Casa Batllo : The House of Bones

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Amazing & Intresting

Tuesday, 14 October 2008 06:58

Restored and remodeled by the Spanish modernist architect Antoni Gaudi in the years 1905–1907, Casa Batllo is now one the most overlooked buildings by the tourists who visit Barcelona. Although Casa Batllo is a museum now, Gaudi designed it for for a wealthy Barcelona Aristocrat.

The local name for the building is Casa dels ossos (House of Bones), and indeed it does have a visceral, skeletal organic quality.

Casa Batllo The House of Bones

Close up of Casa Batllo chimney :: Photo Credit: WikiMedia

Casa Batllo’s roof has been compared to a reptilian creature, the backbone of a gigantic dinosaur, the dragon killed by St. George (Sant Jordi being the patron saint of Catalan).

Casa Batllo The House of Bones

Casa Batllo roof :: Photo Credit: Klaus Dolle

It seems that the goal of the designer was to avoid straight lines completely. Much of the facade is decorated with a mosaic made of broken ceramic tiles that starts in shades of golden orange moving into greenish blues.

Casa Batllo The House of Bones

Casa Batllo arched roof :: Photo Credit: WikiMedia

Casa Batllo building, Barcelona :: Photo Credit: Fran Barrero

Casa Batllo The House of Bones

Casa Batllo arched roof and complex chimney detailing :: Photo Credit: WikiMedia

From the balconies resembling the bones of animals to the scale like surface of the front facade, the building is a tour de force of an artist reaching the peak of his powers. At night the floodlit facade has an iridescence like the scales of a fish. This polychromic finish is known as trencadís.

Casa Batllo The House of Bones

Casa Batllo, Barcelona in HDR:: Photo Credit: MorBCN

The enlarged windows on the first floor gave it another nickname, ‘House of Yawns’.

Casa Batllo The House of Bones