The famous Casa Batlló may be found at number 43 on Paseo de Gracia, a street that used to connect Barcelona with the nearby suburb of Villa de Gracia but is now an integral part of Barcelona itself.

Barcelona’s most prominent families have made their homes on Paseo de Gracia since the city’s adoption of an ambitious urban plan (known as the Cerdà Plan) in 1860. Through these changes, the street went from being a promenade for pedestrians and horse-drawn carriages in the 19th century to a significant highway for automobiles in the 20th century.

One of Gaud’s teachers in architecture, Emilio Sala Cortés, built the structure in 1877, when Barcelona still lacked reliable access to electricity. The wealthy businessman and significant industrialist in the Barcelona textile sector, Mr. Josep Batlló y Casanovas, bought it in 1903.

Mr Josep Batlló authorized Antoni Gaud to demolish whatever portion of the structure he deemed unnecessary. Between 1904 and 1906, the mansion was rescued from demolition because to Gaud’s gutsy renovation plans. The architect moved some walls around on the inside, made the lightwell bigger, and made the whole thing into a work of art while leaving the outside unchanged. The building has aesthetic value, but it is also highly functional, which is more typical of now than in the past. People have even claimed to have spotted 20th-century designs that foreshadowed those of the 21st century.

While work on Casa Batlló was underway, other renowned architects were busy sprucing up their own residences to vie for urban accolades sanctioned by the Barcelona City Council. Consequently, the term “The Bone of Contention” emerged at about this period. These buildings, which include Casa Batlló and others of the modernist architectural style, also include:

There was no longer any emotional attachment to Casa Batlló on the part of the Batlló family after the 1950s. The Bernat family, the present owners, have possessed the building since the 1990s and have restored much of its former glory.

After much deliberation, the family opened their home to the public for events and tours in 1995. Cultural tours of Casa Batlló have been offered since 2002, during the International Year of Gaud. Both are possible now, and both the availability and the nature of the information are constantly developing.

Casa Batlló is a Barcelona icon and a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it is a must-see for anybody curious about Gaud or the modernist era. It is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the world, attracting over a million tourists every year.

Restoration of the main hall

2023: Following a period of six months of restoration work, the main entrance of Casa Batlló is brought back to its original design thanks to the skill and hard work of artisans and specialists in the fields of iron, wood, and stucco. During their travels, they have uncovered decorations that had been concealed by the passage of time, gold leaf, and new hues of stucco that add a mystical quality to the lobby of the house.

21st century craftsmen

2020. The making of lamps, ceramics, and furniture. Some of the House’s most distinctive components were painstakingly repaired in this manner by skilled craftsmen.

A journey to the origin to rediscover Casa Batlló

2018-2019. This film takes a look back at the two years of restoration work that was completed, during which time they were able to recover the splendor of the facade, the Noble Floor, and various decorative components.

How the façade was restored

2019. The facade was restored by experts from seven different professions, and as a result, it regained all of its brilliance and its original authenticity. Learn the process that went into making a historic intervention.

Discover the House’s authentic skin

2018. As a result of an unexpected find, they are in the process of restoring the original coating on the Noble Floor. This coating is a treasure that had been buried by the passage of time and shows the true skin of the House.

Sharing the Restoration