The spellbinding Güell Park (Parque Güell) was designed, planned and built by the architect Antoni Gaudí Cornet (1852-1926), being constructed between 1900 and 1914. It is one of the most emblematic site of Barcelona. Its construction was ordered by the wealthy Eusebi Güell Bacigalupi, Earl of Güell (1852-1918), who died in his house of this park. The stunning park is located in a strategic place of Barcelona – the Condal City, having a breathtaking views of Barcelona and its surroundings.
People who visit the beautiful Güell Park can enjoy strolling in its area, sitting down on its decorated benches or admiring its fantastic architecture and the perfection the artwork. Therefore, if visitors touch its scultures, they will realize the experience of feeling the shapes and the colorful of its artwork, such as the dragon, the 86 colums, the benches, the stairway, so on.
On the other hand, City Hall bought this park in 1922 to become a lively public park. Occupying more than 15 hectares the park has several buildings, a lot of plants and trees (palms, oaks, pines), by the way, the house in the park in which Gaudí lived from 1906 until 1925 is now a museum of furniture designed by Gaudí called Gaudí House Museum.
To sum up, The Güell Park is certainly worth a visit although it takes several hours to see the whole park. In fact, it is said that more than 3,000,000 people a year visit the park. To add, UNESCO declared the Güell Park a World Heritage Site in 1984.
Visitors should wear comfortable shoes. It is near city center. It takes 50 minutes on foot, 30 minutes by bus and 15 minutes in car or taxi to arrive at the park.
More monuments designed by Antoni Gaudí
– Church of the Holy Family (La Sagrada Familia): It is a must for tourists that arrive in the Condal City see its outstanding architecture, design and sculptures.
– Casa Mila: Popularly known as La Pedrera, Casa Mila is a unique modernist building located at Paseo de Gracia. The building was designed by architect Antoni Gaudí and built between 1906 and 1912.
More popular places to visit in Barcelona
– Las Ramblas Avenue: Las Ramblas goes from Catalonia Square to the seaport, and it has a lot of cafes, terraces, pubs and discotheques. In the end of the street, there is the Cristobal Colon statue, one of the icons of Barcelona.
– Columbus Monument (Monumento a Colón): One of the most famous statues of Barcelona city. It was built in 1888 for a Universal Exposition and it represents a statue of Christopher Columbus (Cristobal Colon) above a pillar, pointing with his right hand to the sea.
– La Barceloneta beach: In summer, you can sunbathe or swim in the beach of La Barceloneta, which is 5 minutes walking from Las Ramblas – Columbus Statue.