Spain is a country of conquistadors and sailors, traders and travelers, pirates and beautiful women, delicious dishes and picturesque architecture. In the Spanish kingdom, throughout its existence, revolutions thundered, dictatorial power was overthrown, and the post-war regime was destroyed. People returned to peaceful life and revived monuments of historical times. Artists sprinkled canvases, and craftsmen sculpted buildings and gigantic monuments. Spain lived according to unwritten laws known only to it and still exists in beautiful and extraordinary execution as a relict civilization.

Architecture of Spain - cultural value of the world

Perhaps the architecture of such a beautiful country as Spain should be treated with all respect. This is an unpredictable and fantastic world, surrounded on different sides by the high-altitude ranges of the Pyrenees and Cantabria, as well as the Iberian and Catalan mountains with the adjacent Canary Islands. Throughout these natural tablets lies the proud kingdom of the Spanish people. Turrets of palaces and museums, columns of amphitheaters, statues of Roman gods and heroes of ancient Greek Hellas. Openwork houses and mosaic front gardens, alleys and fountains, parks and galleries. Cathedrals and mosques, monuments of European and Islamic styles, unforgettable buildings that captivate with their fabulousness and uniqueness. The architecture of Spain is stunning in its magnificence, despite the modest size of the Atlantic state.

Spanish ancestral style

Having visited this paradise, which attracts millions of tourists, you will remember all your life the exciting sensations that arose from the beauties you experienced. The architectural styles in Spain amaze with the depth of inspiration and uniqueness of creation. Many buildings from the time of Rome were built from durable brick, which is still polished by the winds of history. Mudejar is the name of the style of architecture created from this noble material. It absorbed the handiwork and intellect of European, Jewish and Moorish masters. Also in the brickwork there are Gothic and Baroque styles that arose in the early 17th and 18th centuries. And in the 19th and 20th centuries, Art Nouveau was born - the image of the school of art of the talented architect Antonio Gaudi. Many works are included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These are exhibits such as a park with a castle, commissioned by the Catalan industrialist and politician Eusebi Güell and named after him, the Vicenç house, the Batlló estate and the Sagrada Familia church in Barcelona. At the end of the 19th century, the Neomudéjar facing style came into fashion, the exclusive style of which was dominated by the decoration of arches, domes and walls with mosaics and colorful clay tiles.

Monuments of Spain as the revived heritage of Catalonia

The diversity and grandeur of the cultural and heritage monuments that abound in the Spanish plateaus of the mountainous country enchant and immerse you in distant milestones of epics and legends. Starting from the Roman ruins of La Llosa, you can take a stunning tour of the grounds and villages. These are the wonderful ones of Spain such as:

• The fortification wall starts at the Church of St. Mary and extends to Plaza Catalunya.
• Siege walls and gates of Alcudia;
• Architectural ruins of Baelo Claudia and La Llosa.
• Towers of Tavira and Torre del Oro, Torre Vella and Almenaras, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and the Fortress of the Moors.
• Alcantara, Maria Cristina, Subisuri bridges and the iron Pont De Ferro;
• Gate of the Sun and Jerez, Puerta de Tierra and Alcudia.
• Water labyrinth fountains, glowing and enchanting.
• Pedestals to Columbus, Don Juan, copper-bronze monument “Victory”.
• Necropolises and theaters, municipalities and hospitals, palaces and idols.

And also many other rarities of cultural society of all times are collected in one amazing kingdom. It tells about past events and excites you when you touch it, makes you immerse yourself completely in the luxurious wonders of creation, and its name is the architecture of Spain. Photos of rarities of this charming temptress fill the albums of not only connoisseurs, but also regular amateurs who love to return again and again to the heritage of Catalonia.

Moorish style as a miracle of the Golden Age

In the Middle Ages, at the dawn of the 8th century, a unique origin arose in a Spanish county. It is based on Islamic and Spanish brushes of architects. This combination of architecture was introduced by the emergence of Arab enlightenment on the Iberian Peninsula. The main cultural event was the construction in 784 of the Mezquita, a Catholic Roman cathedral. In subsequent years, these elements and design were improved and saturated with the outlandish decor of the creators. These are carved platbands and arches with openwork bindings, walls and towers of palaces, made in the form of teeth and diamonds. Carved lace, metal majolica and crushed plinth were applied to the brick frames. The roofs of the towers began to be framed by eight-pointed stars.

Continuing on Mauritania and cathedrals

In the UNESCO book, such structures as the royal alcazars (castles) of Alfonso 11th and Seville, the Cathedral of St. Mary and the parish of Santiago del Arrabal, made in the unsurpassed Moorish style, are taken under protection. The throne rooms of the chambers were framed with gilding and inlay, and the columns and pedestals were framed with figured carvings and moldings with decorative elements built into them. The miracle style intervened in the artistic activities of the eras and mixed Gothic and Romanesque traditions with a new all-consuming direction. The Moorish architecture of Spain painted whimsical catalogs with its paintings and embodied the historical plans of mankind.

Baroque style as a museum treasure in Spain

The Baroque style of Spain made a significant contribution to the museum tablets. The architecture of this work is rich in decorations of the facades of dwellings, greenhouses and holy houses. Baroque begins its journey in the second half of the 17th century and rushes like a whirlwind into the eighteenth. Few masters were the masters of such a graceful style, but those who paid tribute to it became, in fact, the “oligarchs” of this manuscript. The Churriguera brothers were such instigators and virtuosos of their craft. Five - Joaquim, Miguel, Alberto, Manuel and José Benito - ennobled most of Spain with the beauty of the Baroque.

Spanish architectural tablets from the 17th century

In general, the architecture of Spain in the 17th century begins to amaze with its emancipation and luxury. Religious sculpture appears in the country along with folk traditions, strengthening and shaping them. Zurbaran Francisco is a wooden architect who performs the first abstract works in plastic with elements of mysticism. The artist’s most tangible creations were: “Still Life with Lemons and Oranges” - 1633, “Madonna in Adolescence” - 1660, “Still Life of Vases and Cups” - 1640. The seventeenth century is full of dramatic episodes in art and counter-reformation sentiments in society . During this difficult period, the realistic form of sketch composition developed expressively.

