The Palacio Güell (in Catalan: palau Güell) is a building designed by Antoni Gaudí and framed in the current of Catalan modernism. It is located on Nou de la Rambla street in Barcelona, near the port and the city's promenade. The palace was commissioned from Gaudí by Eusebio Güell, who had great admiration for the architect and financed several of his best-known works.[1] Gaudí put all his effort into this work, since it was his first important commission, and proof of this is that he came to devise up to twenty-five different solutions for the design of the façade.[2] For this project he had the collaboration of Francesc Berenguer, one of his most faithful assistants. The construction was carried out between 1886 and 1890.[3].
This work belongs to Gaudí's orientalist period (1883-1888), a period in which the architect carried out a series of works with a marked oriental taste, inspired by the art of the Near and Far East (India, Persia, Japan), as well as by Hispanic Islamic art, mainly Mudejar and Nasrid. Gaudí used ceramic tile decoration profusely, as well as the mitral arches "Arco (construction)"), cartouches "Cartel (card)") of exposed brick and finials in the shape of a temple or dome.[4].
History
Eusebio Güell, Count of Güell (1846-1918) was one of the most important industrialists in Catalonia of his time, as well as a politician, scientist and writer. He was the son of Joan Güell i Ferrer (1800-1872), an Indian who amassed an enormous fortune in Cuba and was a promoter of various industries upon his return to Barcelona, such as the El Vapor Vell factory, which obtained the exclusive right to manufacture corduroys in Spain. After studying Law, Economics and Applied Sciences in Barcelona, France and England, he was the founder with Ferran Alsina of the Colonia Güell, a workers' colony dedicated to the textile industry. He intervened in politics and broad cultural sectors: in 1875 he was elected councilor of the Barcelona City Council, in 1878 a provincial deputy, and he also served as senator of the Kingdom. He was, due to his love of Catalan culture, president of the Jocs Florals (1900) and member of the Royal Catalan Academy of Fine Arts of San Jorge, as well as president of the Center Català.[5].
In 1878 he met Gaudí, after being admired by the showcase for the Comella Glove Store that the architect exhibited at the Paris World's Fair "Exposition Universelle de Paris (1878)").[6] Since then, a long friendship and a fruitful professional relationship began, since the industrialist was the architect's main patron. Thanks to this, his surname is known internationally, with works such as the Colonia Güell Crypt, the Güell Cellars, the Güell Pavilions or the Güell Park, in addition to the palace.
Güell Palace
Introduction
The Palacio Güell (in Catalan: palau Güell) is a building designed by Antoni Gaudí and framed in the current of Catalan modernism. It is located on Nou de la Rambla street in Barcelona, near the port and the city's promenade. The palace was commissioned from Gaudí by Eusebio Güell, who had great admiration for the architect and financed several of his best-known works.[1] Gaudí put all his effort into this work, since it was his first important commission, and proof of this is that he came to devise up to twenty-five different solutions for the design of the façade.[2] For this project he had the collaboration of Francesc Berenguer, one of his most faithful assistants. The construction was carried out between 1886 and 1890.[3].
This work belongs to Gaudí's orientalist period (1883-1888), a period in which the architect carried out a series of works with a marked oriental taste, inspired by the art of the Near and Far East (India, Persia, Japan), as well as by Hispanic Islamic art, mainly Mudejar and Nasrid. Gaudí used ceramic tile decoration profusely, as well as the mitral arches "Arco (construction)"), cartouches "Cartel (card)") of exposed brick and finials in the shape of a temple or dome.[4].
History
Eusebio Güell, Count of Güell (1846-1918) was one of the most important industrialists in Catalonia of his time, as well as a politician, scientist and writer. He was the son of Joan Güell i Ferrer (1800-1872), an Indian who amassed an enormous fortune in Cuba and was a promoter of various industries upon his return to Barcelona, such as the El Vapor Vell factory, which obtained the exclusive right to manufacture corduroys in Spain. After studying Law, Economics and Applied Sciences in Barcelona, France and England, he was the founder with Ferran Alsina of the Colonia Güell, a workers' colony dedicated to the textile industry. He intervened in politics and broad cultural sectors: in 1875 he was elected councilor of the Barcelona City Council, in 1878 a provincial deputy, and he also served as senator of the Kingdom. He was, due to his love of Catalan culture, president of the Jocs Florals (1900) and member of the Royal Catalan Academy of Fine Arts of San Jorge, as well as president of the Center Català.[5].
Güell had a house on Rambla de los Capuchinos, which he had inherited from his father. On the adjacent street, Conde del Asalto (current Nou de la Rambla), bought two houses with the intention of expanding the one on La Rambla: in 1883 number 3 to Maria Toll i Serra, and in 1886 number 5 to the Boada Mas family, a total of 408 m². These houses then housed a dairy and seventeen rented homes, whose families had to be evicted. In 1887 he also bought number 3 Lancaster Street, on the opposite side of the Rambla, and in 1894 number 9 Nou de la Rambla (Lancaster corner) and numbers 5 and 7 Lancaster, with which he practically owned the entire block (he only had 7 Nou de la Rambla, which he could not acquire). the Rambla. Gaudí designed the Güell Palace following the tradition of the great Catalan stately homes, such as those on Montcada Street.[8].
