Built between 1883 and 1885 as a summer garden home for the Vicens family in the village of Gràcia in Barcelona, Spain, Casa Vicens is the first remarkable project of Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí i Cornet (1852 – 1926) and one of the first buildings to pave the way for the Art Nouveau (Modernisme) movement in Catalonia and Europe.
The celebrated master of Catalan Modernism Antoni Gaudí is known worldwide for creating whimsical and lavishly ornamented works, including housing blocks, single-family homes, religious buildings, and palaces.
Casa Vicens and six other properties (Park Guell, Palau Guell, Casa Mila, La Sagrada Familia, Casa Batllo, Crypt of the Church at the Colonia Guell) built by the Catalan architect in the broader area of Barcelona are recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The current form of Casa Vicens is attributed to both Antoni Gaudí’s original construction and Joan Baptista Serra de Martínez’s successful expansion in 1925. The elaborate building currently serves as a museum and cultural space.
On the ground floor, you can explore the part of the house with the most decorative and ornamental elements which is no other than the central dining room. The same floor hosts an enclosed porch, a smoking room, and a foyer.
The first floor of the building houses a sitting room, two bathrooms, a bath and the bedrooms of the impressive establishment, while the second floor features the Casa Vicens permanent collection.
You can find the “La Capell specialty store/bookshop” in the basement of the building that originally housed the storage area to buy items to complement your visit after you relax on the building’s domed rooftop or at the “Hofmann Café” at the end of the garden.
Info
Casa Vicens Gaudí
Carrer de les Carolines, 20-26, 08012 Barcelona, Spain
T. +34 93 547 59 80
Open daily, Hours: Monday to Sunday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.