Park Güell is a demonstration of how far ahead of his time Gaudí was. The now-familiar mixture of highly advanced technical engineering and fantasy decoration is epitomized by the famous mosaic dragon or salamander, which is also an overflow for the underground water cistern, and the curved mosaic bench around the square which is at once a seat, a balcony and a wonderful piece of art. The park was listed as World Heritage by UNESCO in 1984.
Start your guided tour from Carmel Hill north of Gracia, and enter the public park that Gaudi built over a century ago. See the fantastic mosaic tiles of the salamander statue (“El Drac”) at the park entrance as an example of Gaudi’s typical motifs.
The main architectural features of Park Güell are based on the Art Nouveau, an art movement that began in Glasgow and spread across Europe to Brussels and on to Barcelona. Using old construction techniques, such as Catalan vault (also known as “timbrel” vault), as well as craft styles and the potential of iron, Barcelona’s Modernisme movement was born.
Walk around the park on the wooded hill, and see some of Gaudi’s typical styles. Along with mosaic tiles, find sinuous benches, twisted stonework, and the SalaHipóstila (Doric Temple). Enjoy breathtaking panoramas of the city below, and marvel at columns that bend like giant trees.