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Palau Guell (Guell Palace) is a magnificent town house in Barcelona's gothic quarter on the street "Nou de la Rambla" close to La Rambla. Restoration work has been ongoing since 1984 and the building has been completely closed for the last seven years to complete the huge job of restoring this magnificent building by Antoni Gaudi back to its original splendor. Palau Guell re-opens on May 26 2011. This was one of the homes of Gaudí's patron, Count Eusebi Güell, who commissioned the building in 1885 and made it his family home for 20 years. During the Spanish Civil War it was used as a police station and since then it has been owned by the Barcelona Council, who used it for the "el Institut del Teatre."  

This was one of the most spectacular and luxurious buildings in Barcelona when it was built and it was an early sign of Gaudí's future architectural style. Palau Guell was built in stone, coated with delicate marble and decorated with high quality wood A Phoenix and a helmet crown the Barcelona Blazon, a Catalonian Renaixeça symbol.

The home is centered on a main room for entertaining high society guests. The central hall forms the structural vertebrae from which the rest of the Palau was built around. During recitals the audience would be on the ground floor of the central hall with the organ, the superior floors would be occupied by the orchestra, the choir and finally the organ tubes

The central hall has a small

chapel with doors that could be opened when

necessary. When the chapel doors were closed this room was used

for balls and dancing.

The chapel with its doors opens in the Central Hall. The 12 paintings of the apostles of Alex Clapés painter

Staircase leading up to the mezzanine floor

Bust of Joan Güell i Ferrer (father of Eusebi Guell) Nobas Rossend work

The spectacular Palau Güell (palace), was constructed by Gaudí and served as a residence for his patron and is now classed as World Heritage by UNESCO.

The centerpiece of the piano nobile is a 17 meter high parlor. A parabolic dome forms the roof of the parlor. The parlor was used for social events and to hold religious services. The second floor contained the private rooms of the family which are aligned towards the window gallery of the large parlor. The wrought iron bars in the front of the building also allowed one to see the street from inside the house, but not the contrary.

Terrace and back facade of Palau Güell

The back façade also of great sobriety, presents an original design based on a tribune with wooden Venetian blinds and adorned with a beautiful ceramic, on first floor and in the second floor it is a balcony decorated with a surprising pergola. 

The Palau Güell in Barcelona is one of the early works of Antoni Gaudí and one of the most magnificent buildings of the art nouveau.But Gaudí did not only build houses, he also was a designer and decorated the house with impressive wrought-iron works, wood, ceramic, stained glass and stone works

Bathroom

Detail of the woodwork

Stained glass representing Hamlet and Macbeth

Glazed window with the colors of the 'senyera', the Catalan flag

The entire building is open to the public, but with a limit of 160 visitors inside, so queues can be expected. The admission fee includes an excellent audio guide in several languages and the building has an excellent gift shop.

In the attic were the quarters of the house personnel and service rooms such as the kitchen, the food locker and the washing rooms.

The roof with its chimneys and conical vents remembering small fir trees, probably represents one of the first sketches - but already the work of a great master - of what would reach the perfection, as functional and ornamental element at the same time, with the warriors of the roof of La Pedrera. In this work, Gaudí used the "trencadis" for the first time (lining of surfaces with irregular mosaic fragments, that later was broadly used in the Modernisme -Catalan Art Nouveau-). 

Text: InternetPictures: Daniela Iacob & InternetCopyrights of the photos belong to each photographer

Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanuwww.slideshare.net/michaelasanda

Sound: Montserrat Caballè & José Carreras - L'Emigrant

Sweet Catalonia,homeland of my heart,being far from thee,One cannot but die from longing.

Beautiful valley, cradle of my childhood,white Pyrinees,shores and rivers, heavenly hermitage,eternal farewell!Harps in the forest, pine trees and bushes,do sing, do sing!Weeping, I say to forests and banksFare thee well!

Goodbye, brothers; fare thee well, my father,I shall not see thee any more!I wish my bed were placed wheremy sweet mother lies!O Sailors, the wind that pushes me far from the landmakes me suffer!I am sick, alas! Take me back on the shore for it'sthere where I want to die!

Dolça Catalunya,pàtria del meu cor,quan de tu s'allunyad'enyorança es mor.

Hermosa vall, bressol de ma infantesa,blanc Pirineu,marges i rius, ermita al cel suspesa,per sempre adéu!Arpes del bosc, pinsans i caderneres,cantau, cantau,jo dic plorant a boscos i riberes:adéu-siau!

Adéu, germans: adéu-siau, mon pare,no us veuré més!Oh! si al fossar on jau ma dolça mare,jo el llit tingués!Oh mariners, lo vent que me'n desterraque em fa sofrir!Estic malalt, mes ai! tornau-me a terra,que hi vull morir!