Barcelona is a city of eternal smiles, sun and unique architecture. The sights of Antonio Gaudi are a separate chapter in the endless list of must-see places in the capital of Catalonia, and we will introduce them in our article.

Biography of Antonio Gaudi

The famous Catalan architect Antonio Placid Guillem Gaudí i Cornet was born in 1852 into the family of a blacksmith in the small town of Reus, Catalonia. Continuing the family business, the father of the future architect made a living in forging and chasing copper, and from an early age instilled in his son a sense of beauty, drawing and depicting buildings with him.

Antonio grew up as a smart boy who excelled at school without much effort. His favorite subject was geometry. Even during his school years, the young man began to think about his purpose and felt that his life would be somehow connected with art. One day, during a school play, Antonio tried himself as a theater artist and it was then that he realized what he wanted to devote his life to - “painting on stone,” which in subsequent generations would be described as Gaudí’s architecture.

After graduating from school, Gaudi went to a city that is now impossible to imagine without the creations of the Catalan genius - Barcelona.

Architect Antonio Placide Guillem Gaudí i Cornet is the creator of the most significant landmarks that Catalonia is proud of.

Having entered an architectural bureau here as an entry-level position, the young man does not give up his dream of one day starting work on his own project and building his own building.

After four years of living and working in the capital of Catalonia, Gaudí finally entered the Provincial School of Architecture, where he took up his studies with desperate zeal. Already from the first year, teachers noted Antonio, noticing both his talent and his amazing stubbornness, unconventional vision and audacity. Even the rector of the educational institution speaks about these qualities when presenting 26-year-old Gaudi with an architect’s diploma.

Already in his final years, the ambitious Catalan worked on serious projects and did not give up his work until the end of his life. In the summer of 1926 in Barcelona, ​​the famous architect was hit by a tram on his way to church. Mistaking the artist for a homeless man, witnesses to the incident sent him to a hospital for the poor. Only a day later the exhausted old man was recognized as a famous architect, but his condition at that time worsened, and he soon died.

Style

From the moment he graduated from the school of architecture, Antonio's artistic search began. At first he turns to the neo-Gothic style, which was then popular in the south of Europe, then changes course to more intimate modernism, “pseudo-baroque” and gothic. Almost all of Antoni Gaudi's attractions, and there are 17 of them, are located in Catalonia.

Subsequently, each of these directions will leave its mark on Gaudí’s work. However, it is impossible to characterize Gaudi’s style with just one movement: from the first independent buildings of the artist, it becomes clear that their creator is a man outside the rules and time. The concept of “Gaudi decor”, whose style is recognizable always and everywhere, has forever been assigned to him.

Smooth lines and unusual construction of space can be conditionally attributed to modernism, which is either approaching or moving away from neo-Gothic.

The buildings

Fountain in Plaza Catalunya – Fuente en la Plaza de Cataluña

(Catalan name -Font a la Plaça de Catalunya)

The fountain in Plaza Catalunya is considered the first independent work of Antoni Gaudí

Antonio's first independent work is recognized as a fountain in the central square of Barcelona - Plaza Catalunya, designed and built in 1877. Now every guest of the capital of Catalonia can admire it when they come to main square cities.

Free admission.

Address: Plaza de Catalunya.

How to get there: by metro, the nearest stations are Catalunya and Passeig de Gracia.

Mataronin Workers' Cooperative

(Spanish and Catalan names are identical: Cooperativa Obrera Mataronense)

The first building Gaudí built independently is located near Barcelona, ​​in the town of Mataro. The aspiring architect received the order to design the cooperative in 1878, and worked on it for about four years. The complex was originally planned to include residential buildings, a casino and other ancillary buildings, but ultimately only the factory and service buildings were completed.

Mataronin workers' cooperative, whose building was designed by an architectural genius

Now access to the building is open, and everyone can look at it, but it can only be of interest to true fans and researchers of the architect’s history. After all, the cooperative, although it inevitably reminds of its creator in every detail, does not represent such artistic value as the other buildings of the genius.

The building is now used as an exhibition space.

Opening hours:

• From July 15 to September 15 – from 18:00 to 21:00, closed on Mondays.

All other months:

Free admission.

Address: Mataro, Carrer Cooperativa 47.

How to get there:

• by train from Barcelona Stants station to Mataro station;
• by bus from stop Pl Tetuan to Rda. Alfons XII – Camí Ral (stops 3 minutes walk to the Workers' Cooperative);
• by car - drive along the coast to the north, the journey will take no more than half an hour.

House of Vicens

(Spanish and Catalan names are identical: Casa Vicens)

The Vicens House is the fateful brainchild of the great architect. Thanks to his bold design, Antonio was noticed by his future patron, philanthropist Eusebio Güell

In 1883-1885, Gaudí designed a building that largely determined his fate. Manufacturer Manuel Vicens orders a summer residence project for his family from an architect who has just received his diploma. A young artist decides to build a building from rough stone and colorful ceramic tiles.

The building itself is an almost perfect quadrangle, but the simplicity of the form was transformed with the help of decorative elements. Facing the east, he decorates the building in the Mudejar style. Here he is helped by both colored tiles (which the customer of the house specializes in) and the bold decision to lay them out in a checkerboard pattern.

Interior of the Vicens house inside

Attention to the smallest details and the desire to maintain his work in a single style were already identified as a distinctive feature of Antoni Gaudi.

In 2005, the building was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

It was after the construction of the House of Vicens that Antonio Gaudi was noticed by the philanthropist Eusebio Güell, who later became the main customer and patron of the young architect.

Private building, closed to the public until 2017. The house will open for tours in October 2017.

Address: Carrer de les Carolines, 22-24.

How to get there: by metro to Fontana station (L3).

El Capriccio

(Spanish and Catalan names are identical: Capricho de Gaudí)

The summer mansion of the Marquis Masimo Diaz de Quixano, created by an architectural genius, still amazes with its originality and uniqueness

The Catalan genius is building the next structure by order of the Marquis Masimo Diaz de Quixano, who was distantly related to the architect’s friend Guell. The quaint summer mansion was created in 1883-1885 in the town of Comillas and is still one of its main attractions. The building is now open to the public.

Opening hours: 10:30-17:30, with an hour break from 14:00 to 15:00.

Ticket price – 5 €.

Address: Comillas, Barrio Sobrellano.

How to get there: From Barcelona, ​​the fastest way is to fly to the city of Santander (SDR airport) and from there by bus to the city of Comillas (the Comilias stop is a five-minute walk from El Capriccio).

Pavilion of the Güell Manor – Pabellones Güell

(Catalan name -Pavellons Gü ell)

The beautiful and unique design pavilion of the Güell estate is another work of Gaudí

The first order Gaudí received directly from Güell was a project for a complex of two pavilions and a gate, which were supposed to be the main entrance to the magnate’s country estate. Initially, the complex also included a gatekeeper's house and stables, but they did not survive to this day.

The pavilion is located in Barcelona, ​​near the Palau Reial metro station on line L3, and you can visit it by purchasing a ticket for 6 €.

Address: 7, Av. Pedralbes.

How to get there: by metro to Palau Reial station (L3).

Sagrada Familia – Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Familia

(Catalan Name– Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia)

The beginning of the construction of the most famous long-term construction is considered to be March 19, 1882. It was then that the first stone was laid in the foundation of the Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family. The basilica began to be built under the leadership of the then famous Spanish architect Francisco del Villar. A year later, he left the project due to disagreements with the church council, and the young Gaudí was entrusted with continuing construction.

Antonio Gaudi devoted 42 years of his life to the construction of the Sagrada Familia, tirelessly improving the project, adding new details and gradually modifying the plan. The artist filled each new column, statue or part of the bas-relief with symbolism and sacred meaning, being a true Christian.

Its fundamental innovation was the 18 pointed towers, each of which had a special meaning. The central and highest among them (still unfinished) is dedicated to Christ.

