A Magical Day at Park Güell in Barcelona Spain

Walking into Antoni Gaudí’s Park Güell is like stepping into a world of fantasy. It is an inside glimpse at the inner workings of the creative genius. My husband and I arrived early at Park Güell and immediately knew we wanted to spend more time than originally planned.

Antoni Gaudí Park Güell Barcelona

History of Gaudi’s Park

Construction on Park Güell began in 1900, after Eusebi Güell hired Antoni Gaudí  to create this majestic property. A high-end community was the original purpose for the park. However, that purpose was soon changed and it became a tourist attraction early on. The large square at Park Güell was used to host community events as well as traditional Catalan Sardana dancing, etc. In 1984, UNESCO named Park Güell a World Heritage site. This massive and beautifully landscaped park is a true gem in the heart of Barcelona.

Entrances to the Park

Technically, the main entry way to the park is located on the southside, on Carrer d’Olot (at Carrer de Larrardis). Here, the first thing one sees is the gorgeous Dragon Stairway with Hypostyle Hall above it. This area is also called the Monument Zone. However depending on the time of your appointment, there are two other entrances that may be less crowded.

Additional entrances can be found at Carrerera del Carmel (western side) and Av. del Santuari de Sant Josep de la Muntanya (eastern side). There is an escalator at this entrance. ETG Tip: These additional gates may ensure less crowds., If you have a late morning or early afternoon appointment.

If you use the main entrance, in addition to seeing the Dragon Staircase and Hypostyle Hall, you’ll find two quaint gingerbread-like houses in the Porter’s Lodge Pavilion. A souvenir shop (Pabelló de l’Aministració) and a museum (Casa del Guarda) now utilize these structures. The roofs on both of these adorable buildings sport traditional Catalan clay tiles utilizing the popular Trencadís technique of the day. Casa del Guarda, originally known as the “caretaker’s lodge” (or Porter’s Lodge) in Park Güell is now a permanent exhibition space, part of the Barcelona History Museum (MUHBA). The exhibition features photos and videos depicting the history of Park Güell and early Barcelona. 

Monument Zone

Rich and I would return together later in the day to revisit the Dragon Staircase and Hypostyle Hall or Hall of a Hundred Columns. This was my absolute favorite structure. Inspired by the Greek village of Delphi, it was originally built as a marketplace for merchants to sell their wares. It features 86 massive striated columns along with beautiful colorful sun shaped mosaics embedded in the ceiling. 

Magical Pathways

It was an amazing day. Walking up and down the magical pathways also called viaducts which wrapped around the park truly astounded me. I wondered how the builders handled this project. It must have been quite a feat to transform this hilly terrain over a century ago. Large stone walls surround the park with lovely manicured gardens at every turn. There is an incredible balance between organic and ornate design elements and structures with refined artisanship throughout.

At each mini attraction within the park, one would find a musician playing pleasant lullabies, as we all marveled at the unique buildings, pathways and views of Barcelona with the sea beyond the city. See ETG’s instagram for videos of this. Artists were set up just outside the large square, where they created and sold paintings and sketches of the iconic landmark. 

The Dragon Staircase offered a dramatic entry with an exotic dragon welcoming the park’s patrons. Look for the bright colorful mosaic covered creature in the center divider of the duo staircase. It is magnificent. 

As time flew by, and Richie and I branched off, only to meet later at a designated time at the large square. A never-ending tile bench snakes around the outer perimeter of this enormous square. The mosaic work was created with the same Trencadís technique mentioned earlier, and it is truly outstanding. 

Must See Barcelona Attraction

The view of the city with the tops of those cute gingerbread-like buildings in the Porter’s Lodge Pavilion were stunning. Gaudi continued his theme of utilizing organic nature-inspired elements within the design of the park much like Sagrada Familia. However, here the use of brightly colored mosaics was like a call and response to the basilica’s stained glass.

At the end of our day, my husband and I snuggled up on the tile bench. We watched other people’s eyes pop open, as they entered the square, appreciating the mosaic work and seeing the view for the first time. Then we shared photos and stories of our own personal adventures making sure neither one of us missed anything. We popped into the gift shop just before leaving, and Rich bought me a beautiful scarf. What a great way to remember an incredible day. After all that walking, we decided to enjoy an early dinner with some vino, and head back to our hotel for a restful night. Park Güell, Gràcia, 08024 Barcelona, Spain; https://parkguell.barcelona

CLICK HERE for more articles about Spain; ETG wants to encourage our readers to visit official tourism websites for Barcelona as well as Spain – https://www.barcelonaturisme.com; https://www.spain.info/