The administrative process of construction began on July 12, 1886, when Mr. Güell asked the City Council for a building permit. However, the municipal architect, Antoni Rovira i Trias, presented a negative report because the project did not comply with article 25 of the Municipal Ordinances, which stipulated that the tribunes of the facades should be made of iron and glass, compared to the stonework that Gaudí signed. But this report was rejected by the Development Commission (on July 24), possibly influenced by Güell himself, who had numerous contacts in the City Council. Permission was finally granted on July 27, and on August 12 Güell and Gaudí signed the agreement. On October 15, permission was requested for the demolition of number 3-5 Nou de la Rambla, which was granted on October 23 and ratified by the Development Commission on November 6. Finally, on November 12, the construction permit was issued.[9].
Although work on the interior decoration lasted until 1890, the building was inaugurated in 1888, coinciding with the Universal Exhibition "Exposition Universale de Barcelona (1888)") held in the Parque de la Ciudadela in Barcelona. On the occasion of this event, people such as the Queen Regent María Cristina of Habsburg, King Umberto I of Italy and the President of the United States Grover Cleveland visited the Güell Palace. Mr. Güell was so proud of his building that he presented some plans of it—made by Joan Alsina i Arús—in the exhibition dedicated to Gaudí at the Grand-Palais in Paris in 1910.[10].
Eusebio Güell lived in the palace until 1906, when he moved to Casa Larrard, in Park Güell, where he lived until his death in 1918. The Güell Palace was inherited by Güell's widow, Isabel López Bru (daughter of the Marquis of Comillas) and later to his daughters Maria Lluïsa and Mercè Güell i López. During the Civil War it served as a police station. In 1944 an American millionaire wanted to buy it, to take it to his country stone by stone, but in the end the Barcelona Provincial Council acquired it, in exchange for a lifetime pension for Mercè Güell, which also made it a condition that the building would never be modified and that it would be used for a cultural purpose. In 1952, the Association of Friends of Gaudí settled in the Güell Palace, until its transfer in 1968 to the Gaudí House-Museum in Park Güell. Likewise, in 1954 the Theater Museum was established in the palace, until its transfer also in 1996.[11].
Since its acquisition by the Provincial Council, the palace has undergone several restorations: the first after its purchase in 1945, carried out by Manuel Baldrich i Tibau, focused on the carpentry, glasswork, electrical installation and painting of the building; between 1971 and 1979, a new restoration was carried out, by Jordi Querol i Piera"), focused on the façade and the terrace; another in 1983, by Carles Buxadé and Joan Margarit, who carried out a complete diagnosis of the structural state of the building, whose deficiencies were corrected since then in successive phases, by Antoni González Moreno-Navarro") and Pau Carbó"), especially on the façade, the floors low and underground, the dome of the living room and the terrace with its chimneys. In 1992 the Provincial Council acquired some of the original furniture from the descendants of Count Güell, which could be installed again in its original location. A coupe-type carriage, like that of the Güell family, was also placed in the garage. In 1998, the oratory and Aleix's paintings were restored. Clapés. Finally, between 2004 and 2011, a new complete restoration of the building was carried out by Antoni González, which is currently open to the public and can be visited in its entirety.[12].
In 1969, the Güell Palace was declared a National Historical-Artistic Monument, and since 1984 it has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, within the Works of Antoni Gaudí site.
In 2022, the Provincial Council acquired two neighboring properties on both sides of the Güell Palace: the building attached to the Fradera house, at number 1 bis of Nou de la Rambla street; and the Jordà house, at number 7 on the same street. This expansion will allow new exhibition spaces to be opened in the original Gaudinian building, which until now were used for offices and complementary services and which can now be opened to the public. Among others, it is expected that spaces such as the library or Eusebio Güell's office can be visited, which until now could not be seen in a normal visit. The new visitable space will be .[13].
Description
Contenido
El palacio Güell se yergue sobre un solar de planta casi rectangular, de 18 x 22 metros, con un edificio anexo en la parte sudoeste, de 6 x 20 m. La estructura está sustentada en los muros de las fachadas, de piedra natural, así como en las paredes medianeras, de ladrillo, además de pilares de ladrillo en el sótano y de piedra en los demás pisos. La medianera del lado este fue en principio fachada vista, por lo que fue rebozada y pintada con un fresco de Aleix Clapés que representaba a Hércules buscando las Hespérides, inspirado en el poema L'Atlàntida "La Atlántida (poema)") de Jacinto Verdaguer, hoy desaparecido.[14].
El edificio se compone de sótano para caballerizas, planta baja con recibidor, portería, cochera y diversas áreas de servicios, entresuelo para el área administrativa, planta noble para el área social, segundo piso para el área privada (dormitorios, baños), tercero con el área de servicio, la cocina y la lavandería, y azotea.[15] En total, el edificio presenta una superficie de 2850 m².[16].