Nativity facade

The three facades of the building also carry a sacred meaning, which is expressed by sculptures and images on it. The main façade is dedicated to the Nativity, the other two are dedicated to the Passion of Christ and the Resurrection. According to the Spanish government, the construction of the temple will be completed approximately in 2026 (which is not certain), but now you should definitely visit the Sagrada Familia by Antoni Gaudi when you are in the capital of Catalonia. The building is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can learn more about Gaudi’s brilliant creation in a separate article at the link.

The Expiatory Temple of the Sagrada Familia is a unique creation of the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi. The temple has become a symbol not only of Barcelona, ​​but of Spain as a whole.

Opening hours:

• November-February – 9:00-18:00;
• March and October – 9:00-19:00;
• from April to September – 9:00-20:00.

The price of the simplest entrance ticket is from 17 €.

Address: Carrer de Mallorca, 401.

How to get there: to Sagrada Familia metro station (L2 and L5).

Palace Güell – Palacio Güell

( Catalan name -Palau Gü ell)

Palace Güell not only attracts the attention of numerous tourists, but is also duly recognized by UNESCO

The residential building, built by a Catalan master commissioned by Güell's friend and patron, became his only building in the Old Town of Barcelona. Antoni Gaudi took five years to build Palace Güell, and it was during this time that his personal style, which became recognizable throughout the world, was formed. A non-standard approach to decorating the facade, an appeal to Byzantine motifs and the statics of Venetian palazzos - each line of the building loudly declares its creator.

The interiors of the palace are also worth a look: fancy fireplaces, wooden ceilings, bright stained glass windows and huge mirrors are definitely worth your time. Palace Güell is another building by Antoni Gaudi, included in the UNESCO list.

Opening hours:

• from April 1 to September 30 – 10:00-20:00;
• From October 1 to March 31 – 10:00-17:30;
• Mon and Sun are days off.

Free admission.

Address: Carrer Nou de la Rambla.

How to get there: by metro to Drassanes station (L3).

College of Saint Teresa – Colegio Teresiano de Barcelona

(Catalan Name – Col legi de les Teresianes)

In 1888, Antoni Gaudí began to continue the construction of the College of St. Teresa. It is still unknown which of the architects of that time started this project and why he did not continue it.

Working on the building turned out to be difficult for the architect, because he constantly had to coordinate his ideas with the client and work with rather “boring” material, trying not to dilute it with decorative elements. Constantly arguing with Ossie's father, who supervised the construction, the architect found justification for his decisions in biblical symbolism.

College of Saint Teresa is another popular attraction in Barcelona

Thanks to Gaudi’s persistence and his categorical reluctance to adhere to absolute asceticism, the college building turned out to be restrained, but not without recognizable author’s features. The shape of the building was complicated, decorative arches were placed along the perimeter of the roof, and the facade was decorated with unique elements.

You can get inside the school during excursions, which are held on weekends from 15:00 to 20:00.

Address: Carrer de Ganduxer, 85.

How to get there: by bus 14, 16, 70, 72, 74 to the Tres Torres stop.

Bishop's Palace in Astrog

(isp. Palacio Episcopal de Astorga,cat. Palau Episcopal d'Astorga)

The bishop of Astroga (province of Leon), Jean Batista Grau i Vallespinosa, was well acquainted not only with the work of Antoni Gaudi, but also with the architect himself personally. It is no wonder that it was him who the priest ordered the design of his new residence. Focusing on the Gothic style characteristic of Leon, Gaudi created a small castle with narrow windows, towers and pointed roofs.

Bishop's Palace in Astrog

The building's unique porch and entrance portico with recessed arches are the architect's find. In order to create the impression of “elongation” and unreality, to dilute the usual Gothic style, the master decided to use solid elongated stone blocks in the installation.

On this moment the palace is open to visitors, ticket price is 2.5 €.

Address: Plaza de Eduardo Castro, Astroga.

How to get there: The easiest way from Barcelona is by train to Astroga station (the Palace is a 10-minute walk from the station).

House Botines

(Spanish: Casa Botines, cat.. Casa de los Botines)

Not far from Astroga, in Leon there is another attraction associated with the name of the Catalan master. The rich people of Leone, having seen the new residence of Bishop Astroga, decided that their new apartment building should be built by the same architect. The main customer was one of them, Joan Botines, founder of the commercial union.

The house, like the Jean Baptiste Palace, was designed with an eye to local color. Turning again to the Gothic style, Gaudi erects a rather restrained building with a small number of decorative elements.

House Botines - the legendary creation of Gaudí outside Catalonia

Address: Leon, Plaza del Obispo Marcelo, 5.

How to get there:

• by train to Ponferrada station;
• by bus (from the station) to the Ponferrada stop (a five-minute walk from Casa Botines).

Güell Wine Cellar

(Spanish)Bodegas Guell,cat. Celler Guell)

The Güell Wine Cellar is one of the most original wine cellars in the world

In the suburbs of Barcelona there is another Gaudí building, commissioned by Eusebio Güell. The master worked on it in 1895-1898. The single complex included a wine cellar, a residential building and a gatekeeper's house. They are all united by a recognizable style, as well as a common idea of ​​​​building roofs - they resemble either tents or oriental pagodas, attracting all attention to themselves.

Entrance to the complex costs 9 €.

Address: El Celler Güell, Sitges.

How to get there: By train to Garaff station.

House Calvet

(Spanish and Catalan names are identical: Casa Calvet)

In 1898-1890, Gaudí was busy building an apartment building on Casp Street (Carrer de Casp) in Barcelona, ​​commissioned by the widow of a city rich man, which later became a private residential building. In the style of the building, the maestro adhered to the neo-baroque style, abandoning medieval motifs. It was this creation of the architect that received the Barcelona Municipal Prize in 1900 for best building of the year.

The building can only be viewed from the outside.

Address: Carrer de Casp 48.

How to get there: by metro to Urquinaona station (L1, L4).

Colony Güell Crypt

(Spanish and Catalan names are identical:Cripta de la Colò nia Gü ell)

Gaudi began building another church in the suburbs of Barcelona in 1898 as part of a project to build a colony - a small complex provided with everything necessary for the life of a micro-society.

The Crypt of Colonia Güell is one of the most original buildings in Catalonia

Due to the protracted construction process, the architect was able to build only the crypt, and all other parts of the project remained unfulfilled.

The building is lined with multi-colored glass, and its windows are decorated with needles from the looms of the Guell factory. The building is decorated with bright stained glass windows dedicated to church motifs.

The crypt is open from 10:00 to 19:00, tickets cost from 7 €. The attraction is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Address: Colonia Guell S.A., Santa Coloma de Cervello.

How to get there: Take buses N41 and N51 to the Santa Coloma de Cervello stop.

House Figueres

(Spanish and Catalan names are identical: Casa Figueras)

One of the most recognizable houses of Antoni Gaudi is located on Bellesguard Street and is often named after it. The architect worked for three years only on the design of the house, which was commissioned by the widow of a wealthy merchant Maria Sages in 1900, and its construction continued until 1916.

Forming the style of the building, Gaudi returns to oriental motifs and combines it with neo-Gothic. As a result, he gets a very light structure, soaring into the sky, decorated with intricate stone mosaics and graceful broken lines.

Casa Figueres is open to the public from 10:00 to 19:00 in summer and until 16:00 in winter. Ticket costs from 7 €.

Address: Carrer de Bellesguard, 16.

How to get there: by metro to Vallcarca station (L3).

Park Guell

(Spanish: Parque Güell, cat. Parc Güell)

A huge park with an area of ​​17.18 hectares, Parque Gaudi Barcelona was built in the upper part of Barcelona in the years 1900-1914. Together with the customer Güell, they conceived a recreational space, a “garden city,” that was fashionable at that time among the British. The designated area for the park was divided into 62 plots for the construction of mansions. It was never possible to sell them to wealthy Catalans, so they began to develop the territory as an ordinary park, and then sold it to local authorities.

