Torre Bellesguard

Torre Bellesguard is a striking country house in northwestern Barcelona, designed by the famous architect Antoni Gaudí between 1900 and 1902. The building sits in the Sant Gervasi district at the foot of Mount Tibidabo, on a site with a colorful history. As early as the Middle Ages, a summer palace of the Aragonese kings stood here, known as the palace of the beautiful view. After the complex fell into ruin, the grounds even served as a hideout for a band of robbers in the 17th century. Gaudí took on the project after getting involved in the negotiations over the sale of the property, and he built a stately residence there that is now privately owned and has been partly open to visitors since 2013.

Architecturally, the house impresses with its free interpretation of Gothic style on a nearly square floor plan. The facade is made of gray and green rubble stone, while the interior is built of plastered brick. A dominant feature is the tall tower, topped with a conical cap and a four-armed cross resting on a glass Senyera and a crown-like structure. The building reaches a height of about 33 meters (108 feet). Inside, the staircase in the annex tower stands out for its simple, whitewashed design, which reflects the incoming light intensely. While the exterior has Gothic features, the Mudejar style shapes large parts of the interior, which was completed by Gaudí's successor, Domènec Sugrañes i Gras, after Gaudí withdrew from the project. Visitors can experience the unique blend of historical significance and architectural innovation.