What the 19th century has in store for us, or Glamorous Spain

In the 19th century, the channel of perfection flowed into the era of Gothic and Art Nouveau. Frame skeletons of buildings made of reinforced concrete structures began to be erected. The finishing was made of stone and forged steel, glass and plywood. Hard clay, asbestos and tiles were also used. The architecture of 19th century Spain expanded its boundaries, embedding the future of sculptures and structures with stronger and more advanced foundations. It was now possible to undertake and build freely from any available materials. The plasticity and stability of the masses, the dynamics and artistic effects of painting, and regular geometric contours are the main features of architectural sculptures and decorative decoration of the nineteenth century.

Oh, how many wonderful discoveries there are!

In the azure country of the Spanish ancestors, a great variety of architectural attractions and style discoveries are involved. It is not possible to list them all due to the abundance of them. The architecture of Spain has thousands of memorable memorials and structures. Let us list the main and significant creations of the hands of famous people:

1. Gothic style temples - Alcazar, Burgas and Seville, Toledo and Tarragona.
2. Castles and palaces - Rahadel and Argimon, Vilasar and Medion, Mantaplana and Manresan, Arench de Empordà and Montsori, as well as hundreds of stone and stucco creations.
3. Catalan National Museum with the Gothic Quarter and the Monastery of Montserrat, Parks Guell and the Citadel.
4. The houses of Calvet, Mila, Vincennes and the chapel of the family Sagrada.

Not every world empire can boast of such delights. What has been invested in Spain is all the merit of the rare artisans and specialists who once lived here.

Creators of culture

Renaissance architecture in Spain begins well before 711, when the kingdom was marked by the settlement of Muslims. Architectural structures of ancient civilizations from the pre-Roman era have been found in the Pyrenees. They were representatives of tribes called Cantabra, Celtiberians and Iberians. After the ancient era came inimitable inspirers and figures such as: Gaudi Antonio and Juan de Villanueva, José Acebillo and Vicente Acero, and Juan Gomez de Mora, Pedro Machuca and Rafael Moneo, Damian Forment and José Benito Churriguera, Manuel Nunez-Yanowski and Joaquin Rucoba. And also dozens of phenomenal creators of different generations. All of them did labor-intensive work to flourish and create Spanish territories. Thanks to such architects, sculptors, stonemasons and other handicraftsmen, Spain became the apple of God and the heart of the cultural world.

Sculpting grace is not digging catacombs

Now we know how the architecture of Spain began and what path it took before reaching the heights of the priceless presumption of adoration. How many minds and hands worked on the great Spanish enlightenment to create the unprecedented. That grace that will be passed on to children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and further along the genealogical branch of the tree. Even building catacombs requires skill and ingenuity. And even more so to create immortal creations. After all, the soul of an individual architect was put into every detail, he pleased each of them with his breath and patience, warmly stroked it up and down and carefully inserted it into place. A trip to Spain will be the best confirmation of this. And it’s better to actually see everything with your own eyes and bring back a piece of noble memories from there, where the fascinating heights of bridges and huge halls of temples and museums will give you true pleasure for the rest of your life.

Dentro del interesantísimo campo del "futuro del pasado" contamos con una preciada joya: En el año 2017. y el nuestro. Por enumerar algunas de ellas:

• En el futuro de 1960 no hay zombies. Ni un virus mortal ni ninguna otra catástrofe que hubiera asolado la Humanidad. Solo retos a superar con un optimistico infinito.
• La Naturaleza no es más que un enemigo a batir. La energía nuclear ya no es la más potente que existe pero es omnipresente en el funcionamiento de las máquinas. Eco... ¿qué?
• En el futuro de 1960 no hay antagonismo entre humanos. Si acaso una banda residual de imperialistas que sobrevive escondida en un islote del Pacífico Sur y que no merece ni una diapositiva.
• El tecnoprogreso ha liberado a la mujer de las tareas reproductivas. Eso sí, una especie de instinto primario hace que sea ella quien indique a los electrodomésticos cómo han de hacer los desayunos. Y es papá, claro, quien tiene un despacho en casa. (Spoiler: no, la pelicula no pasa el test de Bechdel.)
• Incluso para salvar el mundo hay que pedir la debida autorización. ¿Qué es eso de llaneros solitarios u hombres con ridículas capas y mallas que van saltándose la ley a la torera para hacer el bien?
• Y lo más inesperado: los meteorólogos son los grandes héroes de ese futuro.

V. Strúkova and V. Shevchenko

EN EL AÑO 2017

Dibujante: L. Sméjov
Producido por el estudio Diafilm, 1960


¿Quién no ha pensado alguna vez en el futuro? What do you mean? ¿Quién no querría echar un vistazo al siglo venidero? Las obras de ciencia ficción, los cálculos de los científicos y los atrevidos proyectos de ingeniería nos permiten imaginar cómo puede ser el futuro.


Así que echemos un vistazo al futuro, trasladémonos unos 50-60 años más allá en el tiempo. Quizás en vísperas del Centenario del Gran Octubre otros escolares, iguales a vosotros, contemplen en su clase de geografía un reportaje cinematográfico sobre el pasado reciente y el presente de su país: una película sobre cómo la gente soviética transforma la naturaleza para alcan zar la paz y la prosperidad en la Tierra.


Estos son los escolares de 2017 en un aula de clase cinematográfica. Un efecto especial llamado "la lupa del tiempo" les permite observar cómo se fue construyendo la imagen del país que conocen.


Los chicos pueden contemplar como tramos de puentes se funden sobre insondables abismos en las montañas...


...explosiones nucleares localizadas con gran exactitud abren canales y hacen desaparecer los montes que obstaculizan el paso...


...los ríos Obi y Yeniséi son obligados a dar la vuelta y encaminarse al mar Caspio. Este mar, hace tan poco tiempo en riesgo de secarse, ahora recibe aguas de caudalosos ríos.


Los chicos escuchan al locutor: "Este que veis es el dique que atraviesa el estrecho de Bering. ¿Veis cómo cruzan por él los trenes nucleares? El dique cierra el paso a las corrientes frías del Océano Glacial Ártico y mejora así el clima del Extremo Oriente.


Luego, en la imagen, la superficie de la tierra se desvanece y se puede observar lo que acontece en las entrañas de la Tierra. En lo más profundo de los volcanes lanchas-topo fabricadas con un especial acero termorresistente se abren camino hacia fuentes de energía eternas.


