by Lauren Finaldi Green
It must be a park, but what is a Güell?
Barcelona, at the end of the 19th
century, was a booming metropolis and cultural epicenter that knocked down its
walls half a century prior, to embrace a reformist spirit. Antoni Gaudi,
renowned architect of Catalonia, was part of the modernist movement. His work, including the country's most visited attraction, La Sagrada
Familia, can be seen in many locations throughout Barcelona.
Eusebi Güell was
an entrepreneur who became acquainted with Gaudi's work at the 1878
World's Fair, in Paris. After meeting Gaudi in person, the two found that
they had many similar interests, including devout Catholicism and the
desire to preserve Catalonia's cultural identity. The two became lifelong friends.
In 1900 Mr. Güell bought land in the
Gracia neighborhood of Barcelona with the vision
of commissioning Gaudi to design a housing community for the
well-to-do. The plan was modeled after the English Garden movement. It
was to be located in an area that overlooked the city and provided
a healthy lifestyle away from its industrial pollution.
Unfortunately, the location
was perceived by the public to be too remote, and the project was
abandoned with only two homes and several gorgeous terraces complete. Güell's
family lived in one home, and eventually Gaudi moved his family into the other
(current site of the Gaudi Museum).
In 1908 King Alfonso
XIII ennobled Güell as count. Count Güell passed away in his
home in 1918. In 1928, his family donated Parc Güell to the city of Barcelona,
where it stands as a municipal park and has been declared a UNESCO World
Heritage Site.
