, the Akbar Group company. The prefix “Torre” translated from Catalan means “tower”. A majestic building reminiscent of appearance spacecraft, was completed in June 2005. The uniqueness of the facade of Torre Akbar is associated with its special structure. External part The skyscraper is covered with metal panels with LEDs built into them, and glass panels moving under the influence of temperature sensors. LED technologies form complex color combinations on the surface of Torre Akbar within 16 million options.

4. Palace of Catalan Music

Palau de la Musica Catalana is the most prominent representative of Catalan modernity. The famous Barcelona Concert Hall was built by the architect Luis Domenech i Montaner at the beginning of the 20th century. The Palace of Catalan Music is the only one in Europe with natural lighting. Palau de la Musica Catalana is located on a small street in the historical quarter of La Ribela. The architectural features of Art Nouveau were manifested in the design of the Palace in curved lines, dynamic forms, and bright artistic ornaments. The façade decoration additionally includes elements of classical Spanish and Arabic culture.

5.Hospital of the Holy Cross and St. Paul

The famous hospital complex of Barcelona is located in the New Town. Built in the first third of the 20th century according to the design of the famous Catalan modernist architect Luis Domènech i Montaner, it is included in the list World Heritage UNESCO. The first hospital of St. Paul appeared on this site back in 1401, when six medieval hospitals were combined into one. In its modern form, the hospital functioned until 2009, after which it was converted into a cultural center and museum. Currently, various exhibitions are held on its territory.

6. Santa Caterina Market

The Santa Caterina market got its name from the saint to whom the market that previously stood on this site was dedicated. convent. The religious institution was destroyed in 1835 by revolutionary events, after which the city council decided to give its land to retail space, which the city needed more at that time. The first market building was designed by Joseph Mas Villa and opened in 1846. Santa Catarina acquired its modern appearance thanks to the work of Enrique Mirayes. It was he who suggested decorating the market roof in bright, catchy colors.

7. House "La Pedrera"

In fact, an unusual Barcelona house, built at the beginning of the 20th century according to the design of the architect Antonio Gaudi, is called La Casa Mila. “Pedrera”, that is, “Quarry”, he was nicknamed local residents, who at first did not accept modernism as an art form. The strange structure, completely devoid of straight lines, was perceived by Barcelona residents as something terrible. Meanwhile, Mila's house is unique not only from the outside, but also from the inside. It has natural ventilation, and the interior partitions can be moved at the request of the apartment owners.

8. House of Amalje

Built in late XIX– at the beginning of the 20th century, the Amalier house combines the architectural features of neo-Gothic and modernism. The building was built in 1875. In 1898, it was bought by Barcelona confectioner Antonio Amalle. On his instructions, the architect J. Puig i Cadafalca redesigned decorative design buildings. The pediment of the latter acquired a stepped appearance, and an allegorical image of the owner appeared on the facade. Located in the Eixample district, the Amallier house is part of the "Quarter of Controversy", so named due to the stylistic heterogeneity of the buildings that make it up. Since 1976, the Amalje House has been a monument of national importance.

9. Casa Batllo

Casa Batlló bears the name of the textile magnate who commissioned the design of the building from the modernist architect Antonio Gaudi. The residential building was erected in 1877 in the Eixample area, next to the Amallier house. The second name of Casa Batllo - House of Bones - is associated with its unusual architectural form. Like La Pedrera, the design of this building does not have straight lines. The wavy curves of the façade give the building an allegorical image of a dragon, Gaudi’s favorite character. In fact, Casa Batllo with its shapes and decorative elements recreates famous story killing the dragon by Saint George, patron saint of Catalonia.

10. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Pavilion

German architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is one of the leading representatives of the international style that emerged within modernism in the 30-60s of the 20th century. The Barcelona Pavilion was built in the 1980s in exact accordance with its German predecessor. In an original translucent building consisting of glass and different types marble, houses the Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Museum. In particular, it exhibits the most famous works architect: sculpture by Georg Kolbe and the Barcelona chair.