A continuación, en la imagen, se desvanece el planeta mismo. Recorren el espacio interestelar, a una velocidad cercana a la de la luz, cohetes de fotones: naves espaciales camino del sistema planetario más próximo a nosotros y tan lejano a la vez, el Alfa Centaura.


Termina la sesión de cine y el profesor de geografía Nikolái Borísovich recuerda que mañana el grupo sale de excursión a la ciudad subterránea de Carbonogrado, en la región subártica.


A la mañana siguiente un capirotazo en la nariz despierta a Ígor. Así es como le despierta el reloj de pared inventado por su padre, uno de los controladores del Instituto Central de Administración del Clima.


Entreabriendo los ojos, el niño observa como la suave mano de plástico que le acaba de despertar es reabsorbida por la carcasa del reloj. "¡Hoy veré Carbonogrado con mis propios ojos!" — piensa Ígor con ilusión.


Mamá no está en la cocina pero ha dejado una nota con indicaciones a la intelligente máquina culinaria. "¡Qué bien! ¡Mi desayuno favorito!" - piensa el niño.


Ígor pone en marcha con cuidado el equipo e introduce la nota en la ranura. Para ejecutar las indicaciones apuntadas rayos invisibles tantean el contorno de las letras en la nota, cubetas automáticas miden las cantidades necesarias, unas cuchillas especiales parten raudamente las verduras.


De repente, desde el despacho de papá, llega la sonora voz de mamá.


Mamá mira desde la pantalla de un televideófono. Está en la cubierta de una motonave. Esta aloja el jardín de infancia en el que se encuentran sus hijos menores. - "Te has apañado con el desayuno?" - pregunta, sonriendo, mamá.


- "Estás... ¿en el Mar Negro!" - se extraña Ígor. - "Estoy en un viaje de trabajo, inspeccionando los jardines de infancia flotantes del Mar Negro y, ya de paso, he pasado a saludar a los míos... Dile a papá por telefono que no volveré hasta mañana."


Media hora más tarde Ígor ya está muy lejos de la capital. El artico les recibe con una furiosa ventisca. Trabajadores locales rodean al grupo de moscovitas.


Una escotilla se abre ante los excursionistas y la ancha cinta de la escalera mecánica les transporta hacia abajo.


Más tarde recorren las calles de Carbonogrado. Por el aire se extiende el sutil aroma de los tilos. Al ver a la gente tostándose en la playa bajo un astro de cuarzo resulta difícil pensar en la ventisca que campa a sus anchas más arriba.


En las periferias de la ciudad enormes máquinas de acero están royendo las rocas. El ingeniero jefe de Carbonogrado Vladislav Ivánovich cuenta muchas cosas interesantes a los escolares.


— Aquí, bajo la tierra, disfrutamos de una primavera perpetua, — les informa con orgullo, — aunque el caprichoso tiempo de arriba nos fastidia los gráficos de envío del producto.


— Y la estación aérea de administración del clima que se está construyendo, ¿no podría vencer los caprichos del Ártico? — pregunta Nikolai Borisovich. Los chicos esperan con interés la respuesta del ingeniero jefe.


— Por el momento las intervenciones de la estación aérea son de carácter temporal, — respondió Vladislav Ivánovich. — El flujo ininterrumpido de los cargamentos solo se podría asegurar mediane un metro interurbano que atravesara todo el Ártico.


— Este es un nuevo modelo del "terrador": la nueva máquina de perforación de alta velocidad. Este "terrador" funcionará con la energía mesónica recién descubierta que triplicará su velocidad de penetración.


Por otro lado, la estación aérea de administración del clima tiene un gran futuro. Una persona presionará desde su despacho las teclas del radiomando y la máquina levantará el vuelo para reducir el huracán o suprimir una tempestad.


De hecho, los escolares tardarían muy poco en saber de lo que es capaz la estación aérea.
Mientras vladislav Ivánovich Conversa Con Ellos, En Moscoff, En Su Despacho del Insteral de Administración del Clima, El Sinóptico Del País Y Controlador Del Clima DE Guardia, El Padre de ígor Yevgueni SerguéIevich, Discuten Los Mensajes de Emergencia Que Llegan Desde La region del Pacifico.


— Nos acaban de informar, — dice el sinóptico jefe, — de que los últimos imperialistas, escondidos en una lejana isla, han estado probando un arma mesónica prohibida. Las pruebas han provocado una explosión de fuerza inaudita que ha destruido toda la isla y, al mismo tiempo, ha provocado perturbaciones en la atmósfera terrestre.


— ¡Es por eso que nuestra máquina inteligente de pronósticos de repente predice para hoy una tormenta de 12 puntos en el Mar Negro cuando ayer el pronóstico todavía era favorable! — exclama Yevgueni Serguéievich.


— La explosión en el sur del Pacífico está provocando terribles huracanes y tormentas. ¡Es necesario salvar a las personas! - afirma decididamente el sinóptico jefe. — ¿Nuestra estación aérea está preparada?


Una terrible idea abrasa la mente de Yevgueni Serguéievich. Las naves... Los jardines de infancia flotantes... Allí están su mujer, Nina, Vitia. Cada minuto que pasa el huracán está más cerca. Pero la estación todavía no está equipada con el radiomando.


— Pediremos autorización para un vuelo tripulado de la estación aérea de administración del clima, — dice el sinóptico jefe. - Iremos nosotros mismos. Claro que arriesgaremos nuestras vidas. Pero debemos salvar a los niños, a los marineros, las naves.


La autorización para el vuelo llega y, al poco, prominentes columnas de agua pasan detrás de la ventana de la estación aérea del clima. Las columnas llegan hasta las mismísimas nubes.


Por la pantalla del televisor instalado en la estación pasa la costa del Mar Negro. Un gigantesco tornado está arrancando azoteas y descuajando árboles centenarios.


El sinóptico jefe hace bajar cristales negros sobre las ventanas. Auxiliares de laboratorio dirigen los mandos. El fuego deslumbra incluso a través de los cristales negros... Y es que la estación está irradiando mesones de inaudita potencia. Sus rayos combaten el tornado.


