Antonio Gaudi and his famous houses are the hallmark of Catalonia's attractions. Antonio Gaudi: a brilliant architect and an unbearable stubborn man Spain 3 cities of the architect Gaudi Barcelona

Antonio Gaudi born June 25, 1852 in the small town of Reus, near Tarragona in Catalonia (Spain). Gaudi spent his childhood by the sea. He carried the impressions of his first architectural experiments throughout his life, which is why some of his houses resemble sand castles. Due to rheumatism, the boy could not play with children and was often left alone, spending a lot of time communicating with nature. Mobility limited due to illness sharpened the future architect’s powers of observation and opened up to him the world of nature, which became the main source of inspiration in solving both artistic, design and constructive problems. Antonio loved to spend a long time watching the mountains, clouds, flowers, and snails. Gaudi's mother instilled in the boy a love of religion. She inspired him that since the Lord had left him alive, Antonio must definitely find out why.

In the seventies of the 19th century, Gaudí moved to Barcelona, ​​where, after five years of preparatory courses, he was admitted to the Higher School of Architecture, from which he graduated in 1878. It was an educational institution of a new type, in which teachers did everything to ensure that learning did not turn into a routine. At the School, students were encouraged to have the opportunity to participate in real projects, and practical experience is always very valuable to an architect. Antonio studied with pleasure and enthusiasm, sat in the library in the evenings, learned German and French in order to be able to read literature on his profile. Antonio was one of the best students, but was never loved.

In 1870-1882, Antonio Gaudi worked under the supervision of architects Emilio Sala and Francisco Villar as a draftsman, unsuccessfully participating in competitions; studied crafts, performing many small works (fences, lanterns, etc.), and also designed furniture for his own home.

In Europe at that time there was an extraordinary flowering neo-gothic style , and young Gaudi enthusiastically followed the ideas of neo-Gothic enthusiasts - the French architect and writer Violet le Duc (the largest restorer of Gothic cathedrals in the 19th century, who restored Notre Dame Cathedral) and the English critic and art critic John Ruskin. The declaration they proclaimed “Decorativeness is the beginning of architecture” was fully consistent with Gaudi’s own thoughts and ideas, whose creative style over the years becomes completely unique, architecture is as far from the generally accepted one as Lobachevsky’s geometry is from classical Euclidean.

During the period of early creativity, marked by the influences of the architecture of Barcelona, ​​as well as the Spanish architect Martorel, his first, richly decorated, early Art Nouveau projects were built: “stylistic twins” - elegant House of Vicens (Barcelona) and the whimsical El Capricho (Comillas, Cantabria):

In accordance with the owner’s desire to see a “kingdom of ceramics” in his country residence, Gaudi covered the walls of the house with multi-colored iridescent majolica tiles, decorated the ceilings with hanging stucco “stalactites,” and filled the courtyard with fancy gazebos and lanterns. The garden buildings and the residential building formed a magnificent ensemble, in the forms of which the architect first tried out his favorite techniques:

● abundance of ceramic finishes;

● plasticity, fluidity of forms;

● bold combinations of different style elements;

● contrasting combinations of light and dark, horizontals and verticals.

El Capricho (Comillas, Cantabria):

The outside of the building is faced with rows of brick and ceramic tiles. The first floor is faced with wide rows of multi-colored bricks alternating with narrow strips of majolica tiles with relief casts of sunflower inflorescences.

The compromise pseudo-baroque dates back to the same period. House Calvet(Barcelona) - the only building recognized and loved by the citizens during his lifetime:

Also during these years the following projects appeared:

● School at the monastery of St. Teresa (Barcelona) in a restrained Gothic, even “serf” style:

● Neo-Gothic Episcopal Palace in Astorga (Castilla and Leon):

● Neo-Gothic Botines House (Leon):

However, his meeting with Eusebi Guelem . Gaudí later became a friend of Güell. This textile magnate, the richest man in Catalonia, no stranger to aesthetic insights, could afford to order any dream, and Gaudi received what every creator dreams of: freedom of expression without regard to the budget. Antonio carries out designs for the pavilions of the estate in Pedralbes near Barcelona for the Güell family; wine cellars in Garraf, chapels and crypts of Colonia Güell (Santa Coloma de Cervelho); fantastic Park Güell (Barcelona). In these works, Gaudi goes beyond the dominant historical styles within the eclecticism of the 19th century, declaring war on the straight line and forever moving into the world of curved surfaces to form his own, unmistakably recognizable style.

One day Güell conceived the idea of ​​reconstructing his summer country residence. For this purpose, he expands his holdings by acquiring several more plots. He gave the order for the reconstruction of the country house to Antonio Gaudi, instructing him to remake the park, reform the country house, erect a fence with a gate, build new pavilions at the entrance to the estate, and the architect was also instructed to build a stable with an indoor arena. Now this complex is called Park Guell .

Like all subsequent works of Gaudí, these buildings are deeply symbolic; there are no random details here. The architect's plan was based on the myth of the magical garden of the Hesperides. This myth was reflected in the poem “Atlantis” by the Catalan author Jacinta Verdaguer, who often visited the Guell estate. The poem describes one of the labors of Hercules, who was ordered by the king of Mycenae, wanting to test the strength of Hercules, to get golden apples from the garden, which was carefully guarded. The most interesting, preserved part of the estate is the gate in the shape of a dragon. According to legend, the bloodthirsty dragon Ladon guarded the entrance to the garden, where there grew a tree with golden apples that bestow eternal youth and immortality.

Another Gaudí building for his philanthropist and friend is the manufacturer’s house in Barcelona, ​​the so-called Palace Guell :

With the completion of the palace, Antoni Gaudí ceased to be an anonymous builder, quickly becoming the most fashionable architect in Barcelona, ​​soon becoming an "almost unaffordable luxury".

