Antoni Gaudi's Park Güell: A Reflection of Artistic Plenitude

Discover the peace and harmony of Park Güell through my photo reportage.


Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park buidings and Barcelona panorama, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park buidings and Barcelona panorama

Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park Entrance, Barcelona, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park Entrance

Güell Park is one of the most beautiful parks in the world.

At the beginning of the 20th century Eusebi Güell authorized the project to Antoni Gaudi. The park was planned as a private residential area with sixty houses and gardens in the hills of Barcelona. The project failed, the Park is a public space.

In 1984, UNESCO added Park Güell to the World Heritage List.


Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park Pavilion at the entrance, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park Pavilion at the entrance

Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park cross at the Park's high-point, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park cross at the Park's high-point

The large cross at the Park's high-point offers the most complete view of Barcelona and the bay. It is possible to view the main city in panorama, with the Sagrada Família visible at a distance.

Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park stairway, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park stairway

Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park The building flanking the entrance, Barcelona, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park, the building flanking the entrance

Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park overview, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park overview

Antoni Gaudi, Roadway in the Güell Park, Barcelona, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Roadway in the Güell Park

Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park terrace walls, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park terrace walls

Güell Park: Where Art Meets Nature

Colonnaded pathway where the road projects out from the hillside, with the vaulting forming a retaining wall which curves over to support the road, and transmits the load onto sloping columns.


Roadway in the Güell Park resembles the pine trees of the park. In order to fit in, the road and walkways between the terraces were built with stones quarried within the park. Bird nests have been installed in the walkways.


Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park, Barcelona, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park column

Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park columns, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park columns

Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park terrace walls, Barcelona, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park terrace walls

Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park, Barcelona, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park view of gardens

Güell Park bird nests built in the terrace walls, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park bird nests built in the terrace walls

Experience the Charm of Güell Park's Architecture and Gardens

The park was inspired by the English garden city movement. The site was a rocky hill with little vegetation, called Bare Mountain. The intention was to exploit the fresh air away from smoky factories and beautiful views from the site.

Park Güell is the reflexion of Gaudí’s artistic plenitude. The architect perfected his personal style through inspiration from organic shapes found in nature. He put into practice a series of new structural solutions rooted in the deep analysis of geometry and its shapes. To that, the artist adds creative liberty and an imaginative, ornamental creation. Starting from a sort of baroquism, his works acquire a structural richness of forms and volumes, free of the rational rigidity or any sort of classic premisses.

In the design of Park Güell, Gaudí unleashed all his architectonic genius and put to practice much of his innovative structural solutions that would become the symbol of his organic style and that would culminate in the creation of the Sagrada Familia.

The Park Güell seems to come from a fairy tale. It's a strange, unique and even magical place that is certainly nice but a walk through the park brings surpasses even greatest imagination. The strange shapes and bold color combinations that blend with the vegetation of the park, give rise to a world from which the visitor is attracted.

In every corner you can feel the passion of the architect. Gaudí wanted human intervention in this forest blend harmoniously into the landscape; certainly succeeded. Snails, mushrooms, leaves, flowers, tree stumps and elephants appear constantly in the mosaics and the architectural design. Even the extractor for the fireplace in the caretaker building is shaped like an inverted mushroom.


Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park The Gaudi House Museum, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park The Gaudi House Museum

Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park mosaics, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park mosaics

Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park, Barcelona, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park

Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park terrace, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park terrace

Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park, Barcelona, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park

A Journey Through Güell Park's Treasures

Park Güell is skillfully designed and composed to bring the peace and calm that one would expect from a park. The buildings flanking the entrance, though very original and remarkable with fantastically shaped roofs with unusual pinnacles, fit in well with the use of the park as pleasure gardens and seem inconspicuous in the landscape when one considers the flamboyance of other buildings designed by Gaudí.


Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park stone wall, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park stone wall

Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park mosaics, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park mosaics

Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park terrace, Barcelona, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park terrace

Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park terrace, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park terrace

Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park mosaics, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park mosaics

Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park sculpture, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park sculpture

Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park mosaics, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park mosaics

Güell Park, I rest in beauty, photo of Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park, Wiesław Sadurski, I rest in beauty

Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park, Barcelona, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park

Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park, View from the main terrace, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park, View from the main terrace.

Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park long bench in the form of a sea serpent, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park bench in the form of a sea serpent.

Gaudí: The Serpent Bench Wonder

The focal point of the park is the main terrace, surrounded by a long bench in the form of a sea serpent. The curves of the serpent bench form a number of enclaves, creating a more social atmosphere. Gaudí incorporated many motifs of Catalan nationalism, and elements from religious mysticism and ancient poetry, into the Park.

The unique shape of the serpentine bench enables the people sitting on it to converse privately, although the square is large. The bench is tiled and in order to dry up quickly after it rains, small bumps were installed by Gaudí.


Wiesław Sadurski on Güell Park long bench, photo

Wiesław Sadurski on a Güell Park long bench

Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park bench mosaic, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park bench mosaic

Antoni Gaudi, the ceiling Güell Park, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

The ceiling Güell Park

Antoni Gaudi, the sign Güell Park, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

The sign Güell Park

Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park entrance area, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park entrance area

Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park multicolored mosaic salamander, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park - multicolored mosaic salamander, popularly known as the dragon, at the main entrance.

Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park, Barcelona, photo by Wiesław SadurskiGüell Park, magic pur.
Antoni Gaudi, Güell Park, Barcelona, photo by Wiesław Sadurski

Güell Park - bird nests built by Gaudí in the terrace walls. The walls imitate the trees planted on them.

The park supports a wide variety of wildlife, notably several of the non-native species of parrot found in the Barcelona area.

Other birds can be seen from the park, with records including short-toed eagle. The park also supports a population of hummingbird hawk moths.