Gaudi Architecture Tells a Story in Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

Recently we were in Barcelona, and, as I do each time I’m there, I went to visit some of Gaudi’s amazing architecture. His buildings are like no others: they move in waves with nary a straight line in sight. No stodgy soldier-like edifices for him.

Antoni Gaudi was one of the leaders of the Catalan Modernism movement which took hold at the end of the 1800s. Barcelona was at the center of this movement and several wonderful examples of this architectural style can still be found there.

Today, we’ll be looking at two of Gaudi’s buildings and their relationship with two very different Georges: George, the dragon-slayer, and George, the filmmaker - otherwise known as Saint George and George Lucas.

Casa Batllo started life as a “normal” building, but morphed into something extraordinary under Gaudi’s renovation which started in 1904. This incredible house is a full-on Gaudi experience. The interior undulates to an aquatic theme, while the outside tells the tale of Catalonia’s patron saint, Saint George.

The above photo is NOT of Casa Batllo. It shows how the architect of the neighboring house paid homage to Saint George with a sculpture on the wall. Gaudi, on the other hand, turned his entire building into a sculpture symbolizing the story of the Saint and the dragon. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).