Cuando al fin se desconectan los relámpagos mesónicos y se elevan los cristales negros, el tornado se ha ido como por arte de magia. La estación aérea de administración del clima ha salvado cientos de vidas.


La explosión en el sur del Pacífico que había supuesto una amenaza mortal para la costa del Mar Negro, también se da a conocer en la capital. Una masa viscosa, gris y tenebrosa, avanza por un lóbrego cielo.


Pero la capital se está engalanando para la fiesta. Se vive una extraordinaria animación en la calle. Los moscovitas se quitan de las manos la última edición del periódico que informa sobre los últimos logros de la ciencia soviética en la administración del clima.


Y entonces, de repente, se abren los nubarrones y columnas de luz dorada se posan oblicuamente sobre las casas y los parques. El corredor de luz se va abriendo más y más.


La estación aérea de administración del clima sobrevuela lentamente la ciudad. Una radiante ciudad que se prepara para la celebración del Centenario del Gran Octubre. El festejo ha coincidido con una gran victoria de la ciencia soviética sobre la naturaleza.


El padre de Ígor abandona la estación aérea del clima y se encuentra con su hijo que no logra zafarse de su abrazo, especialmente fuerte en esta ocasión.


Por la tarde Yevgueni Serguéievich enciende el televideófono y llama a la motonave Najetia. Desde la pantalla le sonríe su mujer y Nina grita a su lado: "¡Papá! ¡Por aquí ha caído un templadito chaparrón!"

Barcelona is a city of eternal smiles, sun and unique architecture. The sights of Antonio Gaudi are a separate chapter in the endless list of must-see places in the capital of Catalonia, and we will introduce them in our article.

Biography of Antonio Gaudi

The famous Catalan architect Antonio Placid Guillem Gaudí i Cornet was born in 1852 into the family of a blacksmith in the small town of Reus, Catalonia. Continuing the family business, the father of the future architect made a living in forging and chasing copper, and from an early age instilled in his son a sense of beauty, drawing and depicting buildings with him.

Antonio grew up as a smart boy who excelled at school without much effort. His favorite subject was geometry. Even during his school years, the young man began to think about his purpose and felt that his life would be somehow connected with art. One day, during a school play, Antonio tried himself as a theater artist and it was then that he realized what he wanted to devote his life to - “painting on stone,” which in subsequent generations would be described as Gaudí’s architecture.

After graduating from school, Gaudi went to a city that is now impossible to imagine without the creations of the Catalan genius - Barcelona.

Architect Antonio Placide Guillem Gaudí i Cornet is the creator of the most significant landmarks that Catalonia is proud of.

Having entered an architectural bureau here as an entry-level position, the young man does not give up his dream of one day starting work on his own project and building his own building.

After four years of living and working in the capital of Catalonia, Gaudí finally entered the Provincial School of Architecture, where he took up his studies with desperate zeal. Already from the first year, teachers noted Antonio, noticing both his talent and his amazing stubbornness, unconventional vision and audacity. Even the rector of the educational institution speaks about these qualities when presenting 26-year-old Gaudi with an architect’s diploma.

Already in his final years, the ambitious Catalan worked on serious projects and did not give up his work until the end of his life. In the summer of 1926 in Barcelona, ​​the famous architect was hit by a tram on his way to church. Mistaking the artist for a homeless man, witnesses to the incident sent him to a hospital for the poor. Only a day later the exhausted old man was recognized as a famous architect, but his condition at that time worsened, and he soon died.

Style

From the moment he graduated from the school of architecture, Antonio's artistic search began. At first he turns to the neo-Gothic style, which was then popular in the south of Europe, then changes course to more intimate modernism, “pseudo-baroque” and gothic. Almost all of Antoni Gaudi's attractions, and there are 17 of them, are located in Catalonia.

Subsequently, each of these directions will leave its mark on Gaudí’s work. However, it is impossible to characterize Gaudi’s style with just one movement: from the first independent buildings of the artist, it becomes clear that their creator is a man outside the rules and time. The concept of “Gaudi decor”, whose style is recognizable always and everywhere, has forever been assigned to him.

Smooth lines and unusual construction of space can be conditionally attributed to modernism, which is either approaching or moving away from neo-Gothic.

The buildings

Fountain in Plaza Catalunya – Fuente en la Plaza de Cataluña

(Catalan name -Font a la Plaça de Catalunya)

The fountain in Plaza Catalunya is considered the first independent work of Antoni Gaudí

Antonio's first independent work is recognized as a fountain in the central square of Barcelona - Plaza Catalunya, designed and built in 1877. Now every guest of the capital of Catalonia can admire it when they come to the main square of the city.

Free admission.

Address: Plaza de Catalunya.

How to get there: by metro, the nearest stations are Catalunya and Passeig de Gracia.

Mataronin Workers' Cooperative

(Spanish and Catalan names are identical: Cooperativa Obrera Mataronense)

The first building Gaudí built independently is located near Barcelona, ​​in the town of Mataro. The aspiring architect received the order to design the cooperative in 1878, and worked on it for about four years. The complex was originally planned to include residential buildings, a casino and other ancillary buildings, but ultimately only the factory and service buildings were completed.

Mataronin workers' cooperative, whose building was designed by an architectural genius

Now access to the building is open, and everyone can look at it, but it can only be of interest to true fans and researchers of the architect’s history. After all, the cooperative, although it inevitably reminds of its creator in every detail, does not represent such artistic value as the other buildings of the genius.

The building is now used as an exhibition space.

Opening hours:

• From July 15 to September 15 – from 18:00 to 21:00, closed on Mondays.

All other months:

Free admission.

Address: Mataro, Carrer Cooperativa 47.

How to get there:

• by train from Barcelona Stants station to Mataro station;
• by bus from stop Pl Tetuan to Rda. Alfons XII – Camí Ral (stops 3 minutes walk to the Workers' Cooperative);
• by car - drive along the coast to the north, the journey will take no more than half an hour.

House of Vicens

(Spanish and Catalan names are identical: Casa Vicens)

The Vicens House is the fateful brainchild of the great architect. Thanks to his bold design, Antonio was noticed by his future patron, philanthropist Eusebio Güell

In 1883-1885, Gaudí designed a building that largely determined his fate. Manufacturer Manuel Vicens orders a summer residence project for his family from an architect who has just received his diploma. A young artist decides to build a building from rough stone and colorful ceramic tiles.

