Casa Batlló and Casa Milà

Background

Casa Batlló (also known as Casa dels ossos, the "House of Bones") and Casa Milà (commonly called La Pedrera, the "Quarry") stand on the Passeig de Gràcia in the Eixample district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, at numbers 43 and 92 respectively, not far apart. Casa Batlló is an older house remodelled by Gaudí in 1904–1906: its broken-tile mosaic facade shades from gold-orange to green-blue, and its arched roof resembles a dragon's back. Blue tiles in the lightwell shade from dark at the top to light at the bottom so that daylight is spread evenly; the attic has 60 catenary arches, and the main floor covers more than 700 square meters. Casa Milà, the last private residence Gaudí designed, was built in 1906–1912, with a wavy stone facade, twisted wrought-iron balconies, a self-supporting stone facade and a free floor plan; on the rooftop terrace, sculptural chimneys and skylights stand in rows like "warriors". The two houses were inscribed on the World Heritage List as part of the Works of Antoni Gaudí in 2005 and 1984 respectively. Both houses belong to Catalan Modernisme and are the work of Antoni Gaudí. Casa Batlló was originally built in 1877; the textile industrialist Josep Batlló bought it in 1903 and commissioned Gaudí to remodel it, and it opened to the public in 2002. Casa Milà was paid for by Pere Milà and his wife Roser Segimon. The row of buildings where Casa Batlló stands is known, together with its neighbors, as the "Block of Discord", where modernist buildings vie with one another in extravagance.

Local customs

• First photograph the full facade and dragon-back roof of Casa Batlló from across the street, then go inside through the noble floor, the lightwell and the attic. Then move on to Casa Milà, focusing on the wavy facade, the courtyards and the rooftop terrace, where light and shadow are best in the late afternoon. Both houses offer night visits that feel different from the daytime experience
• check their official websites.

Travel tips

• Both houses are popular sights, so book timed tickets in advance on their official websites. Each house takes about one hour to an hour and a quarter
• allow half a day for both plus a stroll in between. Check ticket prices and opening hours on the official websites. The houses are on the Passeig de Gràcia in central Barcelona: take the metro to the Passeig de Gràcia station area and walk from there
• many bus routes stop along the avenue, and the two houses are within walking distance of each other.
• They suit any time of year. In summer the rooftop terraces get strong sun, so visit early or late in the day. Rainy days suit the indoor visit, and the facades' colors are especially vivid after rain.