Padres Escolapios. Due to his illness, Gaudí did not have many friends; his closest ones were Toda and Ribera. Together with them, he dreamed of restoring Poblet. Poor health made only one entertainment available to Antonio - walking, and he retained his passion for them all his life. Unable to play with children, the young genius discovered the natural world, which became his inspiration in solving the most complex architectural problems.
While studying at school, Gaudi showed artistic talent. He paints the backstage of the school theater. And in 1867, the school weekly “El Harlequin,” published in a circulation of only 12 copies, published several drawings of the genius. In 1968, the architect graduated from school.
From 1869 to 1874, Gaudí moved to Barcelona and took architectural preparatory courses at the University of Barcelona at the Faculty of Natural Sciences.
Learning and becoming
In 1870, the restoration of the Poblet monastery, which Gaudi dreamed of, is planned. The architect develops a sketch of the coat of arms for the rector.
In 1873, Gaudí entered the Provincial School of Architecture in Barcelona. In 1876, the architect's elder brother and mother died. By the time he graduated from the school of architecture in 1877, a huge number of sketches and projects had been created: a pier for ships, the Central Hospital of Barcelona, ​​cemetery gates.
Until 1882, while Gaudí worked as a draftsman under the supervision of Francisco Villar and Emilio Sala, he studied crafts, created furniture for his own home and did other small work. During this time, participation in competitions did not bring results.
In 1878, Gaudí was finally noticed, and he received his first public commission - street lamp Barcelona. Already in 1879 the project was implemented.
On March 15, 1878, Gaudí became a certified architect. In the same year, an order was received from Esteve Comella to decorate the window display of a glove store. The result attracted the attention of industrialist Eusebio Güell. The same period was marked by work on a project for a village in Mataro for a workers' cooperative; it was even exhibited at the World Exhibition in Barcelona.
Gaudi pays attention to the study of old architectural monuments in the vicinity of Barcelona. The architect attends excursions with the Catalan “Excursion Center,” members of the Catalan Association of Architects. At this time, the first major order for the construction of a mansion was received from Manuel Vicens y Montaner.
In 1879, Gaudi's sister, Rosita Gaudi de Egea, died, leaving behind a daughter. The architect takes his niece to live in Barcelona. He himself was never married, and, according to contemporaries, due to his unsuccessful personal life in his old age he became a misogynist. The master had no children.
Recognition and the most significant buildings
In 1881, Gaudí's only journalistic work was published in the newspaper La Renaixenca, it was dedicated to the exhibition applied arts. The project for Obrera Mataronense, a workers' settlement, has been completed and is being printed at the Hepus printing house.
At the end of the 19th century, the neo-Gothic style flourished in Europe, and the architect became delighted with new ideas. The handwriting was strongly influenced by the work of Viollet-le-Duc, who restored Notre-Dame de Paris, and the English art critic John Ruskin.
With no less interest, Gaudí studied the architecture of Barcelona, ​​especially the neo-Gothic works of Joan Martorell. They met in 1882, the genius was influenced for a long time famous Spaniard. It was under the patronage of Martorell that Antonio Gaudi was approved in 1883 (November 3) as the architect of the Sagrada Familia (Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família), after the departure of Francisco del Villar. In parallel with this, the first project for Güell is being developed - the Hunting Pavilion near Sitges.
In 1883, work began on the Casa Vicens. At the same time, El Capriccio (Capricho de Gaudí) was being built for Maximo Diaz de Quijano - a country house in Comillas near Santander. The projects are considered stylistic twins and belong to early modernism. Distinctive feature each is richly decorated. Vicens's house turned out to be more elegant, El Capriccio - rather whimsical, which does not detract from its charm. The work was completed in 1888.
In 1884-1887, Gaudí designed and implemented the equestrian yard and the entrance gate to Les Corts, Güell's estate. The order has for real great value and the results only confirm the industrialist's desire to cooperate.
Convinced of Gaudi's talent, in 1886 Guell ordered him to build the Palace in Barcelona. It is the Güell Palace (Palau Güell) that brings the master fame among the bourgeoisie. He transforms from an ordinary builder into a fashionable architect, who has become a symbol of “unaffordable luxury.” Playing with space, behaving like living matter, impressed the customer. During the construction period, Gaudi traveled through Andalusia and then Morocco in the retinue of the Margrave of Comillas. Work on the Palais Güell was completed in 1889.
From 1887 to 1893, the master was involved in the construction of the Bishop's Palace in the neo-Gothic style in the city of Astorg in Castile. But the building remained unfinished until 1915, since the architect, due to disagreements with the chapter, refused to lead the project in 1893.
In parallel, in 1888-1889, Gaudi worked with the Gothic-fortress project of the monastery School of St. Theresa in Barcelona. Around the same period, from 1891 to 1892, the Casa Botines in León was built under his leadership.