At that time, Antonio Gaudi was still working as a draftsman in the architectural bureau of his former teacher at the Higher School of Architecture, Villar. This also played an interesting role in Gaudi’s later life. The point is that construction Temple of the Holy Family (Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família) has been going on in Barcelona for several years. And when the question arose about replacing the architect, Villar proposed the candidacy of Gaudi. Oddly enough, the Church Council accepted it. Antonio founded his own architectural bureau, recruited a staff of assistants and plunged headlong into work ( )

The clients, who were ready to spend half a fortune on construction, initially believed in the genius of the architect, who was effortlessly paving a new path in architecture. For the bourgeoisie of Barcelona, ​​he built houses one more unusual than the other. One of these houses was the house Casa Mila - space that is born and develops, expanding and moving like living matter. The house is better known as La Pedrera, which translates as the quarry. The project was commissioned by entrepreneur Pedro Mila y Camps. He needed a house whose apartments he could rent out. Gaudí planned a wavy façade. The iron structures were faced with cut stone, which was cut down nearby in the province of Barcelona:

Design began in 1906, and the architect, with his characteristic scrupulousness, verified all the lines. He designed the space so that the neighbors felt as isolated as possible from each other, and besides, if the owner of the house decided to turn it into a hotel, then no problems should arise either. Nevertheless, Pedro Mila expressed impatience and urged him in every possible way. But obstacles arose at every step. Thus, the regulatory authorities were unhappy with the column, which protruded half a meter onto the sidewalk. They demanded that it be removed. Gaudi fought for every detail of his project. He threatened that if he still had to remove the column, then in the place where it should have been, he would write who exactly was guilty of its absence.

Then there were sizing issues. The height of the structure was four meters higher than permitted. There was a requirement to cut down the attic. In case of failure to comply with the requirement, the owner was subject to a fine that corresponded to a fifth of the entire project. A commission was created that recognized the building as of great value and thus all this disagreement with the law was resolved.

House Mila took three years to build. While the work was going on, the rich Pere Mila became poor, since he had already paid 100 thousand pesetas for the architect’s violation of all construction standards. Therefore, towards the end, he could not stand it and said: “I won’t pay.” Gaudi replied: “Well, then finish the construction yourself.” After which they dispersed, patting their empty pockets, vilifying each other and taking the case to court. But subsequent generations can now be inspired and enjoy the beautiful architectural monument.

A similar project by Gaudi - Casa Batlló - a living, trembling creature, the fruit of a bizarre fantasy that has an unusual origin: it has a developed plot - St. George kills the dragon. The first two floors resemble the bones and skeleton of a dragon, the texture of the wall resembles its skin, and the roof of a complex pattern resembles its spine. Above the roof rises a tower in the form of a spear piercing the dragon's body. Casa Batllo is also known as the "House of Bones":

WITH Church of the Holy Family - Sagrada Familia - became the most famous work of Antoni Gaudi, although he did not start building it and he did not finish it. But for the architect himself, this work became the culmination of his life and work. Attaching particular importance to this building as a monumental symbol of the national and social revival of Catalonia, Antogio Gaudí focused entirely on it from 1910, placing his workshop here.

According to Gaudí, the Sagrada Familia was to become a symbolic building, a grandiose allegory of the Nativity of Christ, represented by three facades. The eastern one is dedicated to Christmas; the western one - the Passion of Christ, the southern one, the most impressive, should become the facade of the Resurrection. The portals and towers of the Sagrada Familia are richly sculpted to resemble the entire living world, with a dizzying complexity of profiles and detailing that surpasses anything Gothic has ever known. This is a kind of Gothic Art Nouveau, which, however, is based on the plan of a purely medieval cathedral.

Despite the fact that Gaudi built the Sagrada Familia for thirty-five years, he managed to build and decorate only the Nativity façade, which is structurally the eastern part of the transept, and the four towers above it. The western part of the apse, which forms the largest part of this magnificent building, is still unfinished. More than seventy years after Gaudí's death, construction of the Sagrada Familia continues today. Spiers are gradually being erected (only one was completed during the architect’s lifetime), facades with figures of the apostles and evangelists, scenes of the ascetic life and atoning death of the Savior are being decorated. Construction of the Church of the Holy Family is expected to be completed by 2030.

The model of the future Temple of the Holy Family (Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família) in Barcelona, ​​made up of suspended bags of sand, could only be “read” by modern computers! By connecting the bag dots, the researchers obtained a spatial model of the cathedral. In addition, in order not to “cut” the room into pieces, Gaudi came up with his own unsupported ceiling system, and only 100 years later a computer program appeared that could perform such operations. It was a NASA program that calculated space flight trajectories.

The architect spent his last years as an ascetic hermit, completely devoting all his strength and energy to creating the immortal Cathedral of the Holy Family - Sagrada Familia, which became the highest embodiment of not only his unique talent, but also his devout faith. He decorated the tops of the temple towers so carefully that the angels would be pleased to look at them.

At the end of lifeAntonio Gaudi became very ill. I caught brucellosis or Maltese fever, which is still difficult to diagnose today. Doctors believe that “brucellosis is characterized by sudden changes in mood, leading to suicidal depression. Interspersed with outbursts of anger and periods of distraction, this depressed mood is accompanied by physical exhaustion, excruciating headaches and painful arthritis.” There was no cure for this disease. Perhaps this can explain why Gaudi has changed so much for the worse. He walked around in saggy jackets, and his trousers hung around his legs, which he wrapped in bandages because of the cold... And no underwear! However, he did not change his outer clothes until they turned into rags. The great architect ate what was put into his hand while walking - a piece of bread, for example. If nothing was shoved in, I didn’t eat anything. When he didn’t eat anything for a very long time, he lay down and began to die. But one of the students came, changed his clothes, fed him...

On June 7, 1926, 73-year-old Gaudi was hit by a tram and lost consciousness. Cab drivers refused to take an unkempt, unknown old man without money or documents to the hospital, fearing non-payment for the trip. Gaudi soon died from his injuries.

Watch a video presentation of Gaudi's most famous works:

Gaudi's Magic Houses are located primarily in Barcelona, ​​as this is where Antoni Gaudi lived and worked. Of course, Gaudi was not the only one who created modern Barcelona. The city saw many talented architects during a relatively short period of time called the Catalan Renaissance. In addition to Gaudi's Barcelona, ​​there is also modern Barcelona, ​​Gothic Barcelona, ​​and the "Spanish Village" district, which embodies the styles of all Spanish provinces, and the famous Rambla - the district of old Barcelona. But Gaudi's Barcelona is something special, incomparable. The thirteen objects (not always buildings) built by Gaudí in Barcelona give it its originality and charm and are an irresistible attraction for tourists.

At the beginning of Gaudí's independent work, his first, richly decorated, early Art Nouveau projects were built:

“Stylist Twins” - elegant House of Vicens (Barcelona)

Quirky El Capricho (mood) (Comillas, Cantabria).