Nowadays the house-museum of Antoni Gaudi is located here (his mansion was one of three purchased in the park). Besides it, there is a lot to see in the park: the famous mosaic sculptures, the Hall of a Hundred Columns and, of course, the curved bench and the famous Gaudí tiles with which it is lined.

A ticket for an adult visitor costs from 22.5 €.

Address: Passeig de Gràcia, 43.

How to get there: by metro to Passeig de Gràcia station (L3).

House Mila

(Spanish and Catalan names are identical: Casa Milà)

The famous Casa Mila has long become almost the same symbol of Barcelona as the Sagrada Familia. This is the last “secular” work of the architect. After its completion, he finally plunged into the construction of the Church of the Holy Family, sometimes mistakenly called the CATHEDRAL. Gaudi, again, gravitating towards smooth and curved lines, creates an amazing and memorable facade.

Casa Mila is one of the symbols of Barcelona

By the way, the residents of Barcelona did not immediately like it, and the building was nicknamed the Quarry for its heavy appearance. However, this did not prevent Casa Mila from becoming the first building of the 20th century to be included in the UNESCO List.

The fact is that Gaudi, acting in accordance with his principles, thought through the smallest details, not only decorative, but also functional. In Casa Mila, Antoni Gaudi thought out the ventilation in the rooms in such a way that to this day it does not require air conditioning. And the owners can move the interior partitions in each apartment at their discretion.

And, of course, the main innovation of that time was the underground parking, also designed by the famous architect.

Interior inside Casa Mila

Casa Mila has been on the World Heritage List since 2005.

Address: Provença, 261-265.

How to get there: by metro to Diagonal station (L3, L5). Buy skip-the-line tickets to Casa Mila with an audio guide.

Sagrada Familia School

(Spanish: Escuelas de la Sagrada Familia, cat. Escoles de la Sagrada Familia)

Built as part of the Sagrada Familia complex, the school amazes with its simplicity and elegance at the same time. This is probably one of the most inconspicuous attractions of Antoni Gaudi at first glance. Its design amazingly harmoniously combines beauty and functionality.

Thus, a fancy roof not only serves as decoration, but also drains rainwater without leaving a trace. In addition, the building fully complies with church requirements.

The Sagrada Familia school can claim to be the most original in the world in its design

A few years after the construction of the school was completed, Gaudi himself moved here to live in order to be as close as possible to the main work of his life - the Cathedral of the Sagrada Familia.

Address: Carrer de Mallorca, 401.

How to get there: by metro to Sagrada Familia station (L2 and L5).

Strict Gothic cathedrals, luxurious buildings of the Renaissance and Baroque era... Catalan Art Nouveau is widely represented in many cities. In particular, these are the unique creations of the brilliant Antonio Gaudi i Cornet, in which several architectural styles are intertwined - from Romanesque to Plateresque: just remember the Church of Sograda de Familia in Barcelona.

In the architectural appearance of fortresses and castles, churches and cathedrals, all kinds of historical buildings and residential buildings that are located in ancient cities declared by UNESCO as the Heritage of Humanity, reflect a variety of, sometimes very unusual, creative expressions of their creators.

Ancient Roman architecture well represented in Tarragona. This is the first Roman city on Spanish soil, the ancient capital of Catalonia, and the second most important port. The fortress wall of the 3rd century has been preserved here. BC, an amphitheater for gladiator fights, a circus, the Arch of Bera, the remains of Scipio's Tower, the Christian Necropolis, the Devil's Bridge aqueduct and the Cathedral of Santa Maria.

In their buildings, the Romans sought to emphasize the strength, power and greatness of the empire. Their buildings are characterized by monumentality, luxurious decoration of buildings, a lot of decorations, a desire for strict symmetry, an interest in the utilitarian aspects of architecture, in the creation of buildings primarily for practical needs rather than temple complexes. Roman architects developed new design principles, in particular they widely used arches, vaults and domes, along with columns they used pillars and pilasters. Later, in the Middle Ages, the Romanesque style appeared - the great-great-(and so on) great-grandson of ancient Roman architecture.

Renaissance or Rebirth(French: Renaissance, Italian: Rinascimento) - an era in the history of European culture that replaced the culture of the Middle Ages and preceded the culture of modern times. The approximate chronological framework of the era is XIV-XVI centuries.

A characteristic feature of this era is a return in architecture to the principles and forms of ancient, mainly Roman art. Particular importance in this direction is given to symmetry, proportion, geometry and the order of its component parts, as clearly evidenced by surviving examples of Roman architecture. The complex proportions of medieval buildings are replaced by an orderly arrangement of columns, pilasters and lintels; asymmetrical outlines are replaced by semicircular arches, a hemisphere of a dome, niches, and aedicules.

Each of the thirteen UNESCO cities has knowledge built in the Renaissance style. In Alcala de Henares, for example, these are some parts of the fortress wall, the monasteries of Madre de Dios and San Bernardo, the house-museum of Miguel Cervantes, the oldest open theater and others.

Mudejar- a special form of architecture that emerged as a result of mixing Moorish forms with compositional techniques of Gothic and Renaissance. In the XV and XVI centuries. this style was created by the Mudejars (Spanish Mudéjar, from the Arabic “mudajan” - tamed, domestic) - a Muslim people who remained on the territory of the Iberian Peninsula, conquered by the Spanish states during the Reconquista. Initially, the Mudejars were allowed to maintain their lands, laws and customs, and practice Islam. With the fall of the Emirate of Granada in 1492, they were forcibly converted to Christianity: from that time on they were known as Moriscos.

Mudéjar style buildings are characterized by patterned brickwork, horseshoe arches, vaulted ceilings that form a star in plan, artesonado ceilings (wooden stacked ceilings with coffers, often decorated with carvings and paintings), rich decoration of colored tiles and alabaster and knock carvings. One of the most important monuments of this style is the towers with brick borders, which are located on the most famous granite fortress wall in Spain, Avila.

Gothic style arose between the Romanesque and Renaissance periods and covered almost all areas of medieval culture. It originated in northern France and later spread to Spain and other European countries in the 12th -15th centuries.

Spanish Gothic began to take shape around the 13th century. Its development was uneven due to the territorial fragmentation of the country, the influence of individual regional traditions and the influence of Arab art. The style was mainly manifested in temple architecture, while secular architecture remained faithful to the Moorish tradition. A number of Gothic techniques were introduced by the Cistercians (Catholic monastic order): the shape of the ribs of the vault, arches and the use of pointed arches. There was also a Moorish interpretation of Gothic, in which the vaults rest on cross-shaped arches, with an eight-pointed openwork star placed between them. In the Seville Cathedral, located on the site of a mosque, the bell tower is a former minaret.

The Cathedral of Avila in the architecture of the eastern facade contains elements that most likely go back to French Gothic. The Cathedral in Cuenca also has a pronounced Gothic character: stucco, high hexagonal vaults, foliate patterns on the capitals. One of the first Spanish churches to replicate the architecture of Gothic cathedrals in France was the Toledo Cathedral (1226).

Later, an independent type of Spanish Gothic began to take shape, the main difference of which from the classical European style was the refraction of the Isabelino style of the traditions of Moorish architecture and the Mudejar style using the base of achievements of late Gothic. Isabelino (Spanish Gótico isabelino, “Isabella Gothic”, el gótico Reyes Católicos, “Gothic of the Catholic Kings”) is a trend of Gothic architecture that arose in Spain in the 15th-16th centuries, during the reign of Queen Isabella of Castile (1474-1505) and her wife Ferdinand of Aragon ("Catholic Kings"). Vivid examples of this style are the monasteries of San Juan de los Reyes in Toledo and San Tome in Avila.

Plateresque. At the end of the 15th century, a purely Spanish architectural style appeared, which absorbed French Gothic, Italian Renaissance, all kinds of Moorish ornaments and was distinguished by exceptionally elegant stone carvings. It was called “plateresque” (jewelry), and is distinguished by many subtle architectural patterns, extremely detailed in shape and having a flat, carpet-like character.

