Trencadis Detail: Z, La Pedrera, Barcelona

Shards of tile, irregularly distributed creating harmony out of an apparent mess. Somewhere some symbols may be found left behind by the artist on the tile. This a detail of one of those chimneys on La Pedrera or Casa Mila's roof. If you want to see how trencadis looks here is an arch found on the same roof. Soon, more details.

Park Guell, Barcelona - Entrance Tower With Spire And Trencadis Work

This is a detail of one of the two towers at the main entrance to Park Güell on Carrer d’Olot, the fairytale gatehouses that once served as homes for the park’s keepers.

In the picture you can see a very slender spire crowned by a four‑armed cross, a small mushroom‑like cupola with a faintly oriental air, and the peculiar battlement running around the edge of the roof, an unlikely combination you would normally associate with storybooks or very wild dreams.

Notice the impressive trencadís work on the roof, the shimmering mosaic created from irregular shards of ceramic tile that has become one of Gaudí’s most recognizable signatures throughout Park Güell and the rest of his Barcelona architecture.

Mosaic in the Chamber of the 100 Columns, Park Guell, Barcelona

Ceiling mosaic at the 100 column hall in Park Guell

This is the second mosaic I show you of those you can admire on the ceiling of the Chamber of the 100 Columns at Park Guell. 

Please read the last post here to know more. And of course, do follow labels to compare to other works by Antoni Gaudi. 

I encourage you to enlarge the picture for a more detailed view of the shape of the fragments, their colors and distribution to make up the final figure.

Ceiling Mosaic Inside The Chamber of the 100 Columns, Park Guell, Barcelona Spain

Trencadis ceiling at the 100 Columns Hall in Park Guell

Not the first time Barcelona Photoblog visits Park Guell in Barcelona to show you the impressive work of Gaudi.

We have dealt with mosaic work recently, we mentioned the trencadis technique but we needed some more examples where the degree of improvisation and nature leitmotifs were more evident. Such is the case of this ceiling mosaic inside The Chamber of the 100 Columns including not only tiles but fragments of cups and dishes among other materials to make up something that recalls a flower.

Please follow labels for previous posts.

Mosaic Work Called Trencadis by Gaudi at Park Guell

A closeup of a serpentine bench adorned with mosaic work known as trencadis at Park Guell, Barcelona.

Trencadis, the technique that consists in breaking tiles of different patterns and different shapes to compose a single mosaic was constantly used by Antoni Gaudi and his followers. This particular shard with numbers on it reminds me of notations made by master masons or stone cutters on ancient walls.

Guell Crypt: Caprice Supreme of Architecture

A supreme caprice of architecture: the art nouveau or modernist ceiling at the entrance to the crypt in Colonia Guell by Antoni Gaudi, who had been commissioned by Eusebi Güell the prosperous catalan businessman. Robert Hughes, art critic for Time, recently said he hates Sagrada Familia but loves Colonia Guell, the place where the crypt is. Of course we can object to that if we get carried out by the grandeur of the cathedral. Besides, experts see what we cannot see, no wonder they've been studying for years, although what we understand by art is a concept of man and not a law of nature so no one has the final truth. Anyway, it was about time someone cast a shadow of doubt over stereotypes concerning our city. I suggest you read the book by Robert Hughes: Barcelona. Here is a previous post about the Crypt at Guell Colony.

Mosaic Serpentine Benches: A Landmark of Barcelona

Serpentine bench with Trencadis mosaic technique by Gaudi

This is I believe the third picture where I show serpentine benches by Gaudi located at Park Guell in Barcelona. 

These mosaic or trencadis-made wonders of architecture and design look specially attractive under the last rays of the sun. Although I am used to watching them I always enjoy them as much as this tourist lost in his own thoughts through the viewfinder of his camera.

Mosaic Wall Signs at Park Guell. Why Park?