And also the compromise pseudo-baroque House of Calvet (Barcelona) - the only building recognized and loved by the townspeople during his lifetime (by the way, the house was built without a single load-bearing wall inside).

Gaudi was extremely uncommunicative and even withdrawn. He's even cruel to people. Gaudí never married. Since childhood, he suffered from rheumatism, which prevented him from playing with other children, but did not interfere with long solitary walks, to which he had a passion all his life. He did not recognize luxury and wealth, ate and dressed haphazardly. - when it concerned him personally. But at the same time he built luxurious buildings. There were no records left from Gaudí; he had no close friends. And many of the circumstances of his life have still not been clarified. Calvet House inside:

Decisive for the flourishing of the young architect was his meeting with Eusebi Güell. Gaudí later became a friend of Güell. This textile magnate, the richest man in Catalonia, no stranger to aesthetic insights, could afford to order any dream, and Gaudi received what every creator dreams of: freedom of expression without regard to the budget. Palace Guell:

A great architect who almost never worked with drawings, whose work was based on scrupulous mathematical calculations, a subversive of authority and a trendsetter who created outside of established styles. His main tools were imagination, intuition and... mental calculations. You could say he was the Einstein of architecture. Palace Güell, view from the roof:

Having gained financial "independence", Gaudí goes beyond the dominant historical styles within the eclecticism of the 19th century, declaring war on the straight line and forever moving into the world of curved surfaces to form his own, unmistakably recognizable style.

Antonio Gaudí i Cornet was born on June 25, 1852 in the small town of Reus, near Tarragona, in Catalonia. He was the fifth and youngest child in the family of boilermakers Francesc Gaudí i Serra and his wife Antonia Cornet i Bertrand. It was in his father’s workshop, as the architect himself admits, that the sense of space awakened in him.

Gaudi's Barcelona is a fairy tale embodied in architecture. Onlookers mill around in front of his residential buildings. It is strange that people live in these tower houses, and not fairy-tale creatures; that under these raised roofs, behind these curved facades with swollen balconies, everyday life goes on. It is even more difficult to imagine that every detail of this excessively lush decor carries not only an aesthetic, but also a functional load. That is, it was created not only to amaze the imagination: rich Barcelonans are accustomed not only to luxury, but also to comfort.

With the completion of the palace, Antoni Gaudí ceased to be an anonymous builder, quickly becoming the most fashionable architect in Barcelona, ​​soon becoming an "almost unaffordable luxury". For the bourgeoisie of Barcelona, ​​he built houses one more unusual than the other: a space that is born and develops, expanding and moving, like living matter.

Mosaic ceiling in the house:

Gaudi is a genius far ahead of his time. A phenomenon that defies explanation, much less imitation. Unique, incomparable, unthinkable.

But his main creation, the pinnacle of his art and the outlet of his heart was the Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family (Sagrada Familia). In 1906, his father died, and six years later, his ill-health niece, his last close person, died. Gaudi completely closed himself off and made this temple his atoning sacrifice. Imagine, all the money that he earned as the architect of the temple, Gaudi invested in the construction itself. He worked for free for many years, not considering himself to have the right to appropriate people’s money, and the temple was built with donations from rich and poor Barcelonans.

Gaudí did not hope to complete the Sagrada Familia during his lifetime. He dreamed of finishing the East Facade of the Nativity so that his own generation could see the fruits of his efforts. By doing this, he obliged future builders to continue working. He managed to complete the chapel, the apse (the semicircular part of the building), a section of the monastery, and part of the vestibule<Розарий>and a parochial school. The three bell towers of the Nativity façade were completed after his death. He left detailed drawings, 1:10 scale models, and design sketches so that his followers would not deviate from his plan. But continuing construction turned out to be difficult: it required huge funds. It was decided to mothball it during the civil war. Several times the Temple was under threat of destruction.

The school was destroyed, Gaudi's workshop was destroyed. The controversy over whether to continue or freeze the work was a logical consequence of the authorities’ attitude towards the work of the great Catalan. The work either progressed in full swing, or was curtailed due to lack of funds. But then His Majesty the people intervened. Money continued to flow into the Temple Construction Fund. On average, construction costs three million dollars annually.

This year, Barcelona's Jews donated five million. But even with a stable influx of funds, construction is designed for at least another 65 years, although no one can name the exact date. Gaudi couldn’t name her either. When asked when the Sagrada Familia would be completed, he replied: “My customer is in no hurry.”

Now the boom of a tower crane hangs over the Temple. The interior is a huge construction site: concrete mixers, iron structures, reinforced concrete blocks, plaster decorative parts, column capitals. The most advanced technologies and materials that Gaudi did not know are used. Computer analysis confirms the accuracy of his calculations, which he checked using sandbags suspended from a model. Skeptics doubt that the Sagrada Familia will ever be completed and that Gaudi's secret plan was to make its construction eternal.

Gaudi is considered to be part of Catalan Art Nouveau. He is its brightest representative. But it does not completely fit into any architectural movement. With the same success it can be attributed to the Moorish Baroque, Neoclassicism or Neo-Gothic. But he chose to arbitrarily mix all architectural styles, creating his own eclecticism. What really sets it apart from everyone else is the connection between architecture and nature.

Gaudi died when he was hit by the first tram to be launched at the foot of Mount Tibidabo. He was almost 74 years old. He probably could have survived, but the cab drivers refused to take an unkempt, unknown old man without money or documents to the hospital, fearing non-payment for the trip. Gaudí was eventually taken to a hospital for the poor, and no one could recognize the famous architect until his friends found him the next day. When they tried to transport him to the best hospital, he refused, saying that “his place is here, among the poor.” Gaudí died on the third day, June 10, 1926. In 1926, Antonio Gaudi, the greatest architect of the 20th century, whose creations now and forever defined the appearance of Barcelona, ​​was buried in the crypt of the cathedral he had not completed.

Gaudi deifies nature. His church spiers are topped with sheaves of cereals and ears of corn, the window arches are topped with baskets of fruit, and bunches of grapes hang from the facades; drainpipes writhe in the shape of snakes and reptiles; the chimneys are twisted with snails, the grates are forged in the shape of palm leaves. But Gaudi does something that no one had dared to do before: he transfers the laws of nature to architecture. He managed to achieve the continuous fluidity of architectural forms, accessible only to living nature. He uses parabolic floors and inclined tree-like columns. There is not a single straight line in his projects, just as there is none in nature.