Without affecting the design of buildings as a whole, Plateresque decor was initially superimposed on late Gothic, and later on Renaissance forms. Early Plateresco combines Gothic and Mudejar motifs; Late Plateresque (starting from the first half of the 16th century) includes many ornamental motifs of the Italian Renaissance (garlands, medallions...), as well as order elements that introduce orderliness, but do not violate the overall impression of picturesqueness.

Plateresque masters created huge stone paintings on the walls. Applied art objects were also made in the Plateresque style. The best preserved of these are the golden tabernacles for religious relics in the form of turrets, which can be seen in the cathedrals of Santiago de Compostela, Seville and Toledo. They were created by representatives of the Garfe family.

Baroque(Italian barocco - “strange”, “bizarre”; port. perola barroca - “pearl of irregular shape”; there are other options for the origin of this word) - a characteristic of European culture of the 17th-18th centuries. Baroque as an architectural style was widely used by the Counter-Reformation in temple architecture and stood out for its special splendor. However, it has become widespread in not only Catholic, but also Protestant and Orthodox countries. Baroque is distinguished by large-scale colonnades, an abundance of sculptures on facades and in interiors, volutes (forged ornamental elements), a large number of braces (small protrusions or a break in the line of the facade), arched facades with bracing in the middle, rusticated columns and pilasters, complex domes (often multi-tiered) , as well as telamons (Atlantes), caryatids and mascarons.

In Spanish architecture, Baroque had its own interpretation. The Churrigueresque style, named after the Spanish architect José Benito de Churriguera and his brothers, manifested itself in the decorative design of facades and interiors and represented the development of Baroque principles in the spirit of heightened emotionality, bizarre architectural forms, fractional and chaotic elements of plastic decor. In Salamanca, for example, not far from the university there are two interconnected temples: the New Cathedral (Cathedral Nueva) and the Old Cathedral (Cathedral Bieja). The Churriguera brothers themselves took part in their construction.

Materials from the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, and the magazine “Tour Business” were used.
Alexandra KHMELEVA

Thanks to its rich history, many interesting places have been preserved. architectural monuments different eras. The architectural heritage of Spain is represented by magnificent monuments that attract many tourists to the country. The mixture of cultures and styles allowed for the formation of interesting combinations of elements, and the collision of East and West led to the formation of its own style, unique to Spain.

Primitive Spain

To see traces of primitive Spain, we recommend visiting:

• Altamira caves Cantabria;
• caves near Ribadesella in Asturias;
• caves in Nerja;
• dolmens in Antekere;
• Megaliths of the Guanche tribe Canary Islands.

Roman Spain

Roman aqueduct in Segovia

Monuments of the Roman era can be seen in most cities in Spain; almost every museum houses Roman statues and tombstones. The most interesting traces of Roman rule:

• aqueduct in Segovia;
• theater in Merida;
• arches, aqueduct and amphitheater in ;
• Roman cemetery in Carmone;
• excavations of the city of Italica under.

Visigothic Spain

Visigothic Church of S. Pedro de la Nave. Zamora

The few surviving traces of Visigothic culture can be seen:

• in the Museum of Visigothic Art in Merida;
• in the Visigothic church of Baños de Serrato under .

Arab Spain

Granada

Monuments from the Moorish era are characteristically scattered throughout many cities in southern and eastern Spain; the most famous monuments of Arab architecture are concentrated in. The most interesting among them are:

• Alhambra and Generalife gardens;
• Arab fortresses () in Malaga, , ;
• excavations of the city around .

Romanesque Spain

Romanesque frescoes in the Basilica of San Isidro, Leon

To get acquainted with Romanesque architecture, you should visit:

• Segovia(more than 15 Romanesque churches);
• Leon(Basilica of San Isidro, whose frescoes are considered the best in Romanesque art in Spain);
• Avila(about 10 Romanesque churches);
• Santiago de Compostela(Palace of Helmyres);
• Monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos Burgos.

Gothic Spain

Gothic Cathedral in Barcelona

The Gothic style was born in, and therefore many Spanish buildings were built according to French models. By decree of Ferdinand of Castile, the two main Gothic cathedrals of Spain were built - in Burgos (construction began in 1221) and in (started in 1227); a little later, in the 1250s, the construction of the Leon Cathedral began. The best Gothic cathedrals in Spain can be seen in the following cities:

• Leone;
• Burgos;
• Pamplona;
• Palma.

Spain during the Renaissance

Cathedral and Plaza de Santa María in Baeza (Spain) Published: October 20, 2014

Architecture of Spain

Spanish architecture refers to architecture created anywhere in the region that is now Spain, and by Spanish architects throughout the world. The term includes buildings within the current geographical boundaries of Spain that were located there before that name was given to these territories (whether they were called Iberia, Roman Hispania, Al-Andalus, or were formed from several Christian kingdoms). Due to its historical and geographical diversity, Spanish architecture has come under many influences. Iberian architecture began to take shape in parallel with other types of architecture around Mediterranean Sea and in Northern Europe.

Real development began with the arrival of the Romans, who left behind some of their most outstanding monuments to Roman Spain. The arrival of the Visigoths led to a sharp deterioration in the situation in the field of construction technology, which occurred in parallel in the rest of the former empire. The Moorish conquest in 711 AD brought about radical changes, and over the next eight centuries there were significant advances in culture, including architecture. For example, Cordoba was established as the cultural capital of its time under the Muslim Umayyad dynasty. At the same time, Christian kingdoms gradually emerged, creating their own styles, at first largely isolated from European architectural influences, but later they were integrated into the Romanesque and Gothic streams, reaching their highest level with numerous examples throughout the territory. The Mudejar style, which existed from the 12th to the 17th centuries, is characterized by a mixture of European and Arab cultural influences.

Towards the end of the 15th century and before the influence of Latin America with its colonial architecture, Spain itself experimented with Renaissance architecture created mainly by local architects. The Spanish Baroque style featured exuberant Churrigueresco decoration and the most austere Herrera style, both of which developed separately from later international influences. The colonial style, which has existed for centuries, still shows a strong influence in Latin America. Neoclassicism reached its peak in the work of Juan de Villanueva and his students.

There were two outward manifestations in the 19th century: engineering efforts to achieve a new language and make structural improvements using iron and glass as the main building materials, and an academic focus, primarily on revivalism and eclecticism, and later on regionalism. The arrival of modernism in the academic arena led to figures such as Gaudí and much of 20th century architecture. The international style was led by groups such as GATEPAC (Grupo de Artistas y Técnicos Españoles para el Progreso de l"Arquitectura Contemporánea). Spain is currently experiencing a revolution in modern architecture, and Spanish architects such as Rafael Moneo, Santiago Calatrava, Ricardo Bofill, as well as many others.

Because of their artistic significance, many architectural sites in Spain, and even parts of cities, have been declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Spain has the second largest number of World Heritage sites in the world; There are more of them only in Italy. They are listed on the List of World Heritage Sites in Europe: Spain

Background

Megalith architecture

Naveta d'Es Tudons, Menorca, photo: public domain

During the Stone Age, the most common megalith (a structure made of huge blocks of stone) on the Iberian Peninsula was the dolmen. The plan of these burial chambers was a pseudo-circle or trapezoid formed by huge stones standing on the ground, with others above them forming a roof. As the typology developed, the entrance corridor appeared, and gradually it gained prominence and became almost as large as the room. Roofed corridors and false domes were common at a very late stage. The Antequera complex contains the largest dolmens in Europe. The best preserved dolmen Cueva de Menga twenty-five meters deep and four meters high, it was built from thirty-two megaliths.

The best preserved examples of Bronze Age architecture are located on Balearic Islands, where three types of designs arose: T-shaped taula, talayot ​​and naveta. Talayots were defensive towers in the shape of a truncated cone and a truncated pyramid. They had a central pillar. Navetas were structures made of large stones, their shape was similar to the hull of a ship.