Although on looking at the thumbnail (some of you come through the City Daily Photo Blog portal or directly searching for Barcelona pictures in Google images) you might think these are a couple of hand wrist Swatch watches nothing could be further from the truth. These are the two mosaics found on the wall at the entrance of Park Guell, which were made following the trencadis technique used by Antoni Gaudi. For English speakers the name is completely normal but it is odd for us that it reads Park and not parc (Cat.) or parque (Sp.). Why "Park"? Basically because the place was initially conceived to be a sort of city on the lap of the mountain based upon the Garden City model by British inventor, Ebenezer Howard, who impressed by a futuristic novel published in 1888 and some other preceding works created his own Utopian plan about a garden city, a new home for an idyllic society that would make a better world. Remember that Gaudi and his art patron Eusebi Güell i Bacigalupi were very influenced by the modern ideas of those times, coming from Europe and the United States, and besides, they were very religious men. About the image, I should say they were taken on a dull weather day and are not especially my favorite, in fact, I think the idea of mixing both words in one is not new but they surely have helped me make my point about the origin of the name.

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Colonia Guell: Windows - A Futurist Vista

These windows with futurist design at the crypt in Colonia Guell, Barcelona are more credible in a manga film, an avant-garde video game or a scifi illustration than drawn from the mind of a visionary architect in the XIX century. Gaudi in his constant search for perfection, beauty, divine inspiration and architectural challenges came out with these sort of armored skylights to absorb as much natural light as possible. The impossible lines of the building, the innovative stained glass work inspired in natural themes, the odd shape of the windows confirm the wonderful, almost supernatural, futurist vista of Gaudian architecture.

Modernist Door and Mosaic at Crypt in Colonia Guell

So this is the entrance to the crypt in Colonia Guell, the textile complex property of Eusebi Güell. The gates to the sanctuary: a big metal door topped by an elaborate mosaic created using the trencadis technique, that consists of breaking tiles in small shards to compose an image which in this case portraits the Holy Trinity. I gave you enough detail yesterday so if you came here directly check previous post. Both Eusebio Güell and Gaudi were religious men who also had a passion for architecture, in different ways of course. In the case of the Catalan empresario it was more the will to immortalize his name and legacy. As the mosaic is the most remarkable piece in this composition I will show you a detail too.

The Pillars of Catalan Art Nouveau or Modernisme, Palau de la Musica, Barcelona

The Palau de la Música Catalana built by Lluís Domènech i Montaner between 1905 and 1908 and declared a "World Heritage Site" by UNESCO in 1997 is considered one of the pillars of Catalan Art Nouveau or Modernisme.

In times of industrial expansion, growth of the local bourgeoisie and increasing opposition to Castilian rule a movement of artistic revival or Renaixença comes to life.

An intellectual and cultural development expressed in music, poetry, theatre, newspapers, visual arts, politics or architecture known as modernisme appears.

This sort of "anxiety" about being modern, inspired by France and other European cultural powers, became a generational fight to detach from the conservative society still anchored in the imposed manners of the early eighteenth century Bourbon dynasty.

By the way, many of you already know that it is almost impossible to frame this façade properly as the Palau is surrounded by narrow streets like Sant Pere Mes Alt  thus the odd angle.

If you manage to climb on top of the neighboring buildings and take a good picture just let me know how you did it!

Barcelona Cultural Heritage Vandalized

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In yesterday's post I advanced the news published in El Periódico de Catalunya about the criminal acts against Barcelona's cultural heritage. I am talking about the important damage inflicted on one of the main symbols of Gaudi's legacy: The Lizard or Dragon fountain in Park Güell. There are larger pictures in this article via 20Minutos newspaper to compare with this snapshot from my archives. What are we going to show our kids? What goes wrong with society to breed such monsters? Do you think hitting with an iron bar on a beautiful thing is human?. This is not a mere incident, this is a consequence of our own mistakes. Shall we burn that hooligan in hell or shall we teach this kid before it is too late?

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Gaudi Window Fantasy in Park Guell

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Some "insignificant" details in Gaudi's architecture are difficult to accomodate within the context of his time, take for example this whimsical window that looks torn out of its frame, right at the entrance of Park Güell.

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Gaudi Animals: Snakes in Park Guell

This is my first 2007 post so who better than Gaudi to emphasize the whole idea of Barcelona Photoblog. A new year of daily pictures begins. In ten months I have known fantastic fellow bloggers all over the world, I have had moments of joy and sadness, days with lots of visitors and days with almost none, but above all I have enjoyed a new experience which is promoting Barcelona through my photographs, rediscovering my own city thanks to your interest, your time and your rewarding visits. Thank you very much, best wishes and Happy 2007!

