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Wednesday, 26 July 2023

Spain Day 15a - La Pedrera Ground Level

Casa Mila, or commonly known as La Pedrera, is a wonderful apartment building, designed and mostly completed under Gaudi's hand. Rosario Segimon and Pere Mila were a wealthy couple who wanted something to outdo the Guell family. In order to do this they had to have something better than his Guell palace; a new building. The plan was once the building was finished, the couple would move into one floor and rent the rest of the building out. Since Gaudi was at his peak of talent and popularity he expected to be given the money, time, and freedom to make beautiful things. The couple chaffed at anything expensive or out of the ordinary. The high brow Catalan society circles also thought the structure was too much and called it the quarry because of its rock like facade. That name stuck, the couple fired him, and Gaudi went to work on the Sagrada Familia full time. That rock like quarry, in Catalan, is La Pedrera.

We took the sunrise tour which meant that we were the first folks to enter and had the building to ourselves for over half the time we were there.


The main entrance.


Looking back on the entrance, and using the outside light for illumination, you can see the textures in the walls and ceiling. 


There are two patio chimneys for ventilation and light. Each is a different shape. Here is the first.


The stairwell going up has the theme of natural undulating shapes.


Here is the second chimmney.


The statue is quite nice to my eye.



This is the elevator or the stairwell can be used.

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