The beautiful architecture of Barcelona captures your attention immediately. Before you know it, you are filled with information on all the famous architects, UNESCO heritage buildings, and with your first steps through the streets, Barcelona ruffles her bricks and mortar at you in a most flirtatious way. You cannot help but look up and gaze at her façade, windows and balconies blink at you, batting art nouveau eyelashes.
From the Sagrada Familia to the Palau de la Musica, Casa Vicens, Fundació Antoni Tàpies, Casa Punxes, to the Gothic rambles and alleyways, where the stones under your feet were trodden on by ancient Romans, the history of Barcelona’s architecture is long and fascinating. You are spoilt for choice. Generally you are pointed off to inspect Casa Mila, or Park Guell, but I did want to draw your attention to some of the lovely Glass balconies that crowd Barcelona’s Eixample Neighbourhood.
Tendrils of glass facets designed to reflect and absorb the famous Spanish sun glitter in cubes as they run up the architecture. Almost like miniature glass palaces clinging to the buildings. I can’t help but dream of setting up an easel in one and painting the day away. Most of the buildings would have been built during the 19th century, during the height of the Catalan Modernista Renaixança, when the bourgeoisie moved away from the old centre of Barcelona, and in a a flurry of competitive construction and design, they erected some of the lovely buildings that make up Barcelona as we know it today. Following the grid-like urban design created by city planner Ildefons Cerda, the builders opened up the city. Although they did not follow Cerda’s plans exactly, and Eixample has a tendency to be rather imposing and cold, you cannot help but admire the beautiful architecture that fills it.
Stunning architecture
I’m continually amazed
Thank you for sharing your beautiful photographs! I spent three wonderful days in Barcelona last year and I hope to return sooner rather than later. I am also reading a fantastic book, The Shadow Of The Wind, which is set in Barcelona – I can really recommend it x
Hi there,
thanks for the comment. I read that book a long time ago, I hope you enjoy it. It always interested me the parts where they go in the boat to the cemetery, as now its all built up with reclaimed land.
Beautiful Captures! Have a Great One!
Thank you so much for stopping by my blog! Your work is amazing and I’m following you now in hopes that I can see more!
I particularly love that you live in Barcelona. I was there in October of last year and was blown away by the architectural delights of the city. I didn’t get to see as much as I would have liked to, and hope to go back this fall. I did see one of the windows you are talking about here. I didn’t realize it was a “thing” because it was at the Hemp Museum and I thought it was just decoration. The stained glass was gorgeous. I believe it’s in El Gotic so if you haven’t seen it, check it out – for artistic purposes.
I have actually been wanting to visit that museum for quite some time. It’s relatively new, and the building is supposed to be worth the trip alone.
I love the architecture in Barcelona. Such stunning attention to detail, and the political history behind some of the buildings is fascinating! I hope you can come back and explore more!
Oops.. I meant to include the link to my Barcelona pics if you care to take a look. Here it is: https://suburbaphobe.wordpress.com/2012/11/11/barcelona-2012/.
PS I also went to Figueres and Cadaqués – if you haven’t been, you must go!! (Pics of those in a separate post)
I absolutely love Cadaques, have spent some stunning days there, and in Port Lligat. I haven’t spent much time in Figueres, and would like to take a weekend to explore. Thanks for the link, I will hop on over!