The building itself is an almost perfect quadrangle, but the simplicity of the form was transformed with the help of decorative elements. Facing the east, he decorates the building in the Mudejar style. Here he is helped by both colored tiles (which the customer of the house specializes in) and the bold decision to lay them out in a checkerboard pattern.

Interior of the Vicens house inside

Attention to the smallest details and the desire to maintain his work in a single style were already identified as a distinctive feature of Antoni Gaudi.

In 2005, the building was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

It was after the construction of the House of Vicens that Antonio Gaudi was noticed by the philanthropist Eusebio Güell, who later became the main customer and patron of the young architect.

Private building, closed to the public until 2017. The house will open for tours in October 2017.

Address: Carrer de les Carolines, 22-24.

How to get there: by metro to Fontana station (L3).

El Capriccio

(Spanish and Catalan names are identical: Capricho de Gaudí)

The summer mansion of the Marquis Masimo Diaz de Quixano, created by an architectural genius, still amazes with its originality and uniqueness

The Catalan genius is building the next structure by order of the Marquis Masimo Diaz de Quixano, who was distantly related to the architect’s friend Guell. The quaint summer mansion was created in 1883-1885 in the town of Comillas and is still one of its main attractions. The building is now open to the public.

Opening hours: 10:30-17:30, with an hour break from 14:00 to 15:00.

Ticket price – 5 €.

Address: Comillas, Barrio Sobrellano.

How to get there: From Barcelona, ​​the fastest way is to fly to the city of Santander (SDR airport) and from there by bus to the city of Comillas (the Comilias stop is a five-minute walk from El Capriccio).

Pavilion of the Güell Manor – Pabellones Güell

(Catalan name -Pavellons Gü ell)

The beautiful and unique design pavilion of the Güell estate is another work of Gaudí

The first order Gaudí received directly from Güell was a project for a complex of two pavilions and a gate, which were supposed to be the main entrance to the magnate’s country estate. Initially, the complex also included a gatekeeper's house and stables, but they did not survive to this day.

The pavilion is located in Barcelona, ​​near the Palau Reial metro station on line L3, and you can visit it by purchasing a ticket for 6 €.

Address: 7, Av. Pedralbes.

How to get there: by metro to Palau Reial station (L3).

Sagrada Familia – Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Familia

(Catalan Name– Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia)

The beginning of the construction of the most famous long-term construction is considered to be March 19, 1882. It was then that the first stone was laid in the foundation of the Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family. The basilica began to be built under the leadership of the then famous Spanish architect Francisco del Villar. A year later, he left the project due to disagreements with the church council, and the young Gaudí was entrusted with continuing construction.

Antonio Gaudi devoted 42 years of his life to the construction of the Sagrada Familia, tirelessly improving the project, adding new details and gradually modifying the plan. The artist filled each new column, statue or part of the bas-relief with symbolism and sacred meaning, being a true Christian.

Its fundamental innovation was the 18 pointed towers, each of which had a special meaning. The central and highest among them (still unfinished) is dedicated to Christ.

Nativity facade

The three facades of the building also carry a sacred meaning, which is expressed by sculptures and images on it. The main façade is dedicated to the Nativity, the other two are dedicated to the Passion of Christ and the Resurrection. According to the Spanish government, the construction of the temple will be completed approximately in 2026 (which is not certain), but now you should definitely visit the Sagrada Familia by Antoni Gaudi when you are in the capital of Catalonia. The building is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can learn more about Gaudi’s brilliant creation in a separate article at the link.

The Expiatory Temple of the Sagrada Familia is a unique creation of the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi. The temple has become a symbol not only of Barcelona, ​​but of Spain as a whole.

Opening hours:

• November-February – 9:00-18:00;
• March and October – 9:00-19:00;
• from April to September – 9:00-20:00.

The price of the simplest entrance ticket is from 17 €.

Address: Carrer de Mallorca, 401.

How to get there: to Sagrada Familia metro station (L2 and L5).

Palace Güell – Palacio Güell

( Catalan name -Palau Gü ell)

Palace Güell not only attracts the attention of numerous tourists, but is also duly recognized by UNESCO

The residential building, built by a Catalan master commissioned by Güell's friend and patron, became his only building in the Old Town of Barcelona. Antoni Gaudi took five years to build Palace Güell, and it was during this time that his personal style, which became recognizable throughout the world, was formed. A non-standard approach to decorating the facade, an appeal to Byzantine motifs and the statics of Venetian palazzos - each line of the building loudly declares its creator.

The interiors of the palace are also worth a look: fancy fireplaces, wooden ceilings, bright stained glass windows and huge mirrors are definitely worth your time. Palace Güell is another building by Antoni Gaudi, included in the UNESCO list.

Opening hours:

• from April 1 to September 30 – 10:00-20:00;
• From October 1 to March 31 – 10:00-17:30;
• Mon and Sun are days off.

Free admission.

Address: Carrer Nou de la Rambla.

How to get there: by metro to Drassanes station (L3).

College of Saint Teresa – Colegio Teresiano de Barcelona

(Catalan Name – Col legi de les Teresianes)

In 1888, Antoni Gaudí began to continue the construction of the College of St. Teresa. It is still unknown which of the architects of that time started this project and why he did not continue it.

Working on the building turned out to be difficult for the architect, because he constantly had to coordinate his ideas with the client and work with rather “boring” material, trying not to dilute it with decorative elements. Constantly arguing with Ossie's father, who supervised the construction, the architect found justification for his decisions in biblical symbolism.

College of Saint Teresa is another popular attraction in Barcelona

Thanks to Gaudi’s persistence and his categorical reluctance to adhere to absolute asceticism, the college building turned out to be restrained, but not without recognizable author’s features. The shape of the building was complicated, decorative arches were placed along the perimeter of the roof, and the facade was decorated with unique elements.

You can get inside the school during excursions, which are held on weekends from 15:00 to 20:00.

Address: Carrer de Ganduxer, 85.

How to get there: by bus 14, 16, 70, 72, 74 to the Tres Torres stop.

