Vicens House, Barcelona: photos and reviews

Antonio Gaudi - a Catalan architect of the XIX century, known for his unusual thinking. That's why he managed to create objects that still attract the eye, even if you look the other way. House Vicens is one of the first projects of Gaudi. And this is the brightest and most memorable sight of Barcelona. In subsequent works, the architect ignored straight lines and, as it seems, all the laws of physics, and this house has a clear rectangular shape. Antonio Gaudi was endowed with phenomenal possibilities - he never worked with drawings, all calculations were made exclusively in the mind.

Order for designing a private house

In 1878 Antoni Gaudí received the diploma of the architect and proceeds to execute the order of Manuel Vissens - the owner of the factory for the production of bricks and ceramic tiles. The industrialist wanted a house that would serve as his summer residence, so Gaudi decides to focus on the garden. By the way, the house Vicens very much differs from the subsequent works of the architect, as it has strict lines and a rectangular shape.

A small area for building was allocated, but Gaudi managed this problem: he moved the building to the second plan, due to which it was possible to visually expand the garden area.

House Vicens (Antonio Gaudi): a description of the early work of the architect

Even despite the strong difference between the first serious work and the subsequent ones, this structure deserves attention, since there are a lot of interesting and fascinating details. The building stands out with beautiful turrets and graceful bay windows, carved balconies and surprisingly unusual facades.

The combination of shades is a separate topic. It seems that a better fusion of flowers simply can not be imagined. Moreover, the colorful color of the building not only attracts attention, but creates the illusion of volume. The facade is variegated, but it does not spoil it at all. On the contrary, the house turned out to be some kind of "warm" one.

Like any other architect, Gaudi sought to ensure that the house Vicens (Barcelona) stood out against the background of other buildings surrounding the object. They are all executed in an eclectic style, while Antonio decided to turn to modernity in order to achieve his goal.

It is important that each element has its place, and even the smallest parts are in perfect harmony with each other. In other words, if something is removed, the picture will change dramatically. On the facade you can see the most popular flowers in Barcelona - marigolds. They were planted in the garden, so the architect managed to achieve harmony between the structure and the planted territory. It seemed to be a continuation of the residence.

House Vicens was completed in 1885. In 1925 the owners decided to make a reconstruction, during which they removed a part of the garden. Then they demolished the fence, removed the rotunda and the fountain with a cascade. Therefore, to this day, the pristine beauty of Gaudi's early work has not survived. Confirmation of this will be found when comparing the first photo with the following.

The role of the house Vicens in the career of the Catalan architect

Many believe that this project has become a starting point in the career of the then not yet well-known architect. After all, before Gaudi received the order, he participated in various contests that did not bring benefits, and was a draftsman in the architectural bureaus of the capital. In general, this man just had to show what he was capable of, and Vicens, who was interested in young talent, gave him a chance. Gaudi, I must confess, used it to the fullest.

Where is the Vicens house?

The building is located in Barcelona (Spain), along the street Carrer de les Carolines, building 24. GPS coordinates: 41.40353435822368, 2.15064702698362.

Reviews of tourists

In 2005, the house was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Today, no tourist passes by him - he will definitely stop to appreciate the smallest details in the exterior and enjoy the masterpiece produced by the young Catalan architect. Each person in the response tries to describe in his own words, what impression he got when looking at the house of Vissens (Gaudi). Some people advise devote the whole day to get around all the work of Antonio in Barcelona. During such a small trip around the capital, it becomes possible to evaluate not only the architectural structures, but also how the style of Gaudi changed - its own, unique and inimitable. It is impossible not to find out what the master produced, and you can be sure that Gaudí's imagination and creation will immediately strike you.

Also, tourists emphasize that this project of the architect is very different from all the others. But the bright facade in any case attracts attention, and this unites the house of Visens with other objects. The only downside is the inability to go inside and inspect the interior of the summer residence.

Some reviews highlight such an interesting fact (but it is absolutely unconfirmed): as the first serious customer, Gaudi was the owner of the factory for the production of ceramic tiles, in his subsequent works the architect often often preferred this material.

Other famous works of Gaudi

Antonio Gaudi is a master with a capital letter, and his projects really deserve special attention. To assess the creativity of the architect, you do not need to go anywhere else - basically all the objects are located in Barcelona. So, after visiting the guest house Vicens, you can go to the next creations. These include the following:

• One of the most important buildings and the most famous work of the master is La Sagrada Familia (Sagrada Familia).
• Park Guell - this is a real fairy tale. The project is dominated by a fresco, from which fountains, sculptures and much more were created. If you look at the photo, the park will seem a bit futuristic. There are also Güell wine cellars, the pavilions of the Güell manor and the palace of Güell.
• Casa Batlló (or Bones) - in this project the most clearly visible almost complete absence of straight lines, only wavy outlines.
• Mil House is not only a beautiful architecture, but also innovative ideas. For example, a system of natural ventilation and the possibility of moving interior partitions.

So, once in Barcelona, you first have to go to inspect the creations of the great architect.