Casa Vicens

Casa Vicens was Antoni Gaudí's first important project. It is situated in the high part of the neighborhood of Gràcia, an area where the Barcelona bourgeoisie would go in the summer at the end of the 19th century. It was conceived as the second home of Señor Vicens, an industrial ceramist and Gaudí clearly stocked up from his factory, since the facade is almost covered with ceramic paving stones. Although this house does not display the typical organic shapes of Gaudí, being more rectilinear, it is clearly full of imagination and care for detail. The style is more oriental, with Mozarab influence.

The Casa Vicens is another famous Gaudi building that you'll discover almost "by accident." Only the true admirers of the master arrive at this point, hoping to see what is considered to be his first important work.

A rich bourgeois family ordered the construction of the building. You’ll find yourself before a richly decorated colorist building showing off colorful tiles that dazzle on sunny days and give a big touch of light to the narrow Carolines street, where the building is located. Due to the reflecting light, it can be difficult to take a picture, but the most important thing is to stand there for a few moments and admire each minute detail of this beautiful house.

When I was a student in Barcelona and I went to the Verdi cinemas, I would always take a shortcut via Carolinas and would take the opportunity to enjoy the view of this jewel of modernist architecture. Years later, in 2002, the International Year of Gaudí was celebrated and thanks to various publications I read anecdotes around the professional life of this genius.

Casa Vicens is the first important project that was given to Gaudí. According to the stories, the living room is a reproduction of the design of Café Torino in Paseo de Gracia, years before.