Iberian and Celtic architecture

Celtic settlements in Galicia: Castro de Baroña, photo: Locutus Borg,

The most characteristic designs of the Celts were fortifications (Castros) - walled villages, usually located on the tops of hills or mountains. They were built in areas occupied by the Celts in the Duero Valley and Galicia. Examples of such settlements are Las Cogotas in Avila and Santa Tecla to Pontevedra.

The houses of these settlements were approximately 3.5 to 5 meters in length, they were mostly round, some were rectangular, they were built from natural stone, the roof was thatched, it rested on a wooden column in the center of the building. Their streets were quite regular, hinting at some form of central organization.

The cities built by the Arevac tribes (Arévacos) were associated with Iberian culture, and some of them achieved significant development, such as Numantia. Other settlements were more primitive and usually carved out of rock, such as Termantia.

Roman period

Urban planning

Roman theater in Merida, photo: Ikiwaner,

The Roman conquest of Hispania, which began in 218 BC, involved the almost complete Latinization of the Iberian Peninsula. The local population deeply absorbed Roman culture: Former military towns and Iberian, Phoenician and Greek settlements were transformed into big cities, where urbanization developed well in the provinces: Emerita Augusta in Lusitania, Corduba (Córdoba), Italica, Hispalis (today Seville), Gades in Baetica, Tarraco, Caesar Augusta, Asturica Augusta (Astorga), Legio Septima Gemina and Lucus Augusti in Tarraconna the provinces were quite important cities, connected by a complex network of roads. The development of construction includes some monuments comparable in quality to those in the capital, Rome.

Constructions

Alcantara Bridge, era of Trajan, photo: Para, GNU Free Documentation License (FDL)

Civil engineering is represented in imposed structures, such as the Aqueduct of Segovia or Merida (Aqueduct de los Milagros), bridges, such as the Alcantara Bridge and the Merida Bridge over the Tagus River, or the Cordoba Bridge over the Guadalquivir River. Construction work was widely developed in Hispania under the Emperor Trajan (98-117 AD). Lighthouses were also built, such as the Tower of Hercules in A Coruña, which is still in use.

Play architecture is represented by buildings such as the theaters of Mérida, Sagunto or Tiermes, amphitheaters, for example in Mérida, Italica, Tarragona or Segobriga, and circuses were built in Mérida, Cordoba, Toledo, Sagunto and many other settlements.

Religious architecture also spread throughout the peninsula: examples are the temples in Cordoba, Vic, Merida (Diana and Mars) and Talavera la Vieja. The main funerary monuments are the Tower of the Scipios in Tarragona, the distil (portico with two columns) at Salamea de la Serena in Badajoz, and the mausoleums of the Atili family in Sadaba and the Fabara family in Ampurias, both in Zaragoza. Triumphal arches are found in Kapar (tetrahedral), Bara and Medinachali.

Pre-Romanesque period in Spanish architecture

The term "pre-Romanesque" refers to Christian art after the classical period and before Roman art and architecture. It covers very diverse artistic manifestations that were created in different centuries and in different cultures. The territory of Spain boasts a rich variety of pre-Romanesque architecture: some of its branches, such as Asturian art, reached high level sophistication for its era and cultural context.

Visigothic architecture in Spain

Asturian art

Santa Maria del Naranco, photo: Rafaelj,

The Kingdom of Asturias came into existence in 718 when the Asturian tribes rallied and decided to appoint Pelayo as their leader. Pelayo united local tribes and Visigoth refugees under his command with the goal of gradually restoring the Gothic order.

Asturian pre-Romanesque art is a special feature of all of Spain, it combined elements of other styles, features of both Visigothic and local traditions, creating and developing its own identity and characteristics, achieving a significant level of sophistication not only in terms of construction, but also and from an aesthetic point of view.

Regarding its evolution, in terms of appearance, Asturian pre-Romanesque art followed "a stylistic sequence closely related to the political evolution of the kingdom, its stages were clearly defined." It is mainly represented by court architecture, in its development there are five periods: the first period (737-791) from the reign of King Fafila to Bermudo I. The second stage includes the reign of Alfonso II (791-842), entering the stage of stylistic definition . These first two periods were called Pre-Ramirense. The most important church is San Julián de los Prados in Oviedo, with interesting volumetry and a complex program of iconographic frescoes closely related to Roman wall painting. The characteristic grilles and triple window in the altar part of the temple first appeared at this stage. The Camara Santa in the Cathedral of Oviedo, San Pedro de Nora and Santa Maria de Bendones also belong to this period.

Interior of San Julian de los Prados, photo: Sitomon, public domain

The third period includes the reigns of Ramiro I (842-850) and Ordoño I (850-866). It is called Ramirsky and is considered highest point style, thanks to the work of an unknown architect who introduced new structural and decorative achievements, such as the barrel vault, and the consistent use of transverse arches and buttresses, which made this style quite close to the structural achievements of the Romanesque style, which arose two centuries later. Some authors point to an inexplicable Syrian influence, expressed in rich ornaments. Most of the masterpieces of the style were created during this period: the Palace Pavilions of Mount Naranco (Santa Maria del Naranco and San Miguel de Lillo) and the Church of Santa Cristina de Lena were built during this period.

The fourth period falls on the reign of Alfonso III (866-910), where the Mozarabs (Christians who lived in the territories of the Iberian Peninsula under Muslim control) had a strong influence on the architecture of Asturias, and horseshoe arches also began to be used more widely. The fifth and final period coincided with the move of the court to Leon, the disappearance of the kingdom of Asturias, and at the same time, from Asturian pre-Romanesque art.

Architecture of the repopulation period

From the late 9th to the early 11th centuries, several churches were built in the northern Christian kingdoms. They are popularly, but incorrectly, known as Mozarabic architecture. This architecture is a collection of unevenly distributed elements of different origins, often predominant in form of early Christian, Visigothic or Asturian origin, while in other cases Muslim influence is emphasized.

Churches are usually basilicas or churches with an axial plan, sometimes with opposing apses. The main chapels were rectangular in plan on the outside and ultra-semicircular in the interior. Horseshoe arches of Muslim origin are used, they are somewhat more closed and inclined than the Visigothic ones, and alfiz (rectangular framing of the upper part of the arch) is also used. Double and triple windows of the Asturian tradition and grouped columns forming composite columns, with Corinthian capitals, decorated with stylized elements.

The decoration is similar to Visigothic, mainly using scrolls, swastikas and plant and animal motifs, creating predictable boundaries and restraint exterior finishing. Some innovations have been proposed, such as large lobed corbels supporting very pronounced eaves overhangs.

One can observe a clear control over technology in construction, using crushed stone, walls reinforced with external supports and covered with sectional vaults, including traditional barrel vaults.

Architecture of Al-Andalus

Cordoba Caliphate

Maksura of the Great Mosque of Cordoba, photo: Mats Halldin,

The Moorish conquest of the former Hispania by the forces of Musa ibn Nusair and Tariq ibn Ziyad and the overthrow of the Umayyad dynasty in Damascus led to the creation of an independent emirate by Abd al-Rahman I, the only surviving prince, who fled the Abbasids and established his capital at Cordoba. It became the cultural capital of the West from 750 to 1009. The architecture created in Al-Andalus under the Umayyads was derived from the architecture of Damascus with the addition of aesthetic achievements of local influence: horseshoe arches, a hallmark of Spanish Arab architecture, were borrowed from the Visigoths. Architects, artists and craftsmen came from the East to build cities such as Madina az-zahra, the splendor of which could not be imagined by the European kingdoms of that era.

The most prominent Umayyad structure of Cordoba is Great Mosque, which was built in successive stages by Abd ar-Rahman I, Abd ar-Rahman II, Al-Hakam II and Al-Mansur.