Finding time between visits to the construction site, the architect manages to visit Tangier and Malaga to get acquainted with the site where construction was to be carried out for the Franciscan Mission. But the project remained unfulfilled.
In 1893, Bishop Juan Bautista Grau i Vallespinosa, who commissioned Gaudí to build the palace in Astorga, died. The craftsmen were invited to create a project for a tombstone and a hearse.
Contemporaries note that Gaudi was a devout Catholic and strictly observed fasting. It was this reason, coupled with poor health, that caused a serious deterioration in my general condition. The recovery process was difficult and greatly affected the architect's inner world.
From 1895 to 1901, Gaudí built many buildings for Eusebio Güell. For a long time, his involvement in the outbuildings and wine cellars in Garraf remained unknown. It was believed that only his friend Francesc Berenguer i Mestres worked on them.
In 1898, Gaudí created a design for the Church of Colonia Güell, but built only the staircase complex and the Crypt. The building stood unfinished for a long time, and was completed only in 1917. At the same time, in 1898, the Calvet House (Casa Calvet) was built in a pseudo-Baroque style for the industrialist Pere Martir Calvet i Carbonell. The house was completed in 1900 and received a municipal prize as the best building of the year. This award was the only one during Gaudí's lifetime.
The year 1900 was significant for the architect, and he designed a sculptural ensemble for the Catalan shrine - the Monastery of Montserrat. The hand of the master is visible in the design of the altar chapel.
Still in 1900, an order was received from Maria Sages to build a country house on the site of the royal residence of Marty I. An unusual solution was chosen for the project - a medieval castle. Since the construction was carried out on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and on the top of a hill, the house was named “Bellesguard”, which translates as “beautiful view”. The work was completed in 1909. At first glance, the building seems very simple, but in fact Gaudi combined the surrounding landscape and a dead structure in it. The mixture of Mudejar and neo-Gothic echoes the House of Vicens and El Capriccio.
The year 1900 was truly eventful. Güell ordered Gaudi to create a huge park in Gràcia, which at that time was a suburb of Barcelona. According to the industrialist, it was supposed to be an English park, an outlet from industrialization, and at the same time a spontaneous romantic garden. The architect himself and his niece subsequently settled on one of the plots. The grandiose work on Park Güell was completed in 1914, along with the design of the area at the main entrance, alleys and large terrace. However, it was not possible to realize Güell's large-scale plan to build a new green residential area.
Gaudi simultaneously worked on several projects at once. So, in 1901, an order was received from the manufacturer Miralles to design the walls of the estate and the entrance gate. From 1903 to 1914, the architect led the reconstruction of the cathedral in Palma de Mallorca and created its interior.
From 1904 to 1906 Gaudí reconstructed the Batlló House in Barcelona. The textile magnate wanted to demolish the old building, but the architect chose to leave the side walls and put all his whimsical imagination into the facades and interior decoration. This is the first project that cannot be attributed to any specific architectural style. Along with the House of Batlo, Gaudí's unique style was born.
As mentioned earlier, the architect moved to one of the houses in Park Güell in 1906, but not because of vanity, the master was very modest, but because of his father’s illness. Yet on October 29, 1906, Gaudí’s father dies.
From 1906 to 1910, work was carried out on the Casa Milà, another unusual project. The architect wanted to build a house similar to a living creature, in which the space would not be static, but would develop and be reborn. Gaudi's plan was quite a success, although it was received with hostility by his contemporaries.
The fame of the Catalan architect went far beyond the country. In 1908, an order was received from New York for the construction of a hotel. But the work ended at the stage of drawing sketches offering a bold and extraordinary solution. At the same time, Gaudi was designing a chapel at the School of St. Theresa, but the leadership of the educational institution rejected the project. Also in 1908, construction of the Crypt of Colonia Güell in Santa Coloma was resumed.
All this time, starting in 1882, the construction of the Sagrada Familia has been going on. In 1909, the master decided to create a temporary school for the children of the temple parishioners. A feature of the structure was the abundance of curvilinear forms and the absence of partitions.
In 1910, under the auspices of the National Society of Fine Arts, the only major lifetime exhibition in Paris was held, at which Gaudí's various projects were presented.
In 1912, the architect's niece, Rosa Egea i Gaudi, died in poor health; she was 36 years old. In 1914, a close friend and ally, Francesc Berenguer i Mestres, died. After a break, construction of the Sagrada Familia resumed.
On June 7, 1926, a lonely, unkempt old man, into whom the great Gaudi turned, was hit by a tram on the way to a church service. Three days later, on June 10, the genius passed away. He is buried with honors in the unfinished Sagrada Familia, his life's project, where his tomb and death mask can be seen.

