{"id":34430,"date":"2024-07-30T10:48:36","date_gmt":"2024-07-30T10:48:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.exp1.com\/blog\/?p=34430"},"modified":"2025-11-30T12:47:23","modified_gmt":"2025-11-30T12:47:23","slug":"how-to-visit-park-guell-in-barcelona","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.exp1.com\/blog\/how-to-visit-park-guell-in-barcelona\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Visit Park G\u00fcell in Barcelona"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Planning to visit Park G\u00fcell on your trip to Barcelona? It\u2019s a must-see in the city, and this guide will help you know what to look for in this architectural playground and understand why it\u2019s important. If you like this post, I highly recommend to check out some guided tours of Barcelona<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But first off, notice anything interesting about the name Park G\u00fcell? Obviously, it\u2019s not called Park Gaud\u00ed, even though this whimsical landmark is marked with the Catalan architect\u2019s signature modernist style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Park<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s not all that stands out, though.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPark\u201d isn\u2019t in Catalan (Parc G\u00fcell) or even in Spanish (Parque G\u00fcell) \u2014 it\u2019s in English. Why? Gaud\u00ed used the English \u201cpark\u201d as a nod to the 20th-century British garden city movement that inspired him. In his design for what was originally a housing development for wealthy families, Gaud\u00ed wanted to recreate the self-sufficient recreational parks being built in Britain.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The other half of the park\u2019s name comes from Eusebi G\u00fcell, the man who commissioned Gaud\u00ed to bring his idea for a housing community to life. G\u00fcell was a Catalan industrialist whose relationship with Gaud\u00ed started in the late 19th century, after he first saw and admired the designer\u2019s work at the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1878. He entrusted Gaud\u00ed with several projects, including the construction of his home Palau G\u00fcell that you can visit during one of your walks on La Rambla<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1900, production began on Park G\u00fcell. The idea was to attract families to purchase one of the 60 triangular plots of land and build a house to live in. Located on Carmel Hill, part of the Collserola mountain range, Eusebi G\u00fcell hoped the site\u2019s beautiful views and fresh air would entice people to move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t

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Sagrada Fam\u00edlia Outdoor Walking Tour With Entry Ticket<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tLearn More\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n

The housing development wasn\u2019t as popular as G\u00fcell and Gaud\u00ed hoped it would be. Gaud\u00ed\u2019s intention was to save the topography of the land with his design \u2014 every path, viaduct, and staircase in Park G\u00fcell feels like it\u2019s a natural part of the landscape \u2014 which meant there were strict rules to follow for building a home on one of the plots. For example, a house couldn\u2019t be built high enough to obstruct other tenants\u2019 views or block the sun from hitting their land. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By 1914, only two plots of land were purchased by Gaud\u00ed and G\u00fcell, who each built homes in the park. Eusebi G\u00fcell died in his home in 1918, and his family donated what had essentially become a large private garden with a Willy Wonka vibe to the city. In 1963, Gaud\u00ed\u2019s house inside Park G\u00fcell also opened to the public as Casa Museu Gaud\u00ed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Park G\u00fcell may have failed as a housing development, but today it\u2019s a UNESCO cultural heritage site that attracts 9 million visitors a year. In this post, you\u2019ll learn more about visiting Gaud\u00ed\u2019s natural modernist park.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What to see in Park G\u00fcell<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Park G\u00fcell is sometimes called \u201ca playground for the mind\u201d with its structures that mimic or seem to grow out of the landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Large columns look like palm tree trunks, a mosaic dragon greets visitors as they walk up and down a divided stairway, and no structure within the park is built to follow a straight line because that wouldn\u2019t be \u201cnatural.\u201d Nature was always a source of inspiration for Gaud\u00ed, and it shows in his playful design of what was meant to be a city within a city. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some of the most popular sites. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. The Dragon Stairway <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Twin flights of stairs that are divided into three sections mark the grand entrance of the park. There\u2019s something to see on each landing, but the smiling dragon covered with decorative mosaic tiles, fondly known as El Drac, is on the second one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Visitors love taking pictures of or selfies with this colorful lizard that Gaud\u00ed created using his \u201ctrencad\u00eds\u201d technique, where broken shards of mosaic tiles are laid asymmetrically. You\u2019ll notice this style throughout the park, but it\u2019s a little unexpected to take the shape of a lizard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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More Gaud\u00ed on a “monumental” scale in Ciutadella Park<\/a><\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