El diseño general sigue las líneas de sus creaciones de aquella época, marcada por el estilo oriental aplicado al diseño de sus obras. En este palacio culmina una etapa de predominio de las formas de inspiración árabe, bizantina o mudéjar, con realizaciones como la Casa Vicens, los Pabellones Güell o El Capricho de Comillas "Comillas (Cantabria)").[17] Gaudí diseñó con esmero tanto el exterior como el interior del palacio, con una suntuosa decoración de estilo mudéjar, donde destacan los techos con artesonados de madera y hierro. Asimismo, Gaudí estudió con eficiencia todas las soluciones técnicas y estructurales del edificio, cuidando al máximo detalle aspectos como la iluminación, la ventilación o el aislamiento acústico del exterior.[18].
Gaudí lideró un amplio equipo de técnicos y artesanos, como los arquitectos Francesc Berenguer y Camil Oliveras, el maestro de obras Claudi Alsina, el decorador Francesc Vidal i Jevellí, el constructor Agustí Massip, los forjadores Joan Oñós, Salvador Gabarró y los hermanos Lluís y Josep Badia i Miarnau, los ebanistas Antoni Oliva, Julià Soley y Eudald Puntí, y los marmolistas hermanos Ventura. Asimismo, en el ámbito artístico contó con la colaboración de los pintores Aleix Clapés, Alexandre de Riquer y Ramon Tusquets, y los escultores Joan Flotats y Rossend Nobas. En cuanto a los proveedores, los elementos de ferrería eran de los Talleres Torras, la vidriería del Taller Pelegrí y la cerámica de Pujol i Bausis.[19].
Facade
The building is built with limestone from Garraf, where Güell had a farm, Bodegas Güell. Since the street is so narrow, it is difficult to see the façade in its entirety, which is nevertheless designed with great monumentality. The façade is presented in three levels, broken on the right side so as not to interfere with the adjacent building: the first level corresponds to the ground floor and mezzanine, and presents the stone cut with a saw and polished; It includes the access doors, in the shape of arches "Arco (construction)") and parabolic "Parabola (mathematics)"), while to the right is the service entrance, and a series of windows protected with iron bars complete the set. The second level is formed by the gallery on the main floor, supported by 21 corbels, with the polished stone as in the first level. Finally, the third level corresponds to the second and third floors, with the stone worked with a punch: the second floor has five windows flanked by two balconies, while on the right side (the service side) there is a small gallery supported by three cartouches "Cartel (card)") and with a stepped crown; The third floor contains a row of small windows, and is crowned by a crenellated balustrade.[20].
Of the entire façade, the entrance doors stand out, which in their upper part have openwork wrought iron bars, which represent two snakes that with their tails form the letters E and G (by Eusebio Güell), while between the doors there is another iron lattice "Lattice (architecture)") decorated with the coat of arms of Catalonia and a helmet with a phoenix, the work of Joan Oñós.[21] The entrance has dimensions impressive, designed so that visitors could access it mounted on their horses, or in their carriages. For the horses there were stables in the basement, which at that time was totally innovative; They were accessed through an ingenious helical-shaped ramp "Hélice (geometry)") designed by Gaudí.
The building has a rear façade that faces the block patio, divided into two different orders: the lower one corresponds to the noble floor, where a rear patio is located that is accessed through the dining room; It presents an ingenious tribune with wooden blinds and covered in blue and black ceramic, with two metal windows on the sides, and on the flanks two small access doors to the terrace and another with a walkway that communicates with the annexed side body of the building. Separated from this level by a stone fascia that protrudes from the wall is the upper level, where a shade or brise-soleil made of wood and iron stands out, located above the tribune. The façade is crowned by a stone cornice with an iron railing. The entire rear façade features punch-worked stone. Finally, the façade of the annexed body, intended for services, is made of exposed work, with a large metal window with a cast iron "Column (architecture)") column at the height of the noble floor, and on the upper floors a set of windows divided by columns and topped with triangular arches. This attached body is crowned with a stepped brick eaves, with an iron railing.[22].
Inside
The interior of the building is designed to comfortably harmonize public and private life, the family area and the service area. To this end, the ground floor lobby optimally connects with the various parts of the building: in the center is the main staircase, at the back is the garage and access to the basement, on the east side is the concierge and on the west is the service staircase and the elevator. Following the main staircase you first reach the mezzanine, where on the right was Mr. Güell's office, plus the library and the administration and archive rooms; and to the left a hall and a rest room.[23].
