Tourists learn about the impact of Antoni Gaudi's work on Barcelona from their first few minutes in the Catalan capital. Once one has seen the architect's work, one unmistakably recognises his style. There's something fabulous about the incredible lines of the buildings, the combination of bright colours and intimidating shapes. Perhaps that's why Gaudí's creations are so appealing to children. Among his other works, those who come to Barcelona with children are eager to see Casa Batlló.
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The Batlló mansion was due for demolition at the end of the 19th century, but Gaudí set about giving the house a new lease of life. The façade and interiors were transformed beyond recognition. Because of the unique shape of columns and balconies, the building was called a house of bones, a house of masks, and a yawning house. The shape of the roof was reminiscent of a dragon's scaled back, while others were reminded of the motley attire of a harlequin. What to say about the walls — their unusual décor has been compared to Claude Monet's 'Water Lilies'. However, the beauty is that little tourists don't need explanations — they are happy to dream up why the house is so decorated.
Older children will probably want to learn more about Gaudí's work in renovating this building. We recommend using the audio guide during a tour of the façade and interior rooms. You can understand why he loved the flowing lines and how other famous architects used Gaudí's work. And the genius himself repeated some of these later in constructing Casa Milà.
A tour of Casa Batlló takes around an hour, and in that time, you'll visit the rooms, see the Noble Floor, dive into the sea depths of the courtyard and climb up to the roof.
Casa Batlló in Barcelona was declared an artistic monument in 1962, and in 2005, it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. A tour of Casa Batlló Gódi can be combined with a visit to several other places of interest. The Egyptian Museum of Barcelona is 300 metres away.
Incidentally, selected by the Travel & Leisure magazine as one of the best museum shops in the world, Casa Batlló's shop offers a wide and careful range of gifts related to Gaudí and Barcelona. Be sure to check it out after your tour.
