Wow, we visited another astonishing building of Antoní Gaudí, Barcelona’s greatest architect of all time. Torre Bellesguard is located in the neighbourhood of Sant Gervasi, an absolutely off-the-beaten-path area of the city. We booked a guided tour that was very informative.
Between 1900-1909 the famous Catalan architect was commissioned by Jaume Figueres to build this manor house. Bellesguard means “beautiful view”. He was inspired by the 15th century medieval castle, Casa Figueras, that once stood at the same site. It had belonged to Martin, King of Aragon and Count of Barcelona.
The exterior façade showcases a Neo-Gothic style, reflecting Gaudí’s homage to the medieval castle that once stood on the site. Torre Bellesguard’s tower features Gaudí’s signature four-armed cross, adorned with red and yellow mosaics that mirror the Catalan flag. At its base, a crown encircles the structure, symbolizing the site’s historical connection to the Crown of Aragon.
The architecture of Torre Bellesguard
The architectural style of the building is called Catalan Modernism. This used to be an art and literature movement connected to the search for a Catalan national identity. Learn more about this art movement in our blog post: Catalan Modernism – a romantic art movement.
Catalan Modernism has many typical style elements. Among them one can find mosaics. Especially Gaudí perfected a technique that is called “trencadís” in Catalan and it means broken. He purchased tiles of inferior quality from factories, broke them and put the random shards artistically together. This way he created many mosaics. Next to mosaics, tiles in general were used a lot when building in the period of Modernism (approx. 1880-1915).
Another important aspect of Modernism is the connection to Catalan history and culture. On the top of the building you will see that the roof has the shape of a dragon. This is a reference to famous St. George who is the patron saint of Catalonia and the most important cultural figure of the region. According to the legend, George (Jordi in Catalan) slew a dragon. This way he rescued a princess from being eaten by the creature. Actually, Gaudí chose a very similar approach when designing his masterpiece Casa Batlló.
The building is located in a quiet neighbourhood of Barcelona away from the main tourist routes. This makes it especially interesting as you also have small private groups while having a tour around the premises. It is worthwhile to spend some time in the little park around the building. Discover the art work such as vases, benches, fountains and iron works.
How to get to Torre Bellesguard
The building is located at Carrer Bellesguard 20 in 08022 Barcelona. From Plaza Catalunya you can take the underground train (FGC line 7) to Avenida Tibidabo. It is a 15 minutes walk to Torre Bellesguard.
It is advisable to buy your ticket online: https://bellesguardgaudi.com/en/
Things to do at Torre Bellesguard
- Book a guided tour around the premises.
- Alternatively, buy the audio guide and discover the building yourself.
- Our friend Angelika Heinbach from Mosaiccos offers regularly mosaic classes in Gaudí style in co-operation with Torre Bellesguard. It is a fun activity to create your own souvenir!
Restaurant recommendation close to Torre Bellesguard
La Balsa is a great restaurant just 10 minutes walking away. They offer Catalan high cuisine with a great quality. It is located in a unique space that won the FAD Architecture Prize in 1979.
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