Taifa

Aljaferia in Zaragoza, photo: Ecelan,

The caliphate disappeared and was divided into several small kingdoms called taifa. Their political weakness was accompanied by cultural decline, and along with the rapid development of the Christian kingdoms, the Taifas clung to the authority of the structures and forms of the Cordovan style. The decline was felt in construction technology and materials, but not in the abundance of decorations. The blades of the multi-lobed arches were multiplied and thinned, turned into lambrequins, and all the caliphic elements were overemphasized. Some magnificent examples of Taifa architecture have survived to this day, such as the Aljaferia Palace in Zaragoza, or the small mosque of Bab Mardum in Toledo, later transformed into one of the first examples of Mudejar architecture (the Church of Cristo de la Luz).

Almoravids and Almohads

The Almohad tower and the Renaissance bell section merge into one harmonious whole in the Bell Tower of La Giralda, Seville, photo: Makinal,

The Almoravids invaded Al-Andalus from North Africa in 1086 and united the Taifs under their rule. They developed their own architecture, but very few examples of it survive, due to the next invasion, now the Almohads, who imposed Islamic ultra-Orthodoxy and destroyed almost every significant Almoravid building, including Madina al-Zahra and other structures of the caliphate. Their art was extremely austere and simple, and they used brick as their main building material. Literally, their only external decoration, the “sebka,” is based on a grid of diamonds. The Almohads also used palm-patterned jewelry, but this was nothing more than a simplification of the much more luxuriant Almoravid palms. As time went on, the art became a little more decorative. The most famous example of Almohad architecture is the Giralda, the former minaret of the Seville mosque. It is classified as Mudejar, but this style is absorbed here by Almohad aesthetics; the synagogue of Santa Maria la Blanca in Toledo is a rare example of architectural collaboration between the three cultures of medieval Spain.

Nasrid Architecture of the Kingdom of Granada

Alhambra: Court of the Lions, photo: Wzwz,

After the collapse of the Almohad Empire, the scattered Moorish kingdoms in the south of the peninsula were reorganized, and in 1237 the Nasrid rulers established their capital at Granada. The architecture they created was some of the richest created by Muslims in any period. She owed much to the cultural heritage of the former Moorish Al-Andalus styles, which the Nasrids were able to combine eclectically, and close contact with the northern Christian kingdoms. The Alhambra and Generalife palaces are the most outstanding buildings of this period. Structural and decorative elements were taken from Cordoban architecture (horseshoe arches), from the Almohads (sebka and palm decorations), but there were also elements created by them themselves, such as prismatic and cylindrical capitals and Mozarabic arches, in a motley combination of interior and exterior spaces , gardening and architecture that sought to please all the senses. Unlike Umayyad architecture, which was built on the use of expensive and imported materials, the Nasrids used only modest materials: clay, plaster and wood. However, the aesthetic result is full of complexity, it seems to intrigue the beholder: Multiple decorations, skillful use of light and shadow and the inclusion of water in the architecture are several key features of the style. On the walls of different rooms there are also inscriptions with allegorical poems about the beauty of spaces.

Mudejar style

Courtyard of the Dolls in the Alcazar of Seville, photo: Dubaduba,

The architecture of the Moors and native Andalusians who remained in Christian territory but were not converted to Christianity is called "Mudejar style". It developed mainly from the 12th to the 16th centuries and was strongly influenced by Moorish taste and craftsmanship, but was created for the use of Christian owners. Thus, it is not an entirely pure style: Mudejar architects often combined their methods and artistic language with other styles depending on historical moment. Thus, we can talk not only about the Mudejar style, but also about Romanesque Mudejar, Mudejar Gothic or Mudejar Revival.

The Mudejar style is a symbiosis of methods and ways of understanding architecture that arose from Jewish, Muslim and Christian cultures that lived side by side, it emerged as an architectural style in the 12th century. It is characterized by the use of brick as the main building material. Mudejar did not envision the creation of new structures (unlike Gothic or Romanesque styles), but reinterpreted the styles of Western cultures through Islamic influences. A dominant geometric character, distinctly Islamic, appeared prominently in minor crafts, using cheap, carefully crafted materials - tiles, brickwork, wood carving, plaster carving and decorative metals. Even after the Muslims ceased to exert their influence, much of their heritage remained an integral part of Spanish architecture.

Mudejar-style Sahagún Church, León, photo: Josemanuel,

It is generally accepted that the Mudejar style originated in the city of Sahagún. This style spread to the rest of the Kingdom of Leon, Toledo, Avila, Segovia and then to Andalusia, especially Seville and Granada. The rooms of the Mudejar Alcazar of Seville, although classified as Mudejar, are more closely related to the Nasrid Alhambra than other buildings of this style, as they were created by Pedro of Castile, who brought architects from Granada who had very little Christian influence. Mudejar art centers are also found in other cities, such as Toro, Cuellar, Arévalo and Madrigal de las Altas Torres. It was largely developed in Aragon, with 3 main areas: Zaragoza, Calatayud and Teruel during the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries. A large group of majestic churches and towers were built in Teruel. Other fine examples of the Mudejar style can be found in Casa Pilatos (Seville), the Monastery of Santa Clara in Tordesillas or in the church in Toledo, one of the oldest and most prominent centers of the Mudejar style. In Toledo, the synagogues of Santa Maria la Blanca and El Transito (both Mudejar, although not Christian) deserve special mention.

Romanesque period in Spanish architecture

Interior view of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, photo: Lmbuga,

The Romanesque style first appeared in Spain in the 10th and 11th centuries, before the influence of Cluny, in Lleida, Barcelona, ​​Tarragona and Huesca and the Pyrenees, contemporaneous with northern Italy, the style is called "First Romanesque" or "Lombard Romanesque". It is a very primitive style, characterized by thick walls, the absence of sculptures and the presence of rhythmic decorative arches, typified by the churches of Val de Boi.

Full Romanesque architecture appeared near Cluny on the Way of St. James, which ends at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. The model of the Spanish Romanesque style in the 12th century was the Cathedral of Jaca, with its characteristic plan and apse and "checkerboard" striped decoration called taqueado Jaqués. As Christian kingdoms expanded southward, this model spread throughout the reconquered areas, with some variations. The Spanish Romanesque style also shows influence from Spanish Pre-Romanesque styles, mainly Asturian and Mozarabic. But a strong Moorish influence is also noticeable, especially in the vaults of the mosques of Cordoba and in the use of multi-lobed arches. In the 13th century, some churches alternated in style between Romanesque and Gothic. Aragon, Navarre and Castile and Leon are some of the areas with the best examples of Spanish Romanesque architecture.

Gothic period in Spanish architecture

Cathedral in Burgos, photo: FAR,

The Gothic style arrived in Spain as a result of European influence in the 12th century, when late Romanesque alternated with several manifestations of pure Gothic architecture, such as the Cathedral of Avila. High Gothic arrived in full force through the Way of St. James in the 13th century, with several of the most authentic Gothic cathedrals, with German and French influences: for example, in the cathedrals of Burgos, Leon and Toledo.

The most important Gothic styles after the 13th century in Spain are Levantino and Isabelline Gothics. Levantino Gothic is characterized by structural achievements and their integration of space, its masterpieces being La Seu (the Cathedral) in Palma de Mallorca, the Silk Exchange of Valencia (Lonja de Valencia) and Santa Maria del Mar (Barcelona).

Isabellino Gothic, created during the time of the Catholic Monarchs, was part of the transition to the Renaissance in architecture; it also expressed strong resistance to the style of the Italian Renaissance. The main examples of this style are the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes in Toledo and the Royal Chapel of Granada.

Renaissance

Palace of Charles V in Granada, photo: Manuel González Olaechea,

Palace of the Conquest, Trujillo, photo: Bernard bill5,

In Spain, the Renaissance first emerged in addition to Gothic forms in the last decades of the 15th century. This style began to be spread mainly by local architects: which is the reason for the creation of the distinctive Spanish Renaissance, which brought with it the influence of the architecture of Southern Italy, sometimes from illuminated books and paintings, mixed with the Gothic tradition and local style features. The new style was called Plateresque because of the richly decorated facades, which were reminiscent of the decorative motifs of the work of silversmiths with the smallest details - "Plateros" (Spanish: plata, silver). Classical orders and candelabra motifs (candelieri) were freely combined into a symmetrical whole.

