Located along Passieg de Gracia and literally a stone’s throw from Casa Mila, Casa Batllo is another work of art created by the ingenious architect Antoni Gaudi between 1904-1906.
Gaudi drew inspirations from science fiction novels by Jules Verne and refurbished the entire building to resemble an underwater world. The mosiac tiles here may look normal to you but they were broken into pieces to fit the curved surfaces of the walls. The wavy glass panels also give visitors the illusion that they are truly under the sea.
Gaudi’s emphasis on light and colour can be seen in the building well. Smaller windows are used at the top where there is more exposure to natural light and larger windows are placed at the bottom of the well to allow more light to flow through the building.
Marine allusions can be found in every part of the building, including the doors and ceilings. Don’t the pictures above resemble corals and seashells?
From the outside of the building, you’ll notice bone-like structures made from Montjuic stones. This is why Casa Batllo is also known as The House of Bones.
Along the way up to the roof, you’ll be greeted by beautiful arched ceilings which supposedly resemble the body of a dragon. I found that rather puzzling until I set foot on the roof.
Now do you see the resemblance to a dragon?
Gaudi always had a thing for making chimneys look anything but boring. It’s amazing how I always feel like I’ve stepped into a fairy-tale whenever I visit his works. His creations are beyond magical and totally out of this world.
