Barcelona architecture

Barcelona architecture

Here you’ll find our top architecture highlights in Barcelona, not just Gaudí.

Ruta del Modernisme

The “Ruta del Modernismo” (The Modernisme Route of Barcelona) takes you on an itinerary of 115 of Barcelona’s fascinating modernista architecture sites, not just the famous buildings like the Pedrera (aka the Casa Milà) and the Casa Batllò on the Passeig de Gracia (and just about every postcard of Barcelona) but also shops and streetlamps and the like. And not just Gaudí either, with the work of Domènech i Montaner and Puig i Cadafalch also being well-represented.

Not so hot: The queues to get into some of the more famous buildings

Casa Amatller

Built 1898-1900 for Antoni Amatller, who’d got exceeding rich manufacturing chocolate, and who must have been mightily pissed off when, under 5 years later, that Gaudí chap came along to build right next door.

The Casa Amatller is one of the three principal buildings making up the Manzana de la Discordia, together with the Casa Lleó Morera and the Casa Batlló (that Gaudí chap).

📍 Address: Passeig de Gràcia 41
🚇 Metro: Passeig de Gràcia (L2, L3, L4)
🕑 Open: Mon to Sun 10.00 am to 6.00 pm

Palau Baró de Quadras

Like many of Barcelona’s spectacular buildings, the Palau Baró de Quadras (formerly known Casa Asia) was commissioned by a stinkingly rich private patron.

A remodelled house designed by Puig i Cadafalch for the Baron of Quadras, who having newly acquired his title also wanted to acquire suitable property, the Palau was the house of Casa Asia until 2018, which promoted cultural and economic connections with Asia. Casa Asia has now noved to 22@ technological district.

📍 Address: Diagonal 373
🚇 Metro: Diagonal (L3, L5)
🕑 Check dates and times for guided tours

Casa Lleó Morera

The Lleó Morera House was built in between 1902 and 1905 by Domènech i Montaner, for another family we imagine we’re pretty miffed by the time Gaudí had finished the Casa Batlló up the block.

The old Casa Rocamora was remodeled. The old façade was demolished and rebuilt, along with new galleries, balconies and a new interior redesign making it a brilliant modernist work of art.

📍 Address: Passeig de Gràcia 35
🚇 Metro: Passeig de Gràcia (L2, L3, L4)
🕑 Not open to the public

Casa Terrades

Built in 1905, designed by Puig i Cadafalch, Casa Terrades is also perhaps better known as the Casa de les Punxes (literally “The House of Spikes”), because of its many spiked turrets. The spectacular façade leaves you wishing you could take a look round inside.

One of Barcelona’s many singular Modernista buildings not built by Gaudí.

📍 Address: Diagonal, 416-420
🚇 Metro: Verdaguer (L4, L5)
🕑 Not open to the public

Hospital de Sant Pau

A 10 minute walk up the hill from the Sagrada Familia, and after extensive restoration work last decade, the Hospital de Sant Pau was built between 1902 and 1930, the work started by Domènech i Montaner later being carried on by his son.

📍 Address: Sant Antoni Maria Claret 167
🚇 Metro: Hospital Sant Pau (L5)
🕑 Open: Monday to Sunday: 10 – 17 h (from November to March)
🎟 Admission: from €16

Palau de la Música

Designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner, and built between 1905 and 1908, the Palau de la Música is one of the major pieces of “Modernista” architecture.

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, there is ample justification for this site describing the Palau as “one of the world’s leading concert halls”.

A concert at the Palau is an absolute must for music lovers coming to Barcelona, and it’s a must-see for anyone interested in architecture.

📍 Address: Sant Pere Més Alt 6
🚇 Metro: Urquinaona (L1, L4)
🕑 Open: 09.30 to 15.30 (Jul and Aug 09.00 to 20.00)
🎟 Admission: €18

Barcelona’s top architects

As well as Gaudí, Barcelona had many other Modernista architects. Best known are…

Domènech i Montaner (1850-1923)

  • Casa Lleó Morera
  • Hospital de Sant Pau
  • Palau de la Música

Puig i Cadafalch (1867-1956)

  • Casa Amatller
  • Casa Asia
  • Casa Martí (4 Gats)
  • Casa Terrades
  • Fàbrica Casaramona

Not forgetting…

And then of course there’s also the prolific Enric Sagnier (1858-1931).

And Modernisme was not just a question of architecture, either, as a visit to the Museu de Modernisme Català will demonstrate.

Gaudí

You really want Gaudí? Check out our special Gaudí page