In this setting, Pedro Machuca's Palace of Charles V in Granada was an unexpected achievement in the most advanced Renaissance style of the time. The palace can be described as the threshold of Mannerism, thanks to the predominance of classical language and breakthrough aesthetic achievements. It was built before the major works of Michelangelo and Palladio. Its influence was very limited and misunderstood; Plateresque forms were introduced into the general panorama.

Over the decades, the Gothic influence disappeared and the study of Orthodox classicism reached a high level. Although Plateresque is a widely used term to define most architectural works of the late 15th and first half of the 16th centuries, some architects created a more sober style of their own, among them Diego Siloe and Rodrigo Gil de Hontañon.

Examples of this style are the facades of the University of Salamanca and the Monastery of San Marcos in León.

The highlight of the Spanish Renaissance is the Royal Monastery of El Escorial, designed by Juan Bautista de Toledo and Juan de Herrera, here the very close adherence to the art of Ancient Rome was overcome by the use of an extremely moderate style. The influence of the roofs of Flanders, the symbolism of a few decorations and the precise cutting of granite were the basis of a new style that influenced Spanish architecture for a century: Herrera architecture (Herreresco) Herrera's student Juan Bautista Villalpando influenced the interpretation of the recently restored text of Vitruvius to suggest the origins of the classical warrants in Solomon's Temple.

El Escorial, photo: Magnus Manske,

Baroque period in Spanish architecture

As Italian baroque influences permeated the Pyrenees, they gradually surpassed in popularity the restrained, classically imitative approach of Juan de Herrera, which had been in vogue since the late 16th century. As early as 1667, the facades of the Granada Cathedral (Alonso Cano) and the Jaén Cathedral (designed by Eufrasio Lopez de Rojas) marked the freedom of artists to interpret the traditional motifs of Spanish cathedral architecture in a baroque aesthetic idiom.

The national Baroque style, with its roots in the Herrera style and traditional brick construction, developed in Madrid throughout the 17th century. Examples are Plaza Mayor and the Baker's House (Casa de la Panaderia, Casa Mayor).

Modern facade of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, photo: Lmbuga,

Unlike art Northern Europe, Spanish art of this period appealed to the emotions rather than seeking to please the intellect. The Churriguero family, which specialized in the design of altars and altar shelves, rebelled against the sobriety of Herreresco classicism and promoted the development of a complex, exaggerated, almost strange style of surface decoration known as "Churrigueresco". Over the course of half a century, they turned Salamanca into a model city in the Churrigueresque style.

The evolution of this style consisted of three stages. Between 1680 and 1720, Churriguera popularized a mixture of Guarini Solomonic pillars and a composite order known as the "high order". Between 1720 and 1760, the churrigueresco or estipite column, shaped like an inverted cone or obelisk, became a central decorative element. From 1760 to 1780 there was a gradual shift in interest from the twisted direction and excessive ornamentation to neoclassical balance and sobriety.

Two of the most attractive creations of the Spanish Baroque are the energetic facades of the University of Valladolid (Diego Tomé, 1719) and the Refuge de San Fernando in Madrid (Pedro de Ribera, 1722), whose curvilinear extravagance seems to be a harbinger of Antoni Gaudí and the Art Nouveau style. In this case, as in many others, the design involves a play of tectonic and decorative elements with little regard for structure and function. However, the Baroque Churrigueresco style offered some of the most impressive combinations of space and light in buildings such as the Carthusian Monastery in Granada, which is considered the apotheosis of the Churrigueresco styles applied to interior spaces, or the Cappella Transparente of the Cathedral of Toledo, designed by Narciso Tomé, where sculpture and architecture combined to achieve noticeable dramatic lighting effects.

Royal Palace of Madrid, photo: Kadellar,

Royal Palace in Madrid and design work The Paseo del Prado (Salon del Prado and Alcalá Gate) in the same city deserve a special mention. They were built by the Bourbon kings Philip V and Charles III in the international moderate Baroque style, which is often mistaken for the neoclassical style. Royal Palaces La Granja de San Ildefonso in Segovia and Aranjuez in Madrid are good examples of Baroque integration of architecture and landscaping with a noticeable French influence (La Granja is known as the Spanish Versailles) but with indigenous spatial concepts that in some respects reflect the legacy of the Moorish occupation.

The Rococo style was first demonstrated in Spain in the Cathedral of Murcia, west facade, 1733. The greatest representative of the Spanish Rococo style was the local master Ventura Rodriguez, who created the dazzling interior of the Basilica of Our Lady of Pilar in Zaragoza (1750).

Translation of the English Wikipedia article.

(Attention!, continuation of the article)

The phrase “architecture of Spain” quite naturally evokes in most people the image of Barcelona with its outstanding masterpieces from the great Catalan architect Antonio Gaudi. However, modern Spain is a country with amazing architecture, which is in no way inferior to other developed countries.

Our review presents 25 outstanding examples of modern architecture in Spain.

1. Museo ABC Museum of Drawing and Illustration in Madrid

The Museum of Drawing and Illustration in Madrid is the most modern in Spain. The ABC Museum consists of small cafes, shops, restoration rooms and two exhibition halls, which display a rich collection of works of various genres visual arts, sculpture, animation and graphic design. In addition to exhibitions, the museum hosts various cultural events, educational master classes and courses.

2. BF House in Castellon

The amazing BF House, located on a hill in the city of Castiglion, is an excellent example of the competent organization of space that contributes to maximum comfortable living. BF House is a huge slab resting on 3 V-shaped metal supports that bear the weight of the entire building. One of the most important principles laid down by the authors in this project was the maximum brightening of the interiors due to glass walls.

3. Agbar Tower skyscraper in Barcelona

Skyscraper Agbar Tower in Barcelona at night

Built in 2004, the modern skyscraper Agbar Tower is the creation of a famous French architect. Jean Nouvel. The shape of the building and the design of the facade are designed to embody the water element of Spain and the outlines of Mount Montserrat, located in Catalonia. The facade of the building amazes with the variety of color schemes, which are achieved using multi-colored metal panels with 4,000 lighting devices. These elements form complex color combinations, which creates a “pixelated” effect. However, from a distance, all the pixels merge, and Agbar Tower seems to shimmer with all the colors of the rainbow.

The 38-storey building has become one of the most important symbols of the new Barcelona.

4. Alamillo pedestrian bridge in Seville

Famous masterpiece from the Spaniard Santiago Calatrava, pedestrian bridge Alamillo, was built in 1992 in Seville. The uniqueness of the 200-meter sheet laid through is that its weight is supported by only one support and 13 stretched steel cables. At night, the bridge, painted entirely white, takes on a very picturesque coloration.

5. Basque Culinary Arts Center in Gipuzkoa

The modern culinary arts center complex was built in 2011 in the city of Guipuzcoa. The architecture of this object, which cannot leave indifferent even the most distant person from architecture, is formed with the help of curved surfaces randomly located on top of each other.

The building includes premises for training students of culinary institutes, lecture halls, cafes, shops and even its own mini-farm. It is worth noting that the Culinary Arts Center was nominated for the Plataforma Arquitectura award as the best architectural object of 2011, but took an honorable third place.

6. Multifunctional sports arena "Bilbao Arena" in Bilbao

Opened in 2010, the multifunctional sports arena in Bilbao is one of the most environmentally friendly in the world. This sports facility mainly hosts basketball matches, but Lately It increasingly hosts music concerts and various cultural events. Also on the territory of the arena there are gyms and a swimming pool.

7. Villa "Home for Life" in Palma de Mallorca

Villa "House for Life", the architecture of which has no analogues in the world, was built in 2009 in the main resort town Spain, Palma de Mallorca. The house consists of two buildings - rectangular in plan and curved. The first contains a living room, bedrooms, guest rooms and a kitchen-dining room, and the second contains an office and a home theater. The residential group also includes a stunningly beautiful swimming pool, connected to the main area by a decorative staircase.