Park Güell: Chocolate, Candy and Marzipan

Remember Hansel and Gretel story where two kids find a house in the woods made of chocolate, candy and marzipan, well maybe you imagined something like this. I don't think Brothers Grimm were alive to see this masterpiece of Catalan modernisme so I guess Gaudi read a lot of fairy tales. 

One of the major works of Gaudí in Barcelona, Park Güell is a public park made of gardens and architectonic elements like this beautiful house with an incredible roof made using the trencadis technique, that consists in breaking tiles to compose a mosaic. As usual Gaudi went beyond many architects of his time and of generations to come. 

Gaudi's Lizard at Park Guell, Barcelona

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Resuming my visit to Park Güell, and browsing my pictures I found this closeup of Gaudi's lizard with a beautiful tourist in the background. I guess I could have entitled the post as the Beast and the Beauty but I prefer better keywords in my headings. The reason I came this close is simple, the monster (looks like the Big White in famous Jaws jumping out of the water) is so "photo trodden" that you can't hardly take anyone by surprise. From here I would like to thank my anonymous model for her casual appearance in the image.

Recommended: A new tool to search for amazon products called Amaznode. I am not promoting anything here but it called my attention for its innovative performance. Say for example you look up "Gaudi" in the books section, a whole bunch of interconnected thumbs with the book covers in 3d appearance start multiplying in front of your face.

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Parc Guell: Serpentine Bench in the Afternoon

Parc Guell is a place to visit early in the morning or late in the afternoon when long shadows and golden rays of the sun magnify the complex geometry in Gaudi's architecture.

Don't let those unique images you take only once in your lifetime be adorned by blown up skies or the strong highlights on the numerous white tiles of the serpentine benches of the famous hallmark in Barcelona.

I thought I had arrived late to the park the other day, even the little museum inside was about to close but once at home and going over my photographs I was very pleased with the light and colors of the vanishing afternoon.

Other posts about Park Guell

Trencadis Lizard by Gaudi at Park Guell, Barcelona

Famous lizard by Antoni Gaudi (1852 - 1926) using mosaic technique called trencadis. 

According to Wikipedia "Trencadís (Catalan pronunciation: [tɾəŋkəˈðis]) is a type of mosaic used in Catalan modernism, created from broken tile shards. The technique is also called pique assiette. This mosaic is done using broken pieces of ceramic, like tiles and dinnerware" 

So many times photographed, in so many angles, with so many different exposures and cameras. 

This is another must see, so I don't know how you are going to combine Park Güell with Palau de la Música, the tour on the bus, the museums, the restaurants, Sagrada Familia and Las Ramblas (missing something here? I bet I am!). 

If you want to know more about mosaic and particularly Gaudi's or Jujol's work (his collaborator) visit The Joy of Shards.

Trencadís Serpentine Bench at Park Guell, Barcelona

Serpentine bench by Gaudi

From 1900 to 1914 Antoni Gaudi directed the construction of this park for Eusebi Güell. 

In 1923, Güell's family gave the estate property to the city. Another jewel for mankind to treasure. How many people came to sit on this bench, how many couples , how many families? 

I gathered some images trying to be original but this was no virgin territory. You almost have to elbow your way to take a decent picture. The sun is disappearing fast leaving behind soft golden tones on top of the broken shards of tile, no one in the way, I can't believe it. Click.

Plaça Espanya: Modernist Butterfly at Casa Fajol

Casa Fajol also known as Casa de la Papallona ("butterfly house") is located at carrer Llança just in front of Las Arenas bullring in Plaça Espanya. Built by Josep Graner i Prat in 1912 and named after the big trencadis butterfly on top, it is another great expression of Catalan Modernisme in Barcelona.

Trencadis is a variety of mosaic technique used by Gaudi and his followers during the Art Nouveau period in which broken (trencat in Catalan) painted tiles are layed in a way that differs from traditional mosaic. I would have preferred to take the picture from another angle but the fence surrounding the enormous coliseum at the construction site on my back was a big obstacle. 

See Casa Fajol Picture on a Google Earth Map