Antoni Gaudí

As we already know, Antoni Gaudí i Cornet was a Catalan architect who has become internationally recognised as one of the most prodigious experts in his discipline, as well as one of the top exponents of modernism. His exceptional groundbreaking genius made him the inventor of a unique, personal and incomparable architectural language that defies classification.

Born in 1852 in Reus, Gaudí moved to Barcelona in 1870 to pursue his academic career in architecture, at the same time working at various jobs to enable him to pay for his studies. Having obtained his degree, Gaudí set himself up in offices in carrer del Call in Barcelona. From there, with great dedication, he embarked on his unmistakable architectural legacy, a large part of which is classified as World Heritage.

During his mature period, masterpieces followed one after another: the Bellesguard Tower, Park Güell, the restoration of Mallorca Cathedral, the church on the Colònia Güell, Casa Batlló, La Pedrera, and lastly, the Sagrada Família temple.

Surprisingly, the magnificence of Antoni Gaudí’s architecture coincided, as the result of a personal decision by the architect, with a progressive withdrawal by the man himself. Gaudí, who in his youth had frequented theatres, concerts and social gatherings, went from being a young dandy with gourmet tastes to neglecting his personal appearance, eating frugally and distancing himself from social life, while simultaneously devoting himself ever more fervently to a religious and mystical sentiment.

Gaudí died on the 10th of June 1926 after being knocked down by a tram while making his way, as he did every evening, to the Sagrada Família. He was buried two days later in that very church, following a funeral attended by throngs of people: most of the citizens of Barcelona came out to bid a final farewell to the most universal architect that the city had ever known.