Catalan modernism, the impetus for which was, in particular, Antoni Gaudi, arose on the powerful crest of national resistance. Catalonia did not always belong to Spain. It became Spanish as a result of the royalist marriage of Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile, the one who sent Columbus on his voyage and expelled the Jews from Spain. Over the next three centuries, Catalonia gradually lost its privileges and increasingly became a Spanish province. The proud Catalans could not accept this. They strongly opposed Spanish cultural expansion. The explosion of national self-awareness affected all spheres of public life: music, literature, painting, sculpture, architecture, theater, language. Eventually, the Catalans regained their language, Catalan, and achieved autonomous governance. Barcelona has become the most beautiful city in the country.

By the way, at the dawn of his activity, Gaudí was associated with workers' trade unions. The labor movement in industrial Catalonia, especially in the textile industry, was most intense. Gaudí's first major project was the creation of a workers' town in Montaro. Subsequently, Gaudi moved away from the labor movement, became a devout Catholic and erected Christian symbols not only on cathedrals and residential buildings, but also on purely utilitarian buildings.

Among Gaudí's residential buildings, the apartment building that went down in history under the name "Casa Mila" is especially famous. This house was popularly nicknamed "Pedrera" ("Kamenyuka"), "Wasp's Nest" or, even worse, "Meat Pie".

But if, of all the modern buildings in the world, only this one remained in the world, it would personify modernity in its perfect form. This six-story undulating building wraps around the intersection of Grazia Boulevard and Provenza Street. Visitors are allowed there as if they were in a museum.

Anticipating the flow of visitors, Gaudi turned the roof into a terrace and at the same time an observation deck. He placed stables in the basement - this was a prototype of a garage. He was the first to use a ramp (lifting from floor to floor) for horses and carriages - this principle was later used in multi-story parking lots.

A few months after Gaudi's death, the young Japanese sculptor Kenji Imai visited Barcelona. He was so shocked by the Temple that he decided to create a cathedral in Nagasaki based on studying the works of Gaudí. Since then, the Japanese pilgrimage to Barcelona began.

There are a lot of tourists here from other countries :)

Gaudi's magical houses inspire many people

Based on materials from http://www.uadream.com/tourism/europe/Spain/element.php?ID=20873

One of the greatest architects in the world and the most famous architect of Barcelona, ​​Gaudi could have died at birth. His mother’s birth was very difficult, and the midwife immediately gave up on the boy. To save the soul of the newborn, he was immediately baptized. Gaudí subsequently claimed that the fact that he survived was a miracle. And he believed that he had been chosen for a special purpose.

Childhood

Antonio Gaudi was born on June 25, 1852 in the small town of Reus, located in Catalonia. His father was the hereditary blacksmith Francesc Gaudi i Sierra, and his mother, after whom the boy was named, was Antonia Cornet i Bertrand. The child received his surname, as was customary in Spain, from both parents - Gaudi y Cornet.
The father taught the child to understand the beauty of the things around him and instilled in Gaudí a love for architecture and fine arts. From his mother he adopted faith in God and religiosity.
The boy grew up very sickly: he suffered from a severe form of arthritis, which caused severe pain from the simplest movements. He did not play outdoor games and rarely went for walks. It was difficult for him to walk, so he went for a walk on a donkey. But in mental development he was significantly ahead of many other children. Antonio was observant and liked to draw.
In 1863, he began studying at a school at a Franciscan monastery. In addition to Greek, poetry, rhetoric and Latin, he studied Christian doctrine, the history of religion and other religious disciplines, which influenced his way of thinking and creativity. Despite his intelligence, Antonio did poorly in school, and only geometry was easy for him.
Gaudi's family experienced many tragedies: his brother died in 1876. Following him, his mother also passed away. And 3 years later, the architect’s sister passed away, leaving her daughter in his care.

Studies

In 1868 Antonio moved to Barcelona. To pay for his education, he had to sell his father's lands. He became a student at the Higher School of Architecture only in 1874. Before this, Gaudi studied at the university at the Faculty of Exact Sciences, where he showed little diligence.
The school of architecture allowed more freedom for creativity and self-expression, and Gaudí soon became one of the best students. But his stubborn character and desire for protests often turned into low marks for him. The teachers decided that he was either a genius or crazy.
During his student years, the rheumatic pain in his legs finally disappeared, and Gaudí was able to walk normally. And this became one of his favorite activities.
Antonio completed his studies in 1878. And in 1906 he suffered another grief - the death of his father. Six years later, his niece followed him to the grave.

Carier start

From 1870 to 1882, Gaudí worked as a draftsman under the guidance of two architects, Francisco Villar and Emilio Sala. He learned crafts and entered competitions without success.
At first he carried out applied orders. The first official work of the architect Gaudi was lampposts in Plaza Reial.

These pillars were a candelabra of 6 arms mounted on a marble base. They are crowned with helmets of Mercury - a symbol of prosperity. This work was the first and last order of the city authorities, since the local municipality and Gaudí disagreed about his fee.
In 1877, the architect created his first major creation - fountain in Plaza Catalunya. And, starting from this time, he erected many unique buildings in the Art Nouveau style.

In 1883, Gaudí designs the first mansion. The wealthy manufacturer Manuel Vicens becomes his customer. It was necessary not only to build the house, but also to successfully fit it into the small space of the plot of land, frame it with a garden and at the same time create the illusion of space. The architect coped with this task brilliantly: turrets, bay windows, and balconies give the simple quadrangular building (cat. Casa Vicens) amazing volume.

In 1898 – 1900 is being built (cat. Casa Calvet). Unlike other Gaudi buildings, the house has a completely traditional appearance, and its facades are symmetrical. Its originality is given by alternating convex and flat balconies, as well as bobbins and columns in the form of coils - a tribute to the professional affiliation of the owner, who owned the textile industry. For the construction of this building, the architect was awarded the Barcelona Municipal Prize in 1900.
Gaudi rarely took into account the opinion of the customer. He was modest, but at the same time eccentric, and embodied all his fantasies in his works.