The grand staircase starts from the mezzanine hall, giving access to the main floor, organized around a large central hall of 80 m², which is three stories high (17.5 m). This hall is the central core of the building, being surrounded by the main rooms of the palace. It stands out for its roof with a double dome with a paraboloid profile on the inside and a conical "Cone (geometry)") on the outside, a typical solution of Byzantine art.[24] The dome sits on equally parabolic central arches, and is perforated with small oculi that allow the passage of natural light; It has a covering of reddish alabaster plates, hexagonal in shape. Upon accessing the staircase of honor, a first bay appears "Crujía (architecture)") (north) that gives access to four spaces: a first access hall, the access room to the living room (or Room of lost steps), the visitor room and a ladies' powder room. These spaces are delimited by a gallery of arcades that corresponds to the gallery of the exterior façade, where Gaudí used an original system of catenary arches and columns with hyperboloidal capitals, a style not used before or after Gaudí.[25] The visiting room is decorated with an oak wood coffered ceiling covered in gold leaf and wrought iron ornaments, and stained glass windows with representations of lotus flowers and medallions with effigies of literary characters created by William Shakespeare.[26].
Next comes the large central hall, which is the one that was most richly decorated, with furniture and works of art of great value, where several busts representing Joan Güell, Antonio López (Marquis of Comillas) and Isabel López Bru stood out, the work of Rossend Nobas. There were also several oil paintings by Aleix Clapés: Saint Elizabeth Queen of Hungary giving her crown to a poor man, Peasant family praying at the foot of a thermal cross, Girls playing and a portrait by Jaume Balmes. Of the furniture, an alabaster and brocatel sofa-seat designed by Gaudí stands out, and a chair called Phebus, by Vidal i Jevellí, in a flamboyant neo-Gothic style, inspired by Bavarian cabinetmaking.[27].
On both sides of the large hall were: a chapel-oratory (on the right), decorated with paintings of the twelve apostles, the work of Aleix Clapés, and an image of the Purísima on the altar "Altar (religion)"), the work of Joan Flotats, which was destroyed in 1936;[28] and an organ "Organo (musical instrument)") on the left, the work of Aquilino Amezua, which had two manual keyboards 56-note and a 27-note pedal, with full couplings, tremolos, expression and reed overrides; The console, designed by Gaudí, was on the main floor, while the ventilation was two floors above, under the dome. The organ was damaged during the Civil War, a period in which the metal was melted.[29] In 2012, the construction process of a new instrument was completed, built in Collbató by the master organ builder Albert Blancafort, composed of 1,386 pipes, with 22 registers, two 56-note manual keyboards and another 30-note pedal keyboard.[30].
Roof
The building is topped by a 481 m² roof, with four levels: the largest corresponds to the central body of the building, with 14 chimneys, four shell-shaped lunettes, skylights and the lantern "Lantern (architecture)") corresponding to the central dome; Going up six steps there is a second level belonging to the annexed body of the building, with six more chimneys; The third level is located in the service stairwell; and the fourth, above the organ case, from which the interior of the lantern was accessed through a walkway.[34].
Of the entire roof, the chimneys stand out on the one hand, to which, far from treating them as annoying elements, Gaudí gave them decorative character. With this he began a way of designing chimneys that he would develop in his following works, until reaching spectacular solutions such as in Casa Batlló and Casa Milà. In total there are 20 chimneys, built in brick and - except for six left in exposed work - covered in ceramic (of the trencadís type, common in Gaudí's works), glass, marble or porcelain, with various brightly colored designs. They generally have truncated-conical or truncated-pyramidal shapes, although there are some with a prismatic-pyramidal or cylindrical-conical shape, with conical or spherical capitals, with rhombuses or triangles, spiral or pyramid. The ceramics used for the fireplaces were from the Pujol i Bausis factory in Esplugas de Llobregat, one of the most prestigious at the time and which had close contacts with the majority of modernist architects. These chimneys were restored between 1990 and 1994, with the collaboration of several artists, such as the ceramist Joan Gardy Artigas, the sculptor Joan Mora, and the painters Robert Llimós and Gustavo Carbó Berthold"). An attempt was made to faithfully follow the original designs, but at some point when they had been lost, they resorted to their own designs, generally following the same style, with only a small reference to contemporary times: the logo from the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games with its mascot (Cobi) on the south face of chimney number 9.[35].
Also noteworthy is the tall lantern-shaped spire that represents the exterior finishing of the dome of the central hall, also made of ceramic and topped with an iron weather vane-lightning rod, which contains the wind rose "Compass rose (navigation)"), a bat and a Greek cross.[36] Conical in shape, it is 16 meters high, and in its central part it has eight windows that give light to the interior of the building, one of which serves as a door and It is connected to the terrace by a walkway. A little higher there are twelve small rhomboidal-shaped holes, which allow ventilation of the interior, as well as maintaining thermal balance.[37].
• - Helm of the entrance door.
• - Stained glass window in the trust room.
• - Model of the building, in Catalonia in Miniature.
[30] ↑ Temple (revista|formato= requiere |url= (ayuda)) (en catalán) (2). Barcelona: Junta Constructora de la Sagrada Familia. marzo-abril de 2012. p. 24.
In 1878 he met Gaudí, after being admired by the showcase for the Comella Glove Store that the architect exhibited at the Paris World's Fair "Exposition Universelle de Paris (1878)").[6] Since then, a long friendship and a fruitful professional relationship began, since the industrialist was the architect's main patron. Thanks to this, his surname is known internationally, with works such as the Colonia Güell Crypt, the Güell Cellars, the Güell Pavilions or the Güell Park, in addition to the palace.