Antonio Gaudi: the most mysterious architect in history who worked miracles

We often hear about brilliant musicians, writers, and poets. When applied to architecture, the word “brilliant” is used much less frequently. Perhaps because it is much more difficult to realize such a talent than any other. All the more valuable to history is anyone who managed to replenish the architectural heritage of mankind with creations of unique beauty. The brightest and most mysterious among such geniuses is the Spanish architect Antonio Gaudi - the creator of the legendary Sagrada Familia Cathedral, Palace Guell, Casa Batllo and other unique masterpieces that adorn Barcelona today, making it a truly unique city.

Antonio Gaudi was born in Catalonia in 1852 in the family of the blacksmith Francisco Gaudi i Serra and his wife Antonia Curnet i Bertrand. In the family he was the youngest of five children. After the death of Antonio's mother, two brothers and sister, he settled in Barcelona with his father and niece. Since childhood, Gaudí was very sick; rheumatism prevented him from playing with other children. Instead, he took long walks alone, which he eventually grew to love. It was they who helped him become closer to nature, which throughout his subsequent life inspired the architect to solve the most incredible constructive and artistic tasks.

The brilliant architect Antonio Gaudi.

While studying at Catholic college, Antonio was most interested in geometry and drawing. In his spare time, he spent time exploring local monasteries. Already in those years, teachers admired the works of the young artist Gaudi. And he said with complete seriousness that his talent was God’s gift. In the process of creating his creations, he often turned to the theme of God, and did not deviate from it even when choosing the artistic aspects of his work. For example, he did not like straight lines, calling them a product of man. But Gaudi adored circles and was convinced of their divine origin. These principles can be clearly seen in all his 18 architectural creations, which today are the pride of Barcelona. They are characterized by a bold combination of materials, textures and colors. Gaudi used his own unsupported floor system, which made it possible not to “cut” the rooms into parts. Repeating his calculations became possible only after NASA created a calculation of the flight trajectories of spacecraft.

The architect’s first buildings were “House of Vicens”, “El Capriccio”, “Pavilion of the Güell Estate”. They differ significantly from each other, however, they are all decorated with a large number of decorative details in the neo-Gothic style.

"Pavilion of the Guell estate."

Generally architectural style Antonio Gaudi is phantasmagorical, difficult to define, although the architect was called a genius of modernism. Gaudi was the most a prominent representative its national romantic movement, Catalan modernism. Incredibly, he was not helped by design engineers, he acted on instinct, relying only on his sense of harmony, often improvised and tried to convey his idea to his assistants with the help of drawings on the board. His architectural creations have it all: whimsical structural forms, sculptures, painting, mosaic, color plasticity. They contain people and animals, fantastic creatures, trees, flowers.

Casa Batllo.

Antonio was very handsome, however, in his personal life he was lonely. Of course, he had affairs, but none of them ended in marriage or any kind of serious relationship. In essence, he was married to his creations. Antonio was a quite wealthy man and had the opportunity to rent any housing, but while working on the next project he invariably lived right at the construction site, equipping a small closet for himself, and wore old overalls.

Gaudí's architecture makes Barcelona unique.

This was the case during his work on his favorite and, perhaps, most grandiose creation - the Sagrada Familia Cathedral, the Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family, the construction of which he never had the opportunity to complete. It began in 1882, when Gaudí was 30 years old, and has not been completed to this day. The architect devoted 40 years of his life to this project. And on June 7, 1926, Gaudi left the construction site and disappeared. On the same day, on one of the streets of Barcelona, ​​a poor man was run over by a tram. Only a few days later he was identified as the greatest architect Antonio Gaudi. He found his last refuge in one of the chapels of the Sagrada Familia.

Cathedral of the Sagrada Familia.

During Gaudi's funeral procession, in which probably half the city took part, a mystical thing happened. Many townspeople, among whom were very respected people, claimed that they saw ghosts in the crowd of people who came to say goodbye to the genius. For example, Salvador Dali spoke about this.

In the Sagrada Familia cathedral.

Today, this mystery, which once excited Barcelona, ​​has already become history and the subject of excursions. But there are still people who believe that if you exactly repeat the route of Gaudi’s last journey, you can get a piece of his incredible talent. And we can simply be grateful to the genius for his selfless devotion to art and love for the people to whom he left a priceless architectural heritage.

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