He was lucky to be born at a time when the Spanish bourgeoisie became rich and decided to show the whole world their triumph. Building a more elaborate house than your neighbor's was an easy way to prove your superiority. Therefore, architects with an original vision, and not always talented ones, were popular and had complete freedom of action.
During the same period, Gaudí erected buildings in the neo-Gothic style and in the spirit of the fortress, such as the one he started Bishop's Palace in the city of Astorga (cat. Palacio Episcopal de Astorga). The design of this building, located in Castilla, was entrusted to the architect in 1887 by the Bishop of Grau i Vallespinos, a Catalan by birth. Gaudi began to build a palace in the form of a medieval fortress, with a moat, four towers and battlements. This was a very daring decision for the clergyman's palace, but the bishop did not argue. The construction was interrupted by the sudden death of the customer in 1893, and the church council, dissatisfied with the excessive costs, entrusted the completion of the construction to another architect.

In addition to large-scale architectural works, Gaudi was involved in interior design and development of furniture sketches.

Fame

All the sights of Barcelona and other cities created by Antonio Gaudi are magnificent, but the works created after meeting Eusebio Güell brought him real popularity. He was a textile magnate, the richest Catalan, with creative flair and taste. And he became a friend and patron of the brilliant architect.
There are two versions of their friendship - one, they met at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1878, where Gaudi presented the project for the village of Mataro. However, this version is hardly plausible, since the models of the unknown architect could not attract the attention of the public.
According to another version, Guell noticed Antonio when he was decorating a Barcelona glove store. After receiving his diploma, the young man needed money and took on any job. When decorating the window, Gaudi did it impressively: from gloves strung on wire, he created entire scenes of city life: horses pulling carriages, people walking and cats, beloved by all Catalans.
Fascinated by the master’s work, Guell watched his work for a long time, and then asked the store owner to introduce him to Gaudi. Having learned that the young man was an architect, he invited him to visit him, where he received him warmly and cordially. After this, Gaudí became a frequent guest in Güell's house. He showed him new sketches of his buildings, and Eusebio always entrusted him with the construction of those that became a real masterpiece.
Many of the works and houses of the architect Gaudí will survive centuries, but these are the ones that brought him fame and finally shaped his unique style.

Palace Güell (cat. Palao Guell).

This house, the construction of which journalists compared with the construction of the Tower of Babel, was built in 1885 - 1900. Guell did not limit the architect's funds for construction and interior design. Only the most luxurious materials were used in the interior decoration of this house: tortoiseshell, ivory, ebony and eucalyptus. And if in the interior the most interesting part was the hall with a sky dome, then in the exterior the most impressive thing is the roof with 18 chimneys in the form of fancy turrets.

Casa Mila (cat. Casa Mila)

Casa Mila or Casa Mila was created by Antonio Gaudi in 1906-1910. for the Mila family. At first, Barcelona residents did not appreciate this steep, curved building, and nicknamed it La Pedrera - the quarry. The roof is also decorated with turrets that look like knights in fancy helmets, one of which is inlaid with shards of green bottle glass.

Casa Batllo (cat. Casa Batllo)

Antoni Gaudi's Casa Batllo also known as Casa Batllo And House of Bones, was rebuilt by Gaudi in 1904 - 1906. In the building, transformed by a genius, there are practically no straight lines. Its facade obviously depicts a dragon - the image of Evil. And the skulls and bones visible in the balconies and columns are his victims. A tower with a cross - the sword of St. George, the patron saint of Catalonia - pierces the body of the dragon, symbolizing the victory of the forces of Light over Darkness.

Park Guell (cat. Parc Guell)

Park Güell in Barcelona was created between 1900 and 1914 and was a combination of residential areas and gardens. From a commercial point of view, this project was a failure because the Catalans did not want to live in the hills. But nowadays Park Güell is one of the brightest attractions of Barcelona. The central entrance to the park is decorated with two pavilions that look like huge gingerbread houses, and on the upper terrace there is a giant bench in the shape of a sea serpent. Gaudi chose this Park to live in and owned one of the houses.

(cat. Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia)

With the birth of Antonio Gaudi, the architecture of the whole world was enriched with many works, but the most outstanding was the Sagrada Familia. Gaudi began work on this cathedral in Barcelona in 1883, but did not have time to finish it. In this structure, as in many others, the architect reflected what he saw in living nature. A forest of columns with capitals in the form of branches, intertwining, create the arch of the building, and each tower and stained glass window tells its own biblical story.
According to Gaudi's plan, the cathedral was supposed to have 3 facades depicting the life of Christ (Birth, Passion and Resurrection). It was also planned to install 12 towers symbolizing the apostles, 4 higher towers dedicated to the evangelists, the tower of the Virgin Mary and the highest - 170 m, which was intended for Christ. The God-fearing Catalan did not want the temple to be higher than the Montjuic hill (171 m), because the mountain is the creation of God, and the building is man’s.

Gaudí's architecture was far ahead of its time. During the construction of the Temple, Antonio Gaudi based the columns, vaults and other details on complex three-dimensional shapes, which can now only be recreated using computer modeling. And the architect developed them only with the help of his imagination and intuition.

It is curious that the temple is being built exclusively on anonymous donations from parishioners. When this structure is completed (expected to happen by 2026), it will become the tallest church in the world.

Antonio Gaudi was extremely extravagant and stubborn. This is probably why quite funny incidents arose with him.
Despite the fact that Gaudí rarely had conflicts with male customers, disputes with their wives were not uncommon. The owner of the Batlo house was upset with the way the construction of their home was being carried out. She noticed that due to the oval shape of the room in the music salon, it would be impossible to place her daughter’s piano. Gaudi ignored tactfully made comments and left everything unchanged. The angry woman spoke harshly to the architect, but he, without embarrassment, said: the piano won’t fit, buy a violin.

Gaudí and his father were vegetarians and were committed to clean water and fresh air. At the same time, Antonio, like a true Christian, showed moderation in food. For lunch, he, a rather large man, ate only lettuce leaves, dipped in milk, and a handful of nuts.
Gaudi loved Catalonia dearly and dreamed of enriching its culture. One day, the police mistook an unkemptly dressed architect for a tramp and stopped him. They asked him several questions in Castilian, but he answered them in Catalan. At this time, there was a fight against “Catalan nationalism”, and Gaudí was threatened with prison. Having finally realized that they were dealing with an architect who was already well-known at that time, they wanted to hush up the matter, but he continued to chat carefreely in his native language. That's why he spent 4 hours in the police station.
Gaudi's construction costs were enormous. When the architect, in addition to the main bill, presented the Mila family with an invoice for overtime work, the couple refused to pay. The architect went to court, and the decision was made in his favor. The Mila family had to take out a mortgage on the house they built to pay the bill. Gaudi gave the money to one of the convents.
More scandalous things are also attributed to the architect: it is believed that for the scene of the beating of infants he made casts of stillborn children, and in order to accurately repeat the contours of the animals, he euthanized them with chloroform before applying plaster.