2. The Hypostyle Room<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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If you can imagine a large, bustling market on a Saturday morning happening in the Hypostyle Room, that\u2019s actually what Gaud\u00ed intended. He wanted to have a marketplace where residents on the estate could gather and shop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After climbing the stairs, you\u2019re surrounded by 86 towering columns that support the much-photographed serpentine bench that rests above it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gaud\u00ed was inspired by classic architecture, but he always put his own spin on it. While these columns look like Greek or Roman remnants, he defied the rules of classical composition by placing some of the columns on a slant rather than a straight line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t just pay attention to the columns when you\u2019re in the Hypostyle Room \u2014 look up! The ceiling is decorated with tile-shard mosaics designed by Gaud\u00ed\u2019s assistant, the Spanish architect Josep M. Jujol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. The Serpentine Bench <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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ne of the best views of Park G\u00fcell is from Gaud\u00ed\u2019s Serpentine Bench, located in the Nature Square. Like El Drac, the 360-foot-long bench is made of colorful tile shards in the Trencadis mosaic style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what\u2019s most striking is its shape. Gaud\u00ed\u2019s obsession with serpents is evident in how the bench seems to move like the body of a snake slithering on the ground.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The curves of the bench uniquely form small enclaves where people could converse privately in a large social square. Gaud\u00ed even designed the bench to collect rainwater and drain out through holes in the backrest to a gutter on the other side, so people would never have to sit on a wet bench. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Serpentine<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The bench encloses the space known as the Nature Garden, formerly known as the Greek Theatre, which was designed to host open-air shows for residents to watch from the terraces of their homes (the 58 homes that were never built).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. The Washerwoman Portico<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Washerwoman<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Washerwoman Portico was the entrance to the gardens of Casa Larrard, a mansion that was briefly G\u00fcell\u2019s home before it became a school in 1931. What\u2019s cool about this structure is that it was designed to mimic an ocean wave with slanting pillars and statues of unworked stone that blend with the surrounding natural landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDesigns by Gaud\u00ed and other Modernist masters<\/span>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Barcelona Architecture Walking Tour With Casa Batll\u00f3 Upgrade<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tLearn More\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n

When walking through the portico, look closely at the columns to find a sculpture of a washerwoman carrying a basket of clothes above her head.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. The Three Viaducts <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Gaud\u00ed created a system of viaduct paths to easily connect the different levels of the park. In addition to the Washerwoman Portico, there are three viaducts \u2014 one high, one medium, one low \u2014 that Gaud\u00ed integrated into the rocky terrain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While they were originally designed to enable people and cars to move around safely, today they make beautiful walking paths for visitors to stroll on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. The Austria Gardens and Gaud\u00ed\u2019s House<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Not only do the Austria Gardens have many different types of plants to take pleasure in, but they also offer you a great view of both Gaud\u00ed\u2019s and G\u00fcell\u2019s homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Gaud\u00ed\u2019s house, which he moved into with his father and niece in 1906, is now a museum that aims to show visitors the architect\u2019s religious side. The rooms have been recreated to display his personal items, which give us a better sense of who the man was, not just the artist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To know<\/strong>: The Gaud\u00ed House Museum requires a separate ticket from your visit to the park. You can consider combining your visit with a tour of the Sagrada Fam\u00edlia<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Planning your visit to Park G\u00fcell<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Where is Park G\u00fcell located? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Park G\u00fcell is located in the Gr\u00e0cia district, surrounded by the neighborhoods El Coll, La Salut, Vallcarca i els Penitents, and El Carmel. For the 76,000 people who live in the surrounding area, the park is a green escape from urban life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t

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Squares of Gr\u00e0cia Barcelona Walking Tour: Women and Revolution<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tLearn More\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n

What are the hours for Park G\u00fcell?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The park opens at 9:30 a.m. all year round, but the last time to access the park varies by season. Check the Park G\u00fcell website<\/a> for the most up-to-date information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do I reserve tickets for Park G\u00fcell?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A limited number of visitors can enter Park G\u00fcell a day, so tickets must be reserved ahead of time. General admission (\u20ac10) and guided tour (\u20ac22) tickets give you access to the areas of the park where Gaud\u00ed\u2019s famous works are located. Children under 7 enter for free, and children 7-12 and senior citizens pay \u20ac7 for general admission. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more about all the ticket options on the Park G\u00fcell website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do I have to visit Park G\u00fcell at my assigned time? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes, you must arrive at the park entrance at your scheduled time. You won\u2019t be allowed to visit outside the time stated on your ticket. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How long should I visit Park G\u00fcell?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Once you’re inside the park, you can spend as much time going through it as you need. With a general admission ticket, three hours is a good amount of time to see the best of Park G\u00fcell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can\u2019t get enough Gaud\u00ed?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Don\u2019t just stop at Park G\u00fcell \u2014 there are so many places to see Gaud\u00ed\u2019s architecture around Barcelona, and any of our popular walking tours will help you make the most of your experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From discovering the secret facades of the Sagrada Familia to comparing the unique architectural styles of all of Gaud\u00ed\u2019s houses, you\u2019ll get a deep dive into the Catalan architect\u2019s work from a local expert. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choose from or combine any of our tours covering architecture or the neighborhood of Park G\u00fcell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n