Barcelona, Spain. 28th October 2018.

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We are arriving at Casa Batlló for an evening visit.

This is a famous architectural tour de force.  The original building was constructed in 1877 by Emili Sala Cortés (one of Gaudí’s architecture professors) when Barcelona still did not have electric lighting. In 1903, it was acquired by Josep Batlló i Casanovas, a textile industrialist.  He wanted something remarkable and commissioned Gaudi to create it.  He suggested demolishing the original building but Gaudi opted to enlarge the external light-well, add additional floors and radically renovate it.

The Batlló family lived in the house until 1954.  It was subsequently owned by several companies and private individuals.  In 1993 it was purchased by the Bernat family, the current owners.  It was thoroughly renovated and opened to the public in 1995.  It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005.

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A view from the inside on the ground floor.

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A light well in the ceiling.

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Main light source from the feature room on the ground floor.

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The Atrium (or light well).

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Internal windows.

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Looking down a staircase.

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Looking through to the Atrium; windows and vents mirrored front and back.

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An artistic triumph at the top of the stairs.

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Looking up in the Atrium.

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Lift well.

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The arches of the Loft, originally a service area.

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The four chimney stacks on the roof, and the dragon’s spine roof arch behind.

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Marga Mbande.

Apart from seeing the house, we were there to attend Casa Batlo Magic Night (music on the rooftop) with Marga Mbande.  I don’t seem to have recorded the name of her guitarist.

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Members of the audience.

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Architectural feature element on the roof.

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And so we walk back down after the concert.  It’s the same route as the way up but things can look different going the other way.

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This must be the stairwell I photographed from the top on the way up.

The young woman on the right appears to have accidentally superglued her face to the wall.  I don’t recall noticing that at the time and just kept on walking.  I do hope she got appropriate medical attention.

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