Personal life

The great architect Gaudi spent his entire life alone. In his youth, he dressed very flashily and attracted the attention of women. However, having learned about his profession, which at that time was considered akin to an artisan, they lost interest in him. Women were concerned about the well-being of the groom, and the work of an architect did not guarantee financial stability.
Antonio's first love was the beautiful Josepha Moreu, funny nicknamed Pepeta. In 1884, this wayward woman worked as a teacher at the Mataro cooperative school. Gaudí carried out orders for this enterprise and often visited Pepeta and her sister.
Pepeta gladly accepted the advances of the young, educated architect. Together they visited the Güell drawing room, where all the intellectuals of Barcelona gathered once a week. But at the same time, she kept the inexperienced gentleman at a distance. Finally, Antonio proposed to her. And he was taken aback: Pepeta announced that she was already engaged to a successful timber merchant.
Gaudi never proposed to another girl. Years later, he fell in love again with a woman, a young American. But their relationship ended when she returned to the States.

Death

Throughout his life, Gaudi loved to walk around Barcelona. But if in his youth he looked good and dressed elegantly, then in the middle of his life he stopped paying attention to his appearance and resembled a beggar.
On June 7, 1926, he left the house to take his usual walk to the temple of Sant Felip Neri. At this time he was already 73 years old, and the architect visited this church every day. While he was walking absentmindedly between the streets of Girona and Bailén, he was hit by a tram. Antonio lost consciousness.
The unkempt appearance of the tramp led people astray. The cab drivers did not want to take him to the medical department, fearing that they would not receive money. In the end, the great architect was taken to a hospital for the poor, where he received the most primitive care. Only on July 8th was he identified by the chaplain of the Sagrada Familia Cathedral, but any treatment was already useless.
On June 10, 1926, the genius died. They buried him in the crypt of the temple, which he did not have time to complete.

Barcelona is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Barcelona owes much of this fact to the architect Antonio Gaudi. His unusual, shocking and controversial creations attract tourists from all over the world to Barcelona. People take time away from the pleasant idleness, all inclusiva and the nearest beach to walk along La Rambla, climb Montjuïc, walk wide-eyed through Park Güell, escape the heat in the Gothic Quarter of the old part of Barcelona... and, of course, with their own eyes see the Sagrada Familia, the quaint houses of La Mila and Batlo.

In this article I want to talk about the difficult fate of the architect Antonio Gaudi, about his style and creations. There are currently 14 Gaudí architectural buildings in Barcelona. The houses that he built to order are not tourist attractions, but a place for people to live, simply residential buildings. To this day, people live in them, often organizing museums in some rooms. We wrote about Gaudi’s creations in Barcelona here .

Who is Antonio Gaudi?

The name Gaudi is shrouded in mystery. Probably the first thing that makes it difficult to understand his work is the mystery inherent in all geniuses. He did not leave any notes or diaries, he had no close friends (except Eusebe Güell). Everything we know about Gaudi is connected with his works and creativity, but his personal life is shrouded in darkness.

Antonio Gaudi was born in the Catalan city of Reus, located about 40 kilometers from Barcelona. In the family of a blacksmith and a simple housewife, a child was born almost every year, but they all died in infancy. Little Antonio was also very ill, and his mother was preparing for the worst. But everything worked out.

By the way, a magnificent modern center dedicated to the work of Antoni Gaudi was built in Reus, you can read about it here.

However, little Antonio suffered from rheumatic pain in his legs, so he spent most of his time at home. Gaudí's problem with his legs only went away during his student days, so he thoroughly enjoyed walking around the city.

Little Gaudi compensated for the inability to run and play in the yard with diligence in his studies. Until the age of 11, Gaudí studied at home. His illiterate mother taught her son to write and read, and his father taught him to draw, in which the young genius excelled. However, the boy’s mind was not satisfied with the knowledge that his parents gave, so Gaudí began attending school. The teachers did not really like the boy for his obstinate character. He was not afraid to argue and express his point of view. For example, in response to the teacher’s phrase that birds have wings so they can fly, Gaudí stated that poultry also has wings, but just to run fast.

Another ailment that tormented the architect was the mysterious disease of aging too quickly. For example, the famous and one of the few portraits of Gaudi was made at the age of 26. Is it really hard to believe that this man is only 26?

At school, Antonio Gaudi became famous for his drawings, which were first published in the school magazine El Harlequin. Afterwards, he was entrusted with decorating the stage of the school theater. But the talented boy's real passion was architecture.

After graduating from school, at the age of 17, Gaudi left his native Reus for Barcelona. He got a job as a draftsman in a city architectural bureau and enrolled in courses at the University of Barcelona, ​​where he studied architecture. For 5 whole years, the architect comprehended the mysteries of science, diligently poring over books and drawings. At the same time, Gaudi entered the Provincial School of Architecture, where he was the best student.

The Gaudi family never had enough money, especially since Gaudi’s younger sister was growing up. The work of a draftsman did not bring the architect a lot of money; he lived on the verge of poverty, so he avoided companies and parties in every possible way.

Gaudi's first victory as a professional occurred in 1870. He managed to win the tender of the old monastery in Poblet to redesign the personal coat of arms of the abbot of the monastery. The coat of arms was Gaudí's first project. Besides, they paid well for it.

At the institute, Gaudi earned the reputation of either a genius or a madman. He passed all subjects with 5's, but turned all conceptual questions into heated discussions with teachers, for which he received two marks.

Sometimes Gaudi expressed his protest against the “template” canons in drawings. Once, while working on the architecture of the city cemetery, he drew a hearse in the center with all the details. When asked why, he said that he wanted to convey the atmosphere of the cemetery and add air to the drawing.

Looking ahead, it is worth recalling that Gaudi rarely made his further projects with drawings. He personally supervised the construction, but at the same time, each object amazed with its unusual design and deep engineering thought and functionality. He could easily destroy an almost completed building and begin to remodel it on the fly, without drawings or approvals from customers. He didn’t care about their opinion at all, because only he knows what will be better.

