La Pedrera

Completed in 1910, this fantastic, undulating apartment block, with its out-of-this-world roof and delicate wrought ironwork, is one of the most emblematic of all Gaudí’s works. La Pedrera (the Stone Quarry), also known as Casa Milà, was Gaudí’s last great civic work before he dedicated the rest of his life to the Sagrada Família. Restored to its former glory in 1996 after years of decay, La Pedrera now contains a museum dedicated to the architect, the exhibition centre of the Caixa de Catalunya, a furnished museum apartment, as well as private residences. What makes La Pedrera so magical is that every last detail, from door knobs to light fittings, bears the hallmark of Gaudí’s visionary genius.

  • Pg de Gracia 92

  • 90 240 09 73

  • Metro Diagonal

  • Open: 9am–8pm daily (Nov–Feb: 9am–6:30pm; mid-Jun–late Jul: 9am–midnight Fri & Sat with reservation – 902 400 973)

  • Adm €9.50; con €5.50 (Free admission to the temporary exhibition space.)


Sight Guide

The Espai Gaudí (attic), El Pis (fourth floor) and the rooftop are all accessible by lift. The Temporary Exhibition Room is located up the staircase from the Pg de Gràcia court-yards, staircases and shops are accessible from the entrance on the corner of Pg de Gràcia and C/Provença.


During the summer months, a terrace bar on the roof (9pm– midnight Fri & Sat) allows visitors to enjoy a drink and live music amid the spectacular surroundings. Reservations essential (see La Pedrera de Nit).


For more information on temporary exhibitions held here, check the website of the Caixa de Catalunya (http://obrasocial.caixacatalunya.es)


NOTE

For more on Modernista architecture see Modernista Buildings

NOTE

For more information see Antoni Gaudí

Top 10 Features

  1. Façade & Balconies

    Defying the laws of gravity, La Pedrera’s irreverent curved walls are held in place by undulating horizontal beams attached to invisible girders. Intricate wrought-iron balconies are a perfect example of the artisan skill so integral to Modernisme.

    Façade, La Pedrera

  2. Roof

    The strikingly surreal rooftop sculpture park has chimneys resembling medieval warriors and huge ventilator ducts twisted into bizarre organic forms; not to mention good views over the Eixample.

  3. Espai Gaudí

    A series of drawings, photos, maquettes and multimedia displays helps visitors grasp Gaudí’s architectural wizardry. The museum is housed in the breathtaking, vaulted attic with its 270 brick arches forming skeletal corridors.

  4. El Pis de La Pedrera

    This furnished Modernista flat decorated with period furniture, is a reconstruction of a typical bourgeois flat of late 19th-century Barcelona. It provides an engaging contrast between the staid middle-class conservatism of the era and the undeniable wackiness of the outer building itself.

  5. Interior Courtyard C/Provença

    A brigade of guides takes a multitude of visitors through here each day. A closer inspection of this first courtyard reveals its beautiful mosaics and wall paintings lining a swirling, fairytale staircase.

  6. Gates

    The mastery involved in these huge, wrought-iron gates reveals the influence of Gaudí’s predecessors – four generations of artisan metal-workers. The use of iron is integral to many of Gaudí’s buildings.

  7. Temporary Exhibition Room

    This gallery space, run by the Caixa de Catalunya, holds regular free art exhibitions. It has shown work by Marc Chagall, Salvador Dalí, Francis Bacon and others. The ceiling looks as if it has been coated with whisked egg whites.

  8. Interior Courtyard: Pg de Gràcia

    Like the first courtyard, here, too, is a grand, ornate staircase. This one is adorned with a stunning, floral ceiling painting.

  9. Auditorium

    The auditorium, housed in the basement, hosts regular events such as conferences and concerts. The adjacent garden offers visitors a pleasant glimpse of greenery.

  10. La Pedrera Shop

    A wide range of Gaudí-related memorabilia includes replicas of the warrior chimneys in ceramic and bronze.

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