Güell had a house on Rambla de los Capuchinos, which he had inherited from his father. On the adjacent street, Conde del Asalto (current Nou de la Rambla), bought two houses with the intention of expanding the one on La Rambla: in 1883 number 3 to Maria Toll i Serra, and in 1886 number 5 to the Boada Mas family, a total of 408 m². These houses then housed a dairy and seventeen rented homes, whose families had to be evicted. In 1887 he also bought number 3 Lancaster Street, on the opposite side of the Rambla, and in 1894 number 9 Nou de la Rambla (Lancaster corner) and numbers 5 and 7 Lancaster, with which he practically owned the entire block (he only had 7 Nou de la Rambla, which he could not acquire). the Rambla. Gaudí designed the Güell Palace following the tradition of the great Catalan stately homes, such as those on Montcada Street.[8].
The administrative process of construction began on July 12, 1886, when Mr. Güell asked the City Council for a building permit. However, the municipal architect, Antoni Rovira i Trias, presented a negative report because the project did not comply with article 25 of the Municipal Ordinances, which stipulated that the tribunes of the facades should be made of iron and glass, compared to the stonework that Gaudí signed. But this report was rejected by the Development Commission (on July 24), possibly influenced by Güell himself, who had numerous contacts in the City Council. Permission was finally granted on July 27, and on August 12 Güell and Gaudí signed the agreement. On October 15, permission was requested for the demolition of number 3-5 Nou de la Rambla, which was granted on October 23 and ratified by the Development Commission on November 6. Finally, on November 12, the construction permit was issued.[9].
Although work on the interior decoration lasted until 1890, the building was inaugurated in 1888, coinciding with the Universal Exhibition "Exposition Universale de Barcelona (1888)") held in the Parque de la Ciudadela in Barcelona. On the occasion of this event, people such as the Queen Regent María Cristina of Habsburg, King Umberto I of Italy and the President of the United States Grover Cleveland visited the Güell Palace. Mr. Güell was so proud of his building that he presented some plans of it—made by Joan Alsina i Arús—in the exhibition dedicated to Gaudí at the Grand-Palais in Paris in 1910.[10].
Eusebio Güell lived in the palace until 1906, when he moved to Casa Larrard, in Park Güell, where he lived until his death in 1918. The Güell Palace was inherited by Güell's widow, Isabel López Bru (daughter of the Marquis of Comillas) and later to his daughters Maria Lluïsa and Mercè Güell i López. During the Civil War it served as a police station. In 1944 an American millionaire wanted to buy it, to take it to his country stone by stone, but in the end the Barcelona Provincial Council acquired it, in exchange for a lifetime pension for Mercè Güell, which also made it a condition that the building would never be modified and that it would be used for a cultural purpose. In 1952, the Association of Friends of Gaudí settled in the Güell Palace, until its transfer in 1968 to the Gaudí House-Museum in Park Güell. Likewise, in 1954 the Theater Museum was established in the palace, until its transfer also in 1996.[11].
Since its acquisition by the Provincial Council, the palace has undergone several restorations: the first after its purchase in 1945, carried out by Manuel Baldrich i Tibau, focused on the carpentry, glasswork, electrical installation and painting of the building; between 1971 and 1979, a new restoration was carried out, by Jordi Querol i Piera"), focused on the façade and the terrace; another in 1983, by Carles Buxadé and Joan Margarit, who carried out a complete diagnosis of the structural state of the building, whose deficiencies were corrected since then in successive phases, by Antoni González Moreno-Navarro") and Pau Carbó"), especially on the façade, the floors low and underground, the dome of the living room and the terrace with its chimneys. In 1992 the Provincial Council acquired some of the original furniture from the descendants of Count Güell, which could be installed again in its original location. A coupe-type carriage, like that of the Güell family, was also placed in the garage. In 1998, the oratory and Aleix's paintings were restored. Clapés. Finally, between 2004 and 2011, a new complete restoration of the building was carried out by Antoni González, which is currently open to the public and can be visited in its entirety.[12].
In 1969, the Güell Palace was declared a National Historical-Artistic Monument, and since 1984 it has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, within the Works of Antoni Gaudí site.
In 2022, the Provincial Council acquired two neighboring properties on both sides of the Güell Palace: the building attached to the Fradera house, at number 1 bis of Nou de la Rambla street; and the Jordà house, at number 7 on the same street. This expansion will allow new exhibition spaces to be opened in the original Gaudinian building, which until now were used for offices and complementary services and which can now be opened to the public. Among others, it is expected that spaces such as the library or Eusebio Güell's office can be visited, which until now could not be seen in a normal visit. The new visitable space will be .[13].