Gaudi was a prominent representative of the modernist movement, using natural motifs in his interiors and facades. He always paid attention to detail and did everything so that people felt comfortable in the buildings he created.

During his student years, Gaudi completed several projects for Barcelona, ​​which remained on the drawing boards. It was the gate for the city cemetery, a hospital and a pier for ships.

Finally, Gaudí received his first public commission and designed a lantern for Barcelona.

In 1878, Antonio Gaudi became the holder of a diploma in architecture. From that moment a new stage of his life began.

Antonio Gaudi - architect of Barcelona

Gaudi loved Barcelona very much. I dreamed of reviving the old Gothic forms of my beloved Barça. One of Gaudí's idols was the architect Violley-le-Duc, who wrote a book about the Gothic cathedrals of France. Gaudi went to see him in Carcassonne to hear his opinion on his own ideas.

It must be said that Gaudi did not stop arguing with society, he claimed that he knew the truth. He refused to build according to the canons of architecture imposed on him, shouting: “Then let someone else build, not me!”

By this time, he began to earn a little and tried to look more successful than he actually was.

And they believed him, although he often could not explain his ideas. His projects each time amazed customers with their absurdity, but after a while, people appreciated the comfort that Gaudi was able to create and the beauty that must first be seen.

A tourist who comes to Barcelona can say that he does not understand the genius of Gaudi, he does not like these gingerbread houses at all. Any fool can do this.

In order not to be such a tourist, it is worth understanding the main thing - everything that Gaudi built was needed for something. He was concerned about engineering communications, problems of light and air in the premises. Nowadays, the architect-designer doesn’t have to rack his brains about how to ventilate the rooms, but Gaudi had to come up with all this. He was looking for new forms. How to make arches more graceful and columns thinner? And so that all this stands for centuries.

Our reviews and a lot of practical information about attractions, shopping and holidays in Barcelona can be read here .

Antonion Gaudi and religion

For many years, Gaudí was an outspoken skeptic. He did not visit temples, although he did projects for them. He simply didn't believe in God. However, something made him turn into a deeply pious man. According to one version, the death of his mother pushed him to God at a fairly young age.

Gaudi's introduction to Güell

Surely many have heard about the unusual Park Guell in Barcelona? So, this park is called in honor of a real person, the patron of the architect and the customer of this strange park.

According to one version, Guell found Gaudi at the Paris exhibition in 1878, where the architect presented his project for the workers' village of Mataro in the Spanish pavilion. The village remained only on paper, but Gaudi managed to excite the public, who were keen on the Art Nuovo style, fashionable in Europe.

Another version says that Gaudi, after receiving his diploma, grabbed any job to earn an extra penny. One day he had to design a glove store, where Guel saw him. He asked to introduce him to the young man, asked a few questions and invited the architect to his home.

This acquaintance determined the future fate of Antonio Gaudi. Güell became a loyal friend and patron of the arts who sincerely appreciated Gaudi's work. He was able to earn enough money from the textile industry and realized that the best investment was real estate. With the exception of the Park Güell project, the philanthropist has always been in the black. Therefore, he enjoyed looking at the sketches that Gaudí brought and successfully converted them into long-term projects.

Eusebio Guell became for the great master not only the most important customer and even patron, but also a good, loyal friend. From the day they met and for 35 years, until the death of the philanthropist, the architect designed and created great creations for the Güell family, which can still be seen in Barcelona. The great Gaudi created everything necessary - from household utensils and household items, to luxurious mansions and holiday parks with a unique sophistication and play of imagination, characteristic only of the master himself.

Güell was a textile magnate and one of the richest people in Catalonia and could afford to order and embody any dream, while Gaudi, at the same time, could express himself and create without prohibitions and boundaries, without thinking about expenses.

Güell himself was a very educated man, and, among other things, he and Gaudí were brought together by a love of art and a common interest in the poet Verdaguer, who created the great masterpiece “Atlantis,” which became the hymn of past Catholic patriotism. Also, both great masters of their craft were truly patriots of their homeland and their common political views were reflected in some architectural buildings. One of these personifications of the inner spiritual world of Gaudi and Güell is the palace in Barcelona, ​​which even now never ceases to delight visitors with its graceful and unique appearance.

Gaudi spoke of Guell as a gentleman and lord, with high manners and an unusually sensual person who does not boast about his fortune, but manages it very wisely. The architect also greatly appreciated the fact that his trustees did not limit him in financial matters during the work, and he had the opportunity to calmly sculpt his works of architectural art from expensive materials - marble, precious stones and other expensive materials. Only Güell’s secretary, Raymond Campamar, was always slightly distrustful of his master’s thoughtless spending, but these were only his personal concerns.

For the Guell family, Gaudi completed many projects, including:

• Pavilions and estates in Pedralbes, near Barcelona;
• Wine cellars in Garraf;
• Chapels and interesting crypts of Santa Coloma de Cervello;
• The stunningly beautiful Park Güell in Barcelona;
• The ensemble of the Guell estate, created in 84-87 of the 19th century, was one of the master’s distinctive buildings;
• Also worth noting is the curvilinear bench of the Hall of a Hundred Columns;
• House Calvet;
• Monastery of St. Teresa;
• Architect's House-Museum;
• And the most important and majestic creation is the life’s work of the great master - the Sagrada Familia Cathedral, which is the symbol of Barcelona.

Cathedral of the Sagrada Familia (Cathedral of the Holy Family)

The Sagrada Familia Church was the life's work of the great architect Gaudi, to whom he devoted the rest of his days. The history of this building began back in 1883, when, according to the plans of the Barcelona authorities, the cathedral began to be built and designed by Francisco de Villar. De Villar conceived this church in the neo-Gothic style. True, he managed to build only one crypt under the asp and then the project was transferred to Gaudi in 91 of the same 19th century.

Gaudi devoted 43 years of his life to the cathedral and created the building in his own style, unlike any of the directions invented by the great masters. In the entire history of architecture, Antonio Gaudi stands apart from everyone, since he had no equal, and even today, when the temple was never completed. There has not yet been anyone who could understand the artist’s idea and his goal and complete his life’s work.

