After a great ebike tour Barcelona, have to visit Casa Vicens, located in Vila de Gràcia, was commissioned to the catalan architect Antoni Gaudí in 1883 as a summer residence. The construction was finished in 1885 becoming the first masterpiece of the architect and giving the kick-off to Modernisme movement in Catalonia. The house consists of different interesting spaces, such as the garden, the basement, the main floor, the first and the second floor (where the permanent exhibition is located) and the accessible rooftop, all of them visitable. In 1925 an extension of Casa Vicens was carried out to accommodate the cultural and museological function that it currently has, and in 2005 it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
CASA VICENS - GAUDÍ: Garden and basement
Going through the enclosure, we make a first stop in the garden of Casa Vicens. It is a space inspired by Mediterranean flora and fauna, which is why we can find plants such as palms, magnolias and roses. As a curiosity, every May 22, following a typical tradition in the neighborhood of Gràcia, there is a mass in honor of Santa Rita in the garden, where there is an image of hers, and the blessing of the roses is celebrated. Continuing with the visit we can stop at the basement, where we find the specialized bookstore La Capell, which also has a library, under a catalan vault ceiling.
The house
On the ground floor, which contains the main floor, we find the dependencies for day-time use, such as the smoking room and the dining room. The smoking room is a leisure space decorated in an exuberant way in the oriental style, and in the dining room we can find the original furniture designed by Gaudí and a collection of paintings by Francesc Torrescassana. On the first floor there are the private rooms of the Vicens family (bedrooms, bathrooms...) all decorated with plant motifs and typical symbols of the Gaudí style. The second floor, where we find the permanent exhibition, is a diaphanous space with wooden beams and windows that offer a beautiful set of lights and shadows. And finally, the rooftop was built as a transitable area where you can stroll and enjoy the views.
The museum project has recovered the original spaces conceived by Gaudí to publicize the essence of its architecture and decoration. Casa Vicens is now a unique cultural space of knowledge and entertainment for all audiences.
Do you like to discover other emblematic buildings created by Gaudí? Pick our Gaudí & Sagrada Familia tour one of our Barcelona ebike tour