Description
Contenido
El palacio Güell se yergue sobre un solar de planta casi rectangular, de 18 x 22 metros, con un edificio anexo en la parte sudoeste, de 6 x 20 m. La estructura está sustentada en los muros de las fachadas, de piedra natural, así como en las paredes medianeras, de ladrillo, además de pilares de ladrillo en el sótano y de piedra en los demás pisos. La medianera del lado este fue en principio fachada vista, por lo que fue rebozada y pintada con un fresco de Aleix Clapés que representaba a Hércules buscando las Hespérides, inspirado en el poema L'Atlàntida "La Atlántida (poema)") de Jacinto Verdaguer, hoy desaparecido.[14].
El edificio se compone de sótano para caballerizas, planta baja con recibidor, portería, cochera y diversas áreas de servicios, entresuelo para el área administrativa, planta noble para el área social, segundo piso para el área privada (dormitorios, baños), tercero con el área de servicio, la cocina y la lavandería, y azotea.[15] En total, el edificio presenta una superficie de 2850 m².[16].
El diseño general sigue las líneas de sus creaciones de aquella época, marcada por el estilo oriental aplicado al diseño de sus obras. En este palacio culmina una etapa de predominio de las formas de inspiración árabe, bizantina o mudéjar, con realizaciones como la Casa Vicens, los Pabellones Güell o El Capricho de Comillas "Comillas (Cantabria)").[17] Gaudí diseñó con esmero tanto el exterior como el interior del palacio, con una suntuosa decoración de estilo mudéjar, donde destacan los techos con artesonados de madera y hierro. Asimismo, Gaudí estudió con eficiencia todas las soluciones técnicas y estructurales del edificio, cuidando al máximo detalle aspectos como la iluminación, la ventilación o el aislamiento acústico del exterior.[18].
Gaudí lideró un amplio equipo de técnicos y artesanos, como los arquitectos Francesc Berenguer y Camil Oliveras, el maestro de obras Claudi Alsina, el decorador Francesc Vidal i Jevellí, el constructor Agustí Massip, los forjadores Joan Oñós, Salvador Gabarró y los hermanos Lluís y Josep Badia i Miarnau, los ebanistas Antoni Oliva, Julià Soley y Eudald Puntí, y los marmolistas hermanos Ventura. Asimismo, en el ámbito artístico contó con la colaboración de los pintores Aleix Clapés, Alexandre de Riquer y Ramon Tusquets, y los escultores Joan Flotats y Rossend Nobas. En cuanto a los proveedores, los elementos de ferrería eran de los Talleres Torras, la vidriería del Taller Pelegrí y la cerámica de Pujol i Bausis.[19].
Facade
The building is built with limestone from Garraf, where Güell had a farm, Bodegas Güell. Since the street is so narrow, it is difficult to see the façade in its entirety, which is nevertheless designed with great monumentality. The façade is presented in three levels, broken on the right side so as not to interfere with the adjacent building: the first level corresponds to the ground floor and mezzanine, and presents the stone cut with a saw and polished; It includes the access doors, in the shape of arches "Arco (construction)") and parabolic "Parabola (mathematics)"), while to the right is the service entrance, and a series of windows protected with iron bars complete the set. The second level is formed by the gallery on the main floor, supported by 21 corbels, with the polished stone as in the first level. Finally, the third level corresponds to the second and third floors, with the stone worked with a punch: the second floor has five windows flanked by two balconies, while on the right side (the service side) there is a small gallery supported by three cartouches "Cartel (card)") and with a stepped crown; The third floor contains a row of small windows, and is crowned by a crenellated balustrade.[20].
Of the entire façade, the entrance doors stand out, which in their upper part have openwork wrought iron bars, which represent two snakes that with their tails form the letters E and G (by Eusebio Güell), while between the doors there is another iron lattice "Lattice (architecture)") decorated with the coat of arms of Catalonia and a helmet with a phoenix, the work of Joan Oñós.[21] The entrance has dimensions impressive, designed so that visitors could access it mounted on their horses, or in their carriages. For the horses there were stables in the basement, which at that time was totally innovative; They were accessed through an ingenious helical-shaped ramp "Hélice (geometry)") designed by Gaudí.
The building has a rear façade that faces the block patio, divided into two different orders: the lower one corresponds to the noble floor, where a rear patio is located that is accessed through the dining room; It presents an ingenious tribune with wooden blinds and covered in blue and black ceramic, with two metal windows on the sides, and on the flanks two small access doors to the terrace and another with a walkway that communicates with the annexed side body of the building. Separated from this level by a stone fascia that protrudes from the wall is the upper level, where a shade or brise-soleil made of wood and iron stands out, located above the tribune. The façade is crowned by a stone cornice with an iron railing. The entire rear façade features punch-worked stone. Finally, the façade of the annexed body, intended for services, is made of exposed work, with a large metal window with a cast iron "Column (architecture)") column at the height of the noble floor, and on the upper floors a set of windows divided by columns and topped with triangular arches. This attached body is crowned with a stepped brick eaves, with an iron railing.[22].
