Casa Vicens

Casa Vicens was commissioned in 1878 by the broker Manuel Vicens i Montaner to a young Antoni Gaudí as a summer house in what was then the independent municipality of Gràcia. It was Gaudí’s first major project and in it the architect, still in his first period, employed an architectural style in which straight lines predominated over curved lines, although, as would be his custom in his subsequent work, he took inspiration from nature to design some of the most significant pieces of the building’s decoration.

Gaudí used ceramics as the predominant decorative element and designed stamped tiles in green and yellow, taking as the model the French marigolds that were growing on the land. The ornamentation is produced in recognition of the Mudejar legacy, which is also manifested in the angles of the building, avoiding classical rigidity.

Casa Vicens was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.

How do you get to Casa Vicens?

The Park Güell stop on the  Blue Route of Barcelona Bus Turísticallows you to reach the Casa Vicens, which is on Carrer de les Carolines, very close to Avinguda de la Riera de Cassoles.

For the most curious of you

• Did you know? Casa Vicens is surrounded by admirable cast iron railings featuring plant motifs. To design this fence, Gaudí made mud models of European fan palm leaves from the garden.
• Local’s tip: Casa Vicens used to be the only house designed by Gaudí that was not open to the public, as until 2014 it was inhabited. It is worth a look to complete your tour of all the Gaudí buildings in Barcelona.
• A must: To discover one of the least-known buildings constructed by Gaudí, who was only 31 years old when he received the commission.