Bishop's Palace in Astrog

(isp. Palacio Episcopal de Astorga,cat. Palau Episcopal d'Astorga)

The bishop of Astroga (province of Leon), Jean Batista Grau i Vallespinosa, was well acquainted not only with the work of Antoni Gaudi, but also with the architect himself personally. It is no wonder that it was him who the priest ordered the design of his new residence. Focusing on the Gothic style characteristic of Leon, Gaudi created a small castle with narrow windows, towers and pointed roofs.

Bishop's Palace in Astrog

The building's unique porch and entrance portico with recessed arches are the architect's find. In order to create the impression of “elongation” and unreality, to dilute the usual Gothic style, the master decided to use solid elongated stone blocks in the installation.

At the moment, the palace is open to visitors, the ticket price is 2.5 €.

Address: Plaza de Eduardo Castro, Astroga.

How to get there: The easiest way from Barcelona is by train to Astroga station (the Palace is a 10-minute walk from the station).

House Botines

(Spanish: Casa Botines, cat.. Casa de los Botines)

Not far from Astroga, in Leon there is another attraction associated with the name of the Catalan master. The rich people of Leone, having seen the new residence of Bishop Astroga, decided that their new apartment building should be built by the same architect. The main customer was one of them, Joan Botines, founder of the commercial union.

The house, like the Jean Baptiste Palace, was designed with an eye to local color. Turning again to the Gothic style, Gaudi erects a rather restrained building with a small number of decorative elements.

House Botines - the legendary creation of Gaudí outside Catalonia

Address: Leon, Plaza del Obispo Marcelo, 5.

How to get there:

• by train to Ponferrada station;
• by bus (from the station) to the Ponferrada stop (a five-minute walk from Casa Botines).

Güell Wine Cellar

(Spanish)Bodegas Guell,cat. Celler Guell)

The Güell Wine Cellar is one of the most original wine cellars in the world

In the suburbs of Barcelona there is another Gaudí building, commissioned by Eusebio Güell. The master worked on it in 1895-1898. The single complex included a wine cellar, a residential building and a gatekeeper's house. They are all united by a recognizable style, as well as a common idea of ​​​​building roofs - they resemble either tents or oriental pagodas, attracting all attention to themselves.

Entrance to the complex costs 9 €.

Address: El Celler Güell, Sitges.

How to get there: By train to Garaff station.

House Calvet

(Spanish and Catalan names are identical: Casa Calvet)

In 1898-1890, Gaudí was busy building an apartment building on Casp Street (Carrer de Casp) in Barcelona, ​​commissioned by the widow of a city rich man, which later became a private residential building. In the style of the building, the maestro adhered to the neo-baroque style, abandoning medieval motifs. It was this creation of the architect that received the Barcelona Municipal Prize for the best building of the year in 1900.

The building can only be viewed from the outside.

Address: Carrer de Casp 48.

How to get there: by metro to Urquinaona station (L1, L4).

Colony Güell Crypt

(Spanish and Catalan names are identical:Cripta de la Colò nia Gü ell)

Gaudi began building another church in the suburbs of Barcelona in 1898 as part of a project to build a colony - a small complex provided with everything necessary for the life of a micro-society.

The Crypt of Colonia Güell is one of the most original buildings in Catalonia

Due to the protracted construction process, the architect was able to build only the crypt, and all other parts of the project remained unfulfilled.

The building is lined with multi-colored glass, and its windows are decorated with needles from the looms of the Guell factory. The building is decorated with bright stained glass windows dedicated to church motifs.

The crypt is open from 10:00 to 19:00, tickets cost from 7 €. The attraction is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Address: Colonia Guell S.A., Santa Coloma de Cervello.

How to get there: Take buses N41 and N51 to the Santa Coloma de Cervello stop.

House Figueres

(Spanish and Catalan names are identical: Casa Figueras)

One of the most recognizable houses of Antoni Gaudi is located on Bellesguard Street and is often named after it. The architect worked for three years only on the design of the house, which was commissioned by the widow of a wealthy merchant Maria Sages in 1900, and its construction continued until 1916.

Forming the style of the building, Gaudi returns to oriental motifs and combines it with neo-Gothic. As a result, he gets a very light structure, soaring into the sky, decorated with intricate stone mosaics and graceful broken lines.

Casa Figueres is open to the public from 10:00 to 19:00 in summer and until 16:00 in winter. Ticket costs from 7 €.

Address: Carrer de Bellesguard, 16.

How to get there: by metro to Vallcarca station (L3).

Park Guell

(Spanish: Parque Güell, cat. Parc Güell)

A huge park with an area of ​​17.18 hectares, Parque Gaudi Barcelona was built in the upper part of Barcelona in the years 1900-1914. Together with the customer Güell, they conceived a recreational space, a “garden city,” that was fashionable at that time among the British. The designated area for the park was divided into 62 plots for the construction of mansions. It was never possible to sell them to wealthy Catalans, so they began to develop the territory as an ordinary park, and then sold it to local authorities.

Nowadays the house-museum of Antoni Gaudi is located here (his mansion was one of three purchased in the park). Besides it, there is a lot to see in the park: the famous mosaic sculptures, the Hall of a Hundred Columns and, of course, the curved bench and the famous Gaudí tiles with which it is lined.

A ticket for an adult visitor costs from 22.5 €.

Address: Passeig de Gràcia, 43.

How to get there: by metro to Passeig de Gràcia station (L3).

House Mila

(Spanish and Catalan names are identical: Casa Milà)

The famous Casa Mila has long become almost the same symbol of Barcelona as the Sagrada Familia. This is the last “secular” work of the architect. After its completion, he finally plunged into the construction of the Church of the Holy Family, sometimes mistakenly called the CATHEDRAL. Gaudi, again, gravitating towards smooth and curved lines, creates an amazing and memorable facade.

Casa Mila is one of the symbols of Barcelona

By the way, the residents of Barcelona did not immediately like it, and the building was nicknamed the Quarry for its heavy appearance. However, this did not prevent Casa Mila from becoming the first building of the 20th century to be included in the UNESCO List.

The fact is that Gaudi, acting in accordance with his principles, thought through the smallest details, not only decorative, but also functional. In Casa Mila, Antoni Gaudi thought out the ventilation in the rooms in such a way that to this day it does not require air conditioning. And the owners can move the interior partitions in each apartment at their discretion.