The Cathedral of the Holy Family was conceived by the architect as the embodiment of the New Testament and all the stucco work on the facade was supposed to convey the life and deeds of Christ on Earth. Gaudi, too, did not deviate from his principles and did not invent anything in advance, but brought his ideas to life as they arose during the work. To do this, he was constantly present at construction sites and completely controlled the entire process.

To be closer to his brainchild, Antonio moved to one of the rooms of the future Cathedral, and sometimes his ideas were at odds with his own past ideas. After which the builders had to tear down one thing and build something new that Gaudi had just come up with. This is exactly how the amazing Cathedral began to slowly grow and rise above all the houses of Barcelona, ​​which amazed all residents with its forms and architectural sculptures in those days and continues to amaze the views of visitors from all over the world today.

According to Gaudi's idea, the church should have had the appearance of three facades with the same design, which should have been decorated with four curvilinear towers. As a result, there should be 12 towers, each of which symbolizes one of the apostles, and the facades were supposed to personify the life of Christ - “Nativity”, “Passion of Christ” and “Resurrection”.

But, sadly, even after so many years of construction, Gaudi managed to bring to life only part of his ideas, and he managed to present to the eyes of citizens only the “Christmas” façade - the eastern part of the Cathedral. And also his four towers, which, however, were completed after the master’s death in 1950. The remaining facades, stucco moldings and towers remained in their unfinished state.

Death of a Great Master

From the 14th year of the 20th century, Gaudi began to devote himself entirely to the construction of the temple and began to retreat more and more into his inner world and gradually turned into a hermit. He stayed in his workshop at the construction site for days and only occasionally went out of the gate in order to collect funds and donations for further work. The construction of the cathedral walls and the entire building became an obsession and goal in his life for Gaudí.

On one ordinary day in 1926, when Antonio Gaudi headed to the nearest church for vespers, he was hit by a tram on the way. This was the last day in the life of the brilliant architect of Catalonia. None of the passers-by recognized Master Gaudi in the old man lying on the road in worn-out clothes. He was mistaken for a homeless old man and sent to the Holy Cross and St. Paul Hospital for the Poor. The architect remained unconscious for two days and died in a hospital bed at the age of 74.

Only after his death they recognized Antonio Gaudi in the body of the deceased and buried him with all honors in the crypt of the cathedral he had not completed.

Modern masters have tried many times to complete Gaudi’s work, but no one has been able to repeat the artist’s idea and bring it to life. Now the cathedral flaunts its menacing and intimidating views in Barcelona and over the years has become its main building and the face of the city.

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Antoni Gaudí is a Catalan architect known for his whimsical and fantastical buildings, most of which are located in Barcelona, ​​Spain. His work belongs to the Art Nouveau style, but he used elements of very different styles and created completely new architecture.

During his life he created more than 20 architectural masterpieces. Many of them are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, but all of them, without exception, are popular tourist destinations.

Gaudi had a phenomenal mind. He almost never worked with drawings; he did all the calculations in his head, and his main tools were imagination and intuition. Gaudí's gift lay in his amazing ability to draw a building in his imagination and then embody it in stone.

For the birthday of Antonio Gaudi, Lifeguide I have prepared for you 7 of the most famous works of this brilliant architect:

1. House of Vicens (1883-1885)

This house in Barcelona was Gaudí's first independent construction. Casa Vicens is a motley mixture of various architectural styles, the most striking and recognizable of which is the Moorish “Mudeja” style. Structural forms and ornamental solutions reflected Gaudí's taste for oriental art, primarily Moorish, Persian and Byzantine.

2. Park Guell (1900-1914)

Fairytale houses, a bench in the shape of a snake, fountains, sculptures - this is all the famous Park Güell. Covering an area of ​​17.18 hectares, the park is located in the upper part of Barcelona and is a combination of gardens and residential areas. Park Güell was conceived as a green residential area in the style of the garden city urban planning concept that was fashionable in England at that time.

3. Casa Batllo (1904 - 1906)

Casa Batllo, or as it is also called the House of Bones, was built back in 1877. And if it weren’t for Antonio Gaudi, who was given the order to reconstruct the building, it would have remained an ordinary house. The most remarkable feature of Casa Batllo is the almost complete absence of straight lines in its design. The wavy outlines appear both in the decorative details of the facade, carved from hewn stone, and in the interior design.

All decorative elements of the house are made by the best masters of applied art. The forged elements were created by the Badia brothers, the stained glass windows were created by glassblower Josep Pelegri, the tiles were created by P. Pujol i Bausis son, and other ceramic parts were made by Sebastian i Ribot.

4. House Mila (1906-1910)

The design of this Gaudi building was innovative for its time: a well-thought-out natural ventilation system makes it possible to avoid air conditioning, interior partitions in each of the apartments of the house can be moved at your discretion, and there is an underground garage. Three courtyards (one circular and two elliptical) are characteristic design elements that the architect constantly turned to in order to fill the spaces in his buildings with enough light and fresh air.

5. El Capriccio (1983-1885)

Rubén Hoya

El Capriccio is a summer house on the Cantabrian coast in the town of Comillas near Santander, Spain. This quaint little palace, built in the Art Nouveau style, dates back to Gaudí's early period. Multi-colored paints were chosen for the exterior decoration of the building. The base was decorated with rustic yellowish-gray stone; the façade was lined with strips of colored bricks alternating with bright majolica tiles. Relief majolica depicted graceful flowers and sunflower leaves.

6. Palace Güell (1885 - 1890)

aussiewig

Palace Güell is a city residential building in Barcelona, ​​built by order of an admirer of Gaudi’s talent, the Catalan industrialist Eusebi Güell. In this building, the Catalan architect combined the traditional rectangular structure and coffered ceilings of medieval palaces with innovations such as the parabolic arch, which was also characteristic of Gaudí’s later work. The palace has four main floors, plus a basement (ground floor) and a flat roof with a terrace.

7. Sagrada Familia or Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family (1882 - present time)

This is the most famous long-term construction in Spain - the temple has been under construction for more than 130 years! In accordance with Gaudí's project, the structure was to be crowned with many monumental towers directed upward, and all elements of the decoration were to receive a deep symbolic meaning associated with the Gospel or church rites. Realizing that work on the temple would not be completed during his lifetime, Gaudí also planned many of the interior details.

According to the data, construction of the temple is planned to be completed in 2026.

In this video you can still take a look at what this impressive design should look like in the end: