Guell Estate

Guell Estate

Introduction

This was the weekend villa of the banker Guell, built between 1884 and 1887. Gaudí designed the guardhouse, perimeter porch, stables, as well as parts of the walls and gates.

The exterior walls of the building feature the Mudejar style often used by Gaudí in his early works, decorated with colored tiles. The front cast-iron “Dragon Gate” is about 5 meters wide and alludes to the legend of a dragon guarding golden apples, symbolizing the noble status of the estate’s owner. It was Gaudí’s outstanding designs at this estate that won him the favor of Guell and led to opportunities to build a series of subsequent works including Palau Guell, Park Güell, and the Church of Colònia Güell.

The once vast surrounding gardens have disappeared, and only part of the mansion remains. Today, it houses the School of Architecture at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia and frequently hosts lectures related to Gaudí. Transport Metro: Palau Reial Station on Line 3, a about 10-minute walk from the station.

Barcelona, Spain