Palau Güell

This opulent mansion in the Raval district not far from Las Ramblas has been the subject of an extensive renovation programme and is now open to the public. One of Gaudí’s earliest triumphs, it was designed for the large family of his patron, the wealthy industrialist Eusebi Güell, and helped the young architect to put his quirky design ideas into practice on a grand scale.

Güell stipulated a large function room for entertaining his influential guests, and this impressive 17-metre high hall forms the centrepiece of the house. Guests would arrive at the huge iron entrance gates by horse-drawn carriages and the horses would then be stabled in the basement ready for the return journey. The family’s private rooms are all accessed off the main hall.

The guided tour starts in the basement stables and moves through the main floor bedrooms and living rooms into the lavishly decorated hall. The vast domed ceiling is lit by concealed lamps to give the appearance of a starlit sky. One of the most striking design features awaits you on the roof, where each of the twenty chimneys is individually designed in fantastic shapes and decorated with brightly coloured ceramic mosaic patterns. These fascinating roofscapes were to become one of Gaudí’s most recognisable trademarks.

A maximum of 200 visitors are allowed into the house at a time, so the queues are usually long and waiting times can be significant. The informative 40-minute audio guide is included in the ticket price, and a specially adapted shorter guide is available for younger visitors.

Palau Güell is closed on Mondays and public holidays in December and January. It is easily accessible by public transport or on foot from Las Ramblas. The top floor also houses occasional Gaudí-themed temporary exhibitions.