8. Bilbao City Hall

The unusually shaped modern building of the Bilbao City Hall was built in the city center. According to its purpose, this masterpiece of deconstructivism from IMB Architects is supposed to replace the old Bilbao Town Hall, built back in the 90s of the 20th century. The building contains exhibition halls, cafes, restaurants, meeting rooms, offices and conference rooms.

9. Forum building in Barcelona

The Forum building was designed by a Swiss tandem of architects Herzog&de Meuron and was built specifically for the Forum of Cultures in the capital of Catalonia in 2004.

In plan, this avant-garde building is an equilateral triangle with sides of 180 meters and a height of 25 meters. Of particular interest are the building's facades with curved glass panels stretching the entire height of the complex. This stunning building plays a vital role in shaping the image of modern Barcelona.

10. Architectural complex "City of Arts and Sciences" in Valencia

Opera theatre

Science Museum

IMAX cinema, planetarium and laser theater

"City of Arts and Sciences" - amazing an architectural complex of five structures that are located on the drained bed of the Turia River in the resort city of Valencia. The idea and general concept of the complex belongs to the legendary architect, born in this city, Santiago Calatrave. The implementation of such a large-scale project lasted from 1996 to 2005.

The City of Arts and Sciences complex includes an opera house, an IMAX cinema, a planetarium, a garden gallery, a science museum and an outdoor oceanographic park. This ensemble is one of the most striking and extraordinary masterpieces of modern architecture in both Spain and the whole world.

11. Business complex "4 towers" in Madrid

The business complex "4 towers" includes 4 of the most tall buildings Spain: the 225-meter "Space Tower", the 236-meter "Sasir-Vallehermoso" tower, the 249-meter "Baron Norman Foster Glass Tower" and, finally, the tallest, the 250-meter "Caja Madrid" tower.

All 4 buildings were erected in the Spanish capital between 1999 and 2005. The square, surrounded by these giants, has become the center of attraction for both citizens and businessmen from all over the world making business visits to the capital of the Kingdom of Spain.

12. Residential complex Edificio Mirador in Madrid

The Edificio Mirador residential complex, 63 meters high (21 floors), stands out from the background of standard buildings with a huge central opening, which is a kind of public balcony with a stunningly beautiful garden and enchanting views of the local surroundings. Also, the huge hole has a security function - in the event of a terrorist attack, the blast wave will pass through the huge hole.

13. Headquarters of the natural gas processing company Gas Natural in Barcelona

Located in the La Barceloneta area with a predominant low-rise buildings The tower fits very harmoniously into the surrounding landscape. Main feature This glass giant is made up of strongly protruding consoles. They increase the usable area of ​​the building and form its unique appearance. It is worth recognizing that most people have an extremely ambiguous attitude towards this skyscraper.

14. Palace of Congresses and Kursaal Auditorium in San Sebastian

The architectural complex of buildings, located in the city of San Sebastian, consists of two huge prisms - a large auditorium, as well as multi-purpose and exhibition halls.

The Palace of Congresses was built according to the design of the Spaniard Rafael Moneo and opened in 1999. Concert hall, accommodating about 2 thousand spectators, also serves as the venue for the largest international film festival. At different levels architectural ensemble There are open terraces with stunning views of Zurriola Beach and the mouth of the Urumea River.

15. Metropol Parasol complex in Seville

The incredible Metropol Parasol complex, located in the medieval part of Seville, is the world's largest architectural structure made of wood.

Such a large-scale facility includes a farmers market, several restaurants and bars and Archaeological Museum, which presents real archaeological excavations. The main feature of Metropol Parasol are paths for pedestrians and observation decks on the roof, from where a stunning panorama of the capital of Andalusia opens.

16. Museum of Contemporary Art of Castilla in Leon

The Museum of Contemporary Art of Castilla was built in 2005 in León. The main goal of this cultural institution is the constant replenishment and storage of works of art created no earlier than 1992.

The museum received an international vocation and was even noted by the American edition of The New York Times as “one of the most amazing and daring museums that has radically changed the modern face of Castile.” Of course, this museum is considered the main attraction of Leon.

17. Oscar Niemeyer Cultural Center in Aviles

The construction of a huge cultural center, combining all kinds of exhibition pavilions, an observation platform, a music center, a theater stage, cinema halls, dance floors and much more, was completed in 2010. The author of the project was a Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer.

With the advent of this large multifunctional complex, the main industrial city of the autonomous province of Asturias has turned into a real cultural center, attracting hundreds of tourists from all over the world.

18. Hotel Porta Fira in Barcelona

The spectacular tower of the Porta Fira hotel, located in the capital of Catalonia, was designed by a famous Japanese architect Toyo Ito and built in 2009.

Tourists and local residents The organic form of the tower and the incredible texture of its facades, which is a consequence of the use of red aluminum pipes, are striking. It is these metal elements that give the hotel walls the effect of vibration and serve as blinds. The Porta Fira tower is considered one of the main masterpieces of deconstructivism in the world.

19. Hotel Puerta America in Madrid

The Puerta America Hotel, located in the capital of Spain, is a completely unprecedented phenomenon in the history of architecture, because 19 famous architects from all over the world simultaneously took part in its creation, literally dividing the entire hotel by floors. Among those who took part in such an unusual experiment - Zaha Hadid, Norman Foster, Jean Nouvel, David Chipperfield, Arata Isozaki and many others.

20. Twin Towers "Gateway of Europe" in Madrid

Construction of Spain's second tallest building, a complex of two identical 114-meter towers in Madrid, was completed in 1994. These skyscrapers, tilted towards each other at an angle of 15°, are the world's first tilted skyscrapers.

21. Hospital named after King Juan Carlos of Spain in Madrid

Hospital built in 2012 in the town of Mostoles (Autonomous Community of Madrid - Ed.)- the first medical institution in Spain named after the king. Author of the project Rafael de La Joza presented to the public new type hospital, based on three basic principles: maximum efficiency, light and silence.

The hospital complex consists of two small towers located on a rectangular stylobate (common ground floor - Ed.). There are atriums on most floors (open spaces inside the building - Ed.). Movement inside the hospital is carried out through circular galleries and elevators. In fact, the stylobate plays the role of a hospital, and the small towers are a clinic.

22. Opera House Tenerife Auditorium in Tenerife

One of Spain's most recognizable buildings, the Tenerife Auditorium is the result of a creative process Santiago Calatrava. Construction of one of the most significant and famous works of modern architecture was completed in 2003.

The scale of this building is simply amazing - the roof alone reaches 100 meters in length and weighs about 350 tons. The theater building includes two halls - an organ hall (1,616 seats) and a chamber hall (424 seats). It is curious that you can enter the theater from two sides. Tenerife Auditorium also provides its visitors with the opportunity to spend time in harmony with nature on special terraces with sea views.

23. Student dormitory-residential building in Gandia

A unique facility, located in a small town near Valencia, serves two purposes at once: it is a dormitory for students of the local university and social housing. The complex includes 102 units for young students, 40 apartments for retirees and a community center. One of the most important principles when creating this hostel was the organization of public spaces that help improve communication and interaction between residents.

24. Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao is a huge exhibition space of stone, glass and titanium, following the contours of the Nervión River. Since the design and construction of this huge complex in Bilbao received little press coverage, the opening of the building in 1997 caused an explosion of delight among both the local population and true art connoisseurs. It was this incredible building that was erected by its author, the American architect Frank Gehry, to the rank of great architects of our time.

25. Olympic Pavilion "Fish" in Barcelona

Unique golden fish sculpture - another Spanish masterpiece Fank Gehry, built on the coast of Barcelona specifically for the 1992 Olympic Games. This structure of gilded steel mesh, glass and stone at one time became a real technological breakthrough in the field of architecture. It is interesting to note that when creating a model of the future pavilion, Gehry used a 3D aircraft modeling program for the first time.