Inside
The interior of the building is designed to comfortably harmonize public and private life, the family area and the service area. To this end, the ground floor lobby optimally connects with the various parts of the building: in the center is the main staircase, at the back is the garage and access to the basement, on the east side is the concierge and on the west is the service staircase and the elevator. Following the main staircase you first reach the mezzanine, where on the right was Mr. Güell's office, plus the library and the administration and archive rooms; and to the left a hall and a rest room.[23].
The grand staircase starts from the mezzanine hall, giving access to the main floor, organized around a large central hall of 80 m², which is three stories high (17.5 m). This hall is the central core of the building, being surrounded by the main rooms of the palace. It stands out for its roof with a double dome with a paraboloid profile on the inside and a conical "Cone (geometry)") on the outside, a typical solution of Byzantine art.[24] The dome sits on equally parabolic central arches, and is perforated with small oculi that allow the passage of natural light; It has a covering of reddish alabaster plates, hexagonal in shape. Upon accessing the staircase of honor, a first bay appears "Crujía (architecture)") (north) that gives access to four spaces: a first access hall, the access room to the living room (or Room of lost steps), the visitor room and a ladies' powder room. These spaces are delimited by a gallery of arcades that corresponds to the gallery of the exterior façade, where Gaudí used an original system of catenary arches and columns with hyperboloidal capitals, a style not used before or after Gaudí.[25] The visiting room is decorated with an oak wood coffered ceiling covered in gold leaf and wrought iron ornaments, and stained glass windows with representations of lotus flowers and medallions with effigies of literary characters created by William Shakespeare.[26].
Next comes the large central hall, which is the one that was most richly decorated, with furniture and works of art of great value, where several busts representing Joan Güell, Antonio López (Marquis of Comillas) and Isabel López Bru stood out, the work of Rossend Nobas. There were also several oil paintings by Aleix Clapés: Saint Elizabeth Queen of Hungary giving her crown to a poor man, Peasant family praying at the foot of a thermal cross, Girls playing and a portrait by Jaume Balmes. Of the furniture, an alabaster and brocatel sofa-seat designed by Gaudí stands out, and a chair called Phebus, by Vidal i Jevellí, in a flamboyant neo-Gothic style, inspired by Bavarian cabinetmaking.[27].
On both sides of the large hall were: a chapel-oratory (on the right), decorated with paintings of the twelve apostles, the work of Aleix Clapés, and an image of the Purísima on the altar "Altar (religion)"), the work of Joan Flotats, which was destroyed in 1936;[28] and an organ "Organo (musical instrument)") on the left, the work of Aquilino Amezua, which had two manual keyboards 56-note and a 27-note pedal, with full couplings, tremolos, expression and reed overrides; The console, designed by Gaudí, was on the main floor, while the ventilation was two floors above, under the dome. The organ was damaged during the Civil War, a period in which the metal was melted.[29] In 2012, the construction process of a new instrument was completed, built in Collbató by the master organ builder Albert Blancafort, composed of 1,386 pipes, with 22 registers, two 56-note manual keyboards and another 30-note pedal keyboard.[30].
Roof
The building is topped by a 481 m² roof, with four levels: the largest corresponds to the central body of the building, with 14 chimneys, four shell-shaped lunettes, skylights and the lantern "Lantern (architecture)") corresponding to the central dome; Going up six steps there is a second level belonging to the annexed body of the building, with six more chimneys; The third level is located in the service stairwell; and the fourth, above the organ case, from which the interior of the lantern was accessed through a walkway.[34].
Of the entire roof, the chimneys stand out on the one hand, to which, far from treating them as annoying elements, Gaudí gave them decorative character. With this he began a way of designing chimneys that he would develop in his following works, until reaching spectacular solutions such as in Casa Batlló and Casa Milà. In total there are 20 chimneys, built in brick and - except for six left in exposed work - covered in ceramic (of the trencadís type, common in Gaudí's works), glass, marble or porcelain, with various brightly colored designs. They generally have truncated-conical or truncated-pyramidal shapes, although there are some with a prismatic-pyramidal or cylindrical-conical shape, with conical or spherical capitals, with rhombuses or triangles, spiral or pyramid. The ceramics used for the fireplaces were from the Pujol i Bausis factory in Esplugas de Llobregat, one of the most prestigious at the time and which had close contacts with the majority of modernist architects. These chimneys were restored between 1990 and 1994, with the collaboration of several artists, such as the ceramist Joan Gardy Artigas, the sculptor Joan Mora, and the painters Robert Llimós and Gustavo Carbó Berthold"). An attempt was made to faithfully follow the original designs, but at some point when they had been lost, they resorted to their own designs, generally following the same style, with only a small reference to contemporary times: the logo from the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games with its mascot (Cobi) on the south face of chimney number 9.[35].
Also noteworthy is the tall lantern-shaped spire that represents the exterior finishing of the dome of the central hall, also made of ceramic and topped with an iron weather vane-lightning rod, which contains the wind rose "Compass rose (navigation)"), a bat and a Greek cross.[36] Conical in shape, it is 16 meters high, and in its central part it has eight windows that give light to the interior of the building, one of which serves as a door and It is connected to the terrace by a walkway. A little higher there are twelve small rhomboidal-shaped holes, which allow ventilation of the interior, as well as maintaining thermal balance.[37].
