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It was lovely on Saturday – a perfect fall weather day – so we decided to take a train downtown and visit Palau Güell (Güell Palace) located in the popular El Raval neighborhood off La Rambla. This is the home of the family of Eusebi Güell who partnered with Gaudi on the Güell park project we just visited. The palace is among many examples of Art Nouveau in this neighborhood but is unique because of it’s direct association with Gaudi.

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The tour started in the stables and carriage house which is located below the street-level entrance. Even here, the intricately designed ceilings with arches, multi-colored bricks and elaborate columns were obvious. Gaudi designed this space to allow for capture of rain water and created smooth drains in the floors for ease of cleaning up after the animals. The below-stairs includes sleeping quarters for the groom and stable master as well as individual stables for the family horses. Although the overall coloring is very earthen, the architectural design and construction of this area surpasses some places I have lived in my life. And this was just for the horses! From the main entrance (two huge arched doors visible in the first photos), a massive staircase with columns, arches and, of course, stained glass window at the top, takes you to the visitor and guest lobbies and the main foyer.

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Visitors were taken to the first lobby and Gaudi created an interesting feature that used lattice work on the wall to allow the family to spy unseen into the lobby below and identify who was calling before they were announced. Allita and I decided this was a very useful design feature – sort of a precursor to the modern “peep hole” in the front door. The guest lobby was far nicer but smaller with stained glass windows, an intricate gold-leaf ceiling and a more personal waiting area. From the guest lobby (once it has been decided you are allowed entrance, of course!), you enter the main foyer which is also a chapel and includes the organ pipes visible on the third floor and a massive decorous ceiling designed to allow sufficient light to enter at all times of the day and during all seasons. The ceiling appears celestial when gazing up from below – the holes create a “Starry Night” pattern in the dome.

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The remainder of the house is as you might expect it: large rooms packed with awesome architectural designs, stained glass, arches, mazing ceilings, columns, colorful tiles, gold leaf decoration and furnishing that you find difficult to believe someone actually utilized day-to-day. The effect of the softly stained glass in the windows of the hallway is soothing and creates a tranquility that feels surreal among the opulence in the rest of the house.

Every space was designed and decorated perfectly for its purpose and for the period. Gaudi created a small chamber off the lady’s bedroom that would allow her to attend mass without leaving the comfort of her personal space – kind of like a pajama-day Sunday – by giving the room private access to the chapel below. The music room appears to be a miniature concert hall – and likely was during performances by the Güell children – although neither Allita nor I could imagine banging away our practice in such a setting. Even the toilet in the family bathroom was beautiful but practical with colorful, handmade tiles covering every surface making them both attractive and easy to clean!

Allita and I decided to make use of the audio equipment included with our tickets, but Mom did not. We spent much of our time explaining the various rooms to her and she spent much of her time waiting for us to finish listening to the electronic tour guide before advancing along the route. Further, our necks got sore from constantly looking up to view the ceilings and designs above our heads that were so breath-taking we couldn’t afford to miss them.

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Finally, we ventured up the servant’s staircase to the rooftop to see Gaudi’s chimneys – a feature common among his residential designs. The sloping rooftop was not a comfortable place for secure balance, but the views of the neighborhood and city were spectacular and we enjoyed the whimsical designs of the little-seen fireplace vents. Allita opined it would have been fantastic to reside in such accommodations, surrounded by beauty and wealth, but then I reminded her about the general lack of indoor plumbing and electricity – not to mention no wifi, no television and no cell phones – plus a single, shared bathroom and toilet. In the end, she decided it was a much better place to visit than to live.