Casa Vicens: A Masterpiece Built by Gaudí (10 photos + 1 video)

The first building designed by famed Barcelona architect Antoni Gaudí opened its doors to the public for the first time more than 130 years after its construction.





Casa Vicens was built as a summer residence between 1883 and 1885 for Manuel Vicens i Montaner, the owner of a brick and tile factory.



Gaudí was 31 years old at the time, and his career was just beginning. During his years at the Barcelona School of Architecture, his works demonstrated a more Victorian style, similar to those of his predecessors. However, soon after graduating, he began to develop his own style, marked by the influence of neo-Moorish style.





Its characteristic features include the juxtaposition of geometric volumes, the use of ceramic tiles, metalwork, and abstract brick ornamentation. The Vicens House is considered one of the first Art Nouveau buildings.



The house remained residential throughout its history. In the 1920s, it was converted into three apartments, and then for almost a century it was used as a single-family home. In 2014, the building was purchased by MoraBanc, a large private family-owned bank in Andorra, and after two years of restoration, the 19th-century structure opened as a museum.



The mission of Casa Vicens as a house museum is to present Gaudí's first house, presenting it as a key work for understanding the master's unique architectural language and the development of Art Nouveau in Barcelona.





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