And, of course, the main innovation of that time was the underground parking, also designed by the famous architect.

Interior inside Casa Mila

Casa Mila has been on the World Heritage List since 2005.

Address: Provença, 261-265.

How to get there: by metro to Diagonal station (L3, L5). Buy skip-the-line tickets to Casa Mila with an audio guide.

Sagrada Familia School

(Spanish: Escuelas de la Sagrada Familia, cat. Escoles de la Sagrada Familia)

Built as part of the Sagrada Familia complex, the school amazes with its simplicity and elegance at the same time. This is probably one of the most inconspicuous attractions of Antoni Gaudi at first glance. Its design amazingly harmoniously combines beauty and functionality.

Thus, a fancy roof not only serves as decoration, but also drains rainwater without leaving a trace. In addition, the building fully complies with church requirements.

The Sagrada Familia school can claim to be the most original in the world in its design

A few years after the construction of the school was completed, Gaudi himself moved here to live in order to be as close as possible to the main work of his life - the Cathedral of the Sagrada Familia.

Address: Carrer de Mallorca, 401.

How to get there: by metro to Sagrada Familia station (L2 and L5).

Art

The energy and hard work of Barcelona residents has more than once turned out to be a generator of the city's construction development. Their frantic activity brought to life artistically remarkable phenomena: the Gothic of medieval Barcelona and the modernist whims of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The city is famous for its collection of Romanesque paintings.

Architecture

Time can change its course, and this is confirmed by Barcelona, ​​which remained faithful to the Gothic style in construction when it was forgotten in other countries. Gothic monuments and imaginative Art Nouveau buildings make up the unique image of Barcelona.

Roman Barcelona

Barcino, the city today known as Barcelona, ​​was an example of a Roman garrison with the layout typical of such settlements.

The Visigoths and Muslim conquerors followed the example of the Romans in governing the city, but no buildings from the time of their presence have survived.

Romanesque art

At the beginning of the Middle Ages, a new architectural style, called “Romanesque,” ​​gained recognition in Christian Europe.

The peculiarity of the Romanesque churches of Catalonia is the tall, square bell tower with semicircular openings adjacent to the main volume. The Romanesque temple had a semi-cylindrical apse. Over time, builders became bolder, starting to build churches with three and even five apses. Doorways began to be decorated with a series of arches within arches, and stone or wooden sculptures were installed to enliven the overall composition.

The monastery complexes were distinguished by extraordinary sophistication. Along the perimeter of the courtyard rose double rows of columns topped with capitals, which over time were increasingly richly decorated with scenes from the Bible or other religious images, as well as teratological ornaments. The relative paucity of sculptural ornamentation on the interior walls and ceilings of temple buildings is quite understandable. The interiors of churches were often covered with colorful frescoes, while the altars were framed with wooden panels, also richly decorated with picturesque images of Christ, the apostles and religious scenes.

Gothic heights

Increasingly complex construction techniques made possible the emergence of a new style - Gothic. Construction methods corresponding to it were developed in France and then spread to other European countries. Engineers improved the load-bearing and weight-distributing structures, and thanks to the use of pillars and arches, all kinds of supports and ribbed ceiling vaults, the buildings acquired a light and slender appearance.

The engineering design of the temples is marked by the desire to reach the greatest heights - Gothic cathedrals seem to soar into the skies. The image of a vertically oriented cathedral was supposed to evoke awe among parishioners, and today the gaze of those entering a Gothic temple involuntarily rushes upward. Huge windows - rosettes with stained glass in the temple naves highlighted by arches fill the interior space with light. The churches were richly decorated inside and outside. In large cathedrals, the abundance of decoration matched their stunning height.

Baroque

The Renaissance did not find a response in the architectural development of Barcelona, ​​which remained faithful to the Gothic traditions, which had already been forgotten in other European countries. The Baroque style, which loudly declared itself, had a much greater influence on local architecture. Several churches in Barcelona were built in a style reminiscent of the Italian Renaissance.

Round windows stylized as embrasures are the distinctive elements of this style.

Modernism

Drawing inspiration from nature and its harmonious forms, the modernists looked to Spain's past for its Gothic and Islamic architecture. But they never blindly imitated any style, but found means of expression through a bold mixture of old and new, for example, using brick and wrought iron. Modernist architects in Barcelona contributed to the revival of the almost extinct figure of the artisan.

Relatively new building materials, steel and iron, began to be fully used as frames for the walls of buildings and in decoration. There was a renewed interest in glass and ceramic tiles, which began to be used in a completely new style. Architects of the new movement developed the traditions of artisans, passed down from generation to generation since the times of medieval guilds.

The practice of bare brick construction dates back to Islamic Spain. Brick was the main building material of Muslims, and the country owes the Mudejars the preservation of the tradition of its use during the Reconquest.

Closer to our days

After the rampage of modernism, other trends looked much more restrained. The years of instability between the world wars and the civil war became a brake on the activities of architects.

(c) National Geographic Guide (Barcelona)

| Architectural styles of Spain

Architectural styles of Spain

Almost all styles of world architecture are represented on the territory of this extraordinary country. Roman architectural monuments, austere Gothic cathedrals, luxurious buildings of the Renaissance and Baroque era... Catalan Art Nouveau is widely represented in many cities. In particular, these are the unique creations of the brilliant Antonio Gaudi i Cornet, in which several architectural styles are intertwined - from Romanesque to Plateresque: just remember the Church of Sograda de Familia in Barcelona.

The architectural appearance of fortresses and castles, churches and cathedrals, all kinds of historical buildings and residential buildings, which are located in ancient cities declared by UNESCO as the Heritage of Humanity, reflects a variety of, sometimes very unusual, creative expressions of their creators.

well represented in Tarragona. This is the first Roman city on Spanish soil, the ancient capital of Catalonia, and the second most important port. The fortress wall of the 3rd century has been preserved here. BC, an amphitheater for gladiator fights, a circus, the Arch of Ber, the remains of Scipio's Tower, the Christian Necropolis, the Devil's Bridge aqueduct and the Cathedral of Santa Maria.

