Spain - Barcelona
Casa Vicens Gaudí
By @entrespacios
Built between 1883 and 1885 in the former village of Gràcia, Casa Vicens was Antoni Gaudí’s first major commission. Manuel Vicens, a stockbroker, commissioned it as a summer house in what was then a quiet, tree-lined area. Gaudí combined straight lines and geometric volumes with decoration that blends Oriental, Nasrid, and Japanese influences. The façade alternates stone, brick, and ceramic tiles with floral motifs, including the famous yellow carnation tiles inspired by the flowers that once grew on the site. The iron gate reproduces the silhouette of a palm leaf —another nod to nature. Inside, highlights include the dining room opening onto the garden, an Oriental-inspired smoking room, and meticulously decorated bedrooms, all showcasing the integration of architecture and the applied arts. Casa Vicens is an early work in which Gaudí began to explore the ideas that would later define his distinctive personal style.
Address: Carrer de les Carolines, 20-26, Gràcia, 08012 Barcelona, Spain
About @entrespacios
I’m Carmen, a Colombian historian. I arrived in Barcelona in 2015, convinced that a master’s degree in Art History, combined with my experience as a teacher and museum guide, would open many doors for me. Spoiler: it didn’t. After several rejections, I started working as a tour guide, thinking it would be temporary. What I didn’t expect was that this job would become a true passion: historical storytelling. Today, I dedicate myself to sharing the history of Barcelona (and the occasional other topic) with the world, one street and one screen at a time.