• - Helm of the entrance door.
• - Stained glass window in the trust room.
• - Model of the building, in Catalonia in Miniature.
[30] ↑ Temple (revista|formato= requiere |url= (ayuda)) (en catalán) (2). Barcelona: Junta Constructora de la Sagrada Familia. marzo-abril de 2012. p. 24.
From the east side of the room there is a staircase that leads to the elevated gallery on the main floor - since it has a height of 6.5 meters - where the musicians used to be located at the parties and events organized by the Güells; From here you can access a small room that was used as an office by Àngel Guimerà when the Theater Institute was installed in the palace. In the south bay of the main floor were the dining room - where a large fireplace designed by Camil Oliveras stands out - and the Confidence Room, which was used for meetings and piano concerts; From here you can access the terrace of the block patio. In the part corresponding to the annex building on the noble floor was the billiards and drawing room, while a passageway connected to the house on the Rambla that Güell inherited from his father, where a small museum was located that housed antiques "Antiquity (object)") and works of art collected by the Güells.[31].
From the gallery of the main living room there is a staircase that gives access to the second floor, where on the north side there was a study room and several bedrooms, in the center a living room and toilets, and on the south side the master bedroom, several more on the sides and the bathroom. The central room stands out, decorated with a cycle of paintings related to Saint Isabel of Hungary - in homage to Güell's wife, Isabel López Bru -, the work of Alexandre de Riquer. It should be noted that the master bedroom has a balcony that corresponds to the brise-soleil of the rear façade. Of the furniture in this apartment, a French Second Empire style chaise-longue stands out, located in the master bedroom and which used to be used by Güell's wife, and a dressing table belonging to Isabel Güell, both designed by Gaudí. Finally, on the third floor (or attic) were the service rooms, the kitchen and the laundry rooms, while a last section of the service staircase accesses the roof.[32].
It should be noted that various ornamental pieces were used from Güell's previous home, the Fonollar palace, on Portaferrissa street, from which he had been evicted due to a conflict with the previous tenants. The decoration of this home had been designed by Camil Oliveras. Before leaving, Güell took the furniture and all the objects he could transport, such as floor and wall coverings, stained glass, ceramics, fireplaces, lamps and other decorative elements, which were reinstalled in the Güell palace. Apparently the tiles from the Fonollar palace bathrooms were even used to cover the chimneys on the roof of the new palace.[33].
• - Lost steps room.
• - Chapel-oratory.
• - Chaise-longue.
• - Dressing table by Isabel Güell.
• - Roof weather vane.
• - Wikimedia Commons hosts a multimedia category on Palacio Güell.
• - Official website.
From the east side of the room there is a staircase that leads to the elevated gallery on the main floor - since it has a height of 6.5 meters - where the musicians used to be located at the parties and events organized by the Güells; From here you can access a small room that was used as an office by Àngel Guimerà when the Theater Institute was installed in the palace. In the south bay of the main floor were the dining room - where a large fireplace designed by Camil Oliveras stands out - and the Confidence Room, which was used for meetings and piano concerts; From here you can access the terrace of the block patio. In the part corresponding to the annex building on the noble floor was the billiards and drawing room, while a passageway connected to the house on the Rambla that Güell inherited from his father, where a small museum was located that housed antiques "Antiquity (object)") and works of art collected by the Güells.[31].
From the gallery of the main living room there is a staircase that gives access to the second floor, where on the north side there was a study room and several bedrooms, in the center a living room and toilets, and on the south side the master bedroom, several more on the sides and the bathroom. The central room stands out, decorated with a cycle of paintings related to Saint Isabel of Hungary - in homage to Güell's wife, Isabel López Bru -, the work of Alexandre de Riquer. It should be noted that the master bedroom has a balcony that corresponds to the brise-soleil of the rear façade. Of the furniture in this apartment, a French Second Empire style chaise-longue stands out, located in the master bedroom and which used to be used by Güell's wife, and a dressing table belonging to Isabel Güell, both designed by Gaudí. Finally, on the third floor (or attic) were the service rooms, the kitchen and the laundry rooms, while a last section of the service staircase accesses the roof.[32].
It should be noted that various ornamental pieces were used from Güell's previous home, the Fonollar palace, on Portaferrissa street, from which he had been evicted due to a conflict with the previous tenants. The decoration of this home had been designed by Camil Oliveras. Before leaving, Güell took the furniture and all the objects he could transport, such as floor and wall coverings, stained glass, ceramics, fireplaces, lamps and other decorative elements, which were reinstalled in the Güell palace. Apparently the tiles from the Fonollar palace bathrooms were even used to cover the chimneys on the roof of the new palace.[33].
• - Lost steps room.
• - Chapel-oratory.
• - Chaise-longue.
• - Dressing table by Isabel Güell.
• - Roof weather vane.
• - Wikimedia Commons hosts a multimedia category on Palacio Güell.