In their buildings, the Romans sought to emphasize the strength, power and greatness of the empire. Their buildings are characterized by monumentality, sumptuous decoration of buildings, a lot of decorations, a desire for strict symmetry, an interest in the utilitarian aspects of architecture, in creating buildings primarily for practical needs rather than temple complexes. Roman architects developed new design principles, in particular they widely used arches, vaults and domes, along with columns they used pillars and pilasters. Later, in the Middle Ages, the Romanesque style appeared - the great-great-(and so on) great-grandson of ancient Roman architecture.

(French: Renaissance, Italian: Rinascimento) - an era in the history of European culture that replaced the culture of the Middle Ages and preceded the culture of modern times. The approximate chronological framework of the era is XIV-XVI centuries.

A characteristic feature of this era is a return in architecture to the principles and forms of ancient, mainly Roman art. Particular importance in this direction is given to symmetry, proportion, geometry and the order of its component parts, as clearly evidenced by surviving examples of Roman architecture. The complex proportions of medieval buildings are replaced by an orderly arrangement of columns, pilasters and lintels; asymmetrical outlines are replaced by semicircular arches, a hemisphere of a dome, niches, and aedicules.

Each of the thirteen UNESCO cities has knowledge built in the Renaissance style. In Alcala de Henares, for example, these are some parts of the fortress wall, the monasteries of Madre de Dios and San Bernardo, the house-museum of Miguel Cervantes, the oldest open theater and others.

A special form of architecture that emerged as a result of mixing Moorish forms with compositional techniques of Gothic and Renaissance. In the XV and XVI centuries. this style was created by the Mudejars (Spanish Mudéjar, from the Arabic “mudajan” - tamed, domestic) - a Muslim people who remained on the territory of the Iberian Peninsula, conquered by the Spanish states during the Reconquista. Initially, the Mudejars were allowed to maintain their lands, laws and customs, and practice Islam. With the fall of the Emirate of Granada in 1492, they were forcibly converted to Christianity: from that time on they were known as Moriscos.

Mudéjar style buildings are characterized by patterned brickwork, horseshoe arches, vaulted ceilings that form a star in plan, artesonado ceilings (wooden stacked ceilings with coffers, often decorated with carvings and paintings), rich decor from colored tiles and carvings in alabaster and knock. One of the most important monuments of this style is the towers with brick borders, which are located on the most famous granite fortress wall in Spain, Avila.

arose between the Romanesque and Renaissance periods and covered almost all areas of medieval culture. It originated in northern France and later spread to Spain and other European countries in the 12th -15th centuries.

Spanish Gothic began to take shape around the 13th century. Its development was uneven due to the territorial fragmentation of the country, the influence of individual regional traditions and the influence of Arab art. The style was mainly manifested in temple architecture, while secular architecture remained faithful to the Moorish tradition. A number of Gothic techniques were introduced by the Cistercians (Catholic monastic order): the shape of the ribs of the vault, arches and the use of pointed arches. There was also a Moorish interpretation of Gothic, in which the vaults rest on cross-shaped arches, with an eight-pointed openwork star placed between them. In the Seville Cathedral, located on the site of a mosque, the bell tower is a former minaret.

The Cathedral of Avila in the architecture of the eastern facade contains elements that most likely go back to French Gothic. The Cathedral in Cuenca also has a pronounced Gothic character: stucco, high hexagonal vaults, foliate patterns on the capitals. One of the first Spanish churches to replicate the architecture of Gothic cathedrals in France was the Toledo Cathedral (1226).

Later, an independent type of Spanish Gothic began to take shape, the main difference of which from the classical European style was the refraction of the Isabelino style of the traditions of Moorish architecture and the Mudejar style using the base of achievements of late Gothic. Isabelino (Spanish: Gótico isabelino, “Isabella Gothic”, el gótico Reyes Católicos, “Gothic of the Catholic Kings”) is a trend of Gothic architecture that arose in Spain in the 15th-16th centuries, during the reign of Queen Isabella of Castile (1474-1505) and her wife Ferdinand of Aragon ("Catholic Kings"). Vivid examples of this style are the monasteries of San Juan de los Reyes in Toledo and San Tome in Avila.

At the end of the 15th century, a purely Spanish architectural style appeared, which absorbed French Gothic, Italian Renaissance, all kinds of Moorish ornaments and was distinguished by exceptionally elegant stone carvings. It was called “plateresque” (jewelry), and is distinguished by many subtle architectural patterns, extremely detailed in shape and having a flat, carpet-like character.

Without affecting the design of buildings as a whole, Plateresque decor was initially superimposed on late Gothic, and later on Renaissance forms. Early Plateresco combines Gothic and Mudejar motifs; Late Plateresque (starting from the first half of the 16th century) includes many ornamental motifs of the Italian Renaissance (garlands, medallions...), as well as order elements that introduce orderliness, but do not violate the overall impression of picturesqueness.

Plateresque masters created huge stone paintings on the walls. Applied art objects were also made in the Plateresque style. The best preserved of these are the golden tabernacles for religious relics in the form of turrets, which can be seen in the cathedrals of Santiago de Compostela, Seville and Toledo. They were created by representatives of the Garfe family.

(Italian barocco - “strange”, “bizarre”; port. perola barroca - “pearl of irregular shape”; there are other options for the origin of this word) - a characteristic of European culture of the 17th-18th centuries. Baroque as an architectural style was widely used by the Counter-Reformation in temple architecture and stood out for its special splendor. However, it has become widespread in not only Catholic, but also Protestant and Orthodox countries. Baroque is distinguished by large-scale colonnades, an abundance of sculptures on facades and in interiors, volutes (forged ornamental elements), a large number of braces (small protrusions or a break in the line of the facade), arched facades with bracing in the middle, rusticated columns and pilasters, complex domes (often multi-tiered) , as well as telamons (Atlantes), caryatids and mascarons.

In Spanish architecture, Baroque had its own interpretation. The Churrigueresque style, named after the Spanish architect José Benito de Churriguera and his brothers, manifested itself in the decorative design of facades and interiors and represented the development of Baroque principles in the spirit of heightened emotionality, bizarre architectural forms, fractional and chaotic elements of plastic decor. In Salamanca, for example, not far from the university there are two interconnected temples: the New Cathedral (Cathedral Nueva) and the Old Cathedral (Cathedral Bieja). The Churriguera brothers themselves took part in their construction.

Alexandra KHMELEVA
Materials from the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, and the magazine “Tour Business” were used.