© 2018 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Gaudí.
Ever hear of him?
You can’t go anywhere in Barcelona without hearing the name Gaudí. However, if you are an architecture buff, you should be well-versed in his work.
The Catalonian architect, influenced by his passions in life…architecture, nature and religion…is most beloved in his home country. Taking a look at any of his works, it is evident that his passions are always displayed in his one-of-a-kind style. Many of his works are located in Barcelona…Casa Milà, Casa Battló, Casa Vincens, Palau Güell, Colonia Güell, Torre Bellesguard, Casa Calvet, Colegio Teresiano de Barcelona. The ones that most tourists come to see, however, are the still-incomplete, Sagrada Familia and Parque Güell, a park filled with architectural elements surrounded by lush gardens.
Having been to many of his installations, I decided that one of them was worthy of another visit, especially on the beautiful, sunny afternoon.
Years ago, I visited Parque Güell and wandered around for hours without paying to enter. Perusing the website, I noticed that admission was now being charged, seemingly to limit the large number of visitors to the park at one time. Purchasing a timed admission, I jumped on the bus and headed toward the park.
Parque Güell was built between 1900 and 1914 and was conceived by Count Eusebi Güell and designed by Antoni Gaudí with the idea of it being a park within a natural park. Within this park, they wanted to introduce a group of high-quality homes influenced by symbolism and modernism. These homes were to be outfitted with the latest technological advancements and not only be comfortable, but display an artistic attitude.
Officially opened as a park in 1926, on Carmel Hill in the neighborhood of La Salut, the park incorporated a large country home, Larrard House, which Count Güell moved into, hoping to add prestige to the community. Sixty triangular lots were available for the construction of the luxury homes, however, only two houses were ever built, neither by Gaudí. One, by Francesc Berenguer, was intended as a show house, but upon its completion in 1904, no buyers came forward. Gaudí purchased the home and lived there from 1906 until 1926. Today, the house, La Torre Rosa, operates as a museum within the park and was declared a historical artistic monument of national interest.
As I entered the park and wandered through the fantastical pavilions, I noticed that although there was ticket booth near the gates, no one was asking for tickets as I walked through the gates and through the park. Getting ready to enter La Torre Rosa, I suddenly realized that the ticket I had purchased online was for the Monumental Zone, the area at the main entrance, the terrace and the parts containing the mosaics. Realizing that my entrance time was valid for the Monumental Zone for only twenty more minutes, I explained my dilemma and asked if I could return to visit the museum.
Quickly making my way to the Monumental Zone area, I was able to enter on the terrace level, however, due to construction, the famous mosaic bench was partially closed. Still, elbowing my way through the crowded area, I was able to sit for a few minutes and enjoy the beautiful architectural element. The stairway with the Gaudí dragon fountain was also filled with visitors, each hoping to capture a picture with the iconic piece of sculpture. The two buildings flanking the entrance, each with unusual pinnacles and fantastically shaped roofs give the impression of gingerbread houses and one offers a permanent exhibition of the Barcelona City History Museum which focuses on the building itself, the park and the city.
After completing my Monumental Zone visit, I returned to La Torre Rosa, enjoying the amazing building filled with Gaudí’s captivating furniture and a fascinating film on the conception of the park.
Parque Güell is truly a place of tranquility, yet, fascination. As you walk through the lush gardens, you can almost imagine yourself to be in a fantastical dream. Take your time to enjoy each area of the park and if you see one of the many musical performers that spend time entertaining visitors, stop and relish in their music. The acoustics in some of the spaces are amazing! Also, don’t forget to make your way to the park’s highest point, marked with a large cross, for a phenomenal view of the city with both the Sagrada Familia and the Montjuic area visible in the distance. Lastly, make sure to keep your eyes open for the amazing wildlife that makes the park their home. Scour the trees for a variety of birds, most notably, non-native parrots and short-toed eagles, that reside in the area.
With so many of Gaudí’s works to see in Barcelona, it is extremely hard to choose which to visit first! However, if you find yourself with clear, bright skies and are tired of being indoors, Parque Güell is your go-to!
Check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe for more pictures.
Parque Güell
- https://www.parkguell.cat/
- Address: 08024 Barcelona, Spain
- Hours: January 1-March 24 and October 28-December 31, 0830-1815, March 25-April 29, 0800-2030, April 30-August 26, 0800-2130, August 27-October 27, 0800-2030
- Admission: Online Prices, Adults, €7,50, Children 0-6 years, free, Children 7-12 years, €5,25, Over 65 years, €5,25. Ticket office prices, Adults, €8,50, Children 0-6 years, free, Children 7-12 years, €6,00, Over 65 years, €6,00.
- Getting There: Park Güell is off Carrer d’Olot in Barcelona and has three entrances: one on Carrer de Larrard (main entrance), one at Carretera del Carmel, nº 23, where there is also the coach park for tourist coaches, and a third on Passatge de Sant Josep de la Muntanya, which you get to by going up an escalator. By Metro: You can take the Metro to Lesseps or Vallcarca stations and walk, approximately 20 minutes. By Bus: Lines H6, D40, 24 and 92. From the bus stop on Travessera de Dalt (lines H6 and D40), it takes 10 minutes on foot, and we would recommend going either to the Carrer Sant Josep de la Muntanya, which has an escalator, or Carrer de Larrard entrance. From the bus stop on Plaça Catalunya (line 24-Paral·lel/El Carmel) it points along Passeig de Gracia to Carretera Carmel-Park Güell stop, wich is one of the main entrances to the Park, near the top of the hill. From the bus stop Trelawny-Passeig Marítim, the line 92 (Pg. Marítim – Av. Tibidabo) points along Sagrada Familia and Hospital de Sant Pau, and stops at Carretera del Carmel-Park Güell in front of one of the Park’s main entrance. By Tourist Bus or Barcelona City Tour: From the Bus Turístic (blue line) the stop is “Park Güell”. From the Barcelona City Tour, the route is “East” (green colour) and the stop is also “Park Güell”. In both cases, the stop is located on Avinguda de la Mare de Déu de Montserrat, it takes 10 minutes on foot, and we would recommend the entrance on Carretera del Carmel through Av. Pompeu Fabra.
Leaving the gardens, we made our way on to the main trail, winding our way steadily up the mountainside, crossing a few fixed bridges along the way. A short time later, we found our way to the first hanging bridge. A bit of a back log had us waiting a while to pass over…workers monitor the bridge and allow a limited number to cross the bridge at one time. Unfortunately, there are those who are not as considerate of other’s time and paused one to many times to take selfies and pictures of the surrounding area.
Finally, we made our way as steadily as possible across the shaky span, marveling at the clouds swirling around the treetops. From the bridges and the higher parts of the trails, epiphyte plants, birds, mammals and butterflies can be observed up close. Some of the high altitude birds include the bell bird and the Emerald Toucanette, while at lower elevations, toucans and turkey hens can be spied along with migratory birds of prey during the months from November to February. High altitude trees include Yema Huevo, Cirri and Pilon trees and in the lower regions, Caobilla, Fruta Dorada and Maquenque trees. Keep an eye out for frogs, snakes, lizards and mammels such as kinkajous, raccoons, margays, ocelots, pumas, jaguars and tapirs.
The trail spans almost two miles and can be covered in about two hours. Six more hanging bridges are spaced out on the trail, along with a waterfall and viewing area and a tunnel. Each of the bridges vary in length and believe it or not, after the first bridge, the crowds thin. Maybe visitors decide that one is enough. Maybe they think they are too shaky or they run out of time, but at the end of the trail, the last few bridges have no one on them, allowing ample time to enjoy the views from the center of the bridge.
