Casa Milà

Casa Milà, better known as La Pedrera (Catalan for 'The Quarry'), is a building designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí and built during the years 1906–1910, being considered officially completed in 1912. It is located at 92, Passeig de Gràcia (passeig is Catalan for promenade) in the Eixample district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.

It was built for the married couple, Rosario Segimon and Pere Milà. Rosario Segimon was the wealthy widow of José Guardiola, an Indiano, a term applied locally to the Catalans returning from the American colonies with tremendous wealth. Her second husband, Pere Milà, was a developer who was criticized for his flamboyant lifestyle and ridiculed by the contemporary residents of Barcelona, when they joked about his love of money and opulence, wondering if he was not rather more interested in "the widow’s guardiola" (piggy bank), than in "Guardiola’s widow".

The design by Gaudi was not followed in some aspects. The local government objected to some aspects of the project, fined the owners for many infractions of building codes, ordered the demolition of aspects exceeding the height standard for the city, and refused to approve the installation of a huge sculpture atop the building—described as "the Virgin"—but said by Gijs van Hensbergen in his biography of Gaudi, to represent the primeval earth goddess, Gaia.

Casa Milà was in poor condition in the early 1980s. It had been painted a dreary brown and many of its interior color schemes had been abandoned or allowed to deteriorate, but it has been restored and many of the original colors revived.

The building is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Works of Antoni Gaudí". The building is now owned by Caixa Catalunya.

Architecture

Casa Milà was a predecessor of some buildings with a similar biomorphic appearance:

Free exhibitions often are held on the first floor, which also provides some opportunity to see the interior design. There is a charge for entrance to the apartment on the second floor and the roof. The other floors (3-5) are not open to visitors.

Casa Milà in the media and literature

  • A scene in ', a film directed by Michelangelo Antonioni, was filmed on the roof of the building.
  • Mentioned in the book by Eoin Colfer: Artemis Fowl and the Lost Colony
  • Mentioned in the book by Trudi Alexy 'The Mezuzah in the Madonna's Foot'
  • Several scenes in the movie, Gaudi Afternoon, were filmed at Casa Milà.

References

  • Rainer Zervst. Gaudi, 1852-1926, Antoni Gaudi i Cornet - A Life Devoted to Architecture. Cologne: Benedikt Taschen Verlag GmbH & Co. KG., 1988. p176.
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Dmtr
27 June 2015
In addition to the famous sculptures, the rooftop gives an amazing scenic view of Passeig de Garcia and rest of Barcelona. The apartment inside shows how aristocrats lived 100 years ago.
Rrawat Felkner
28 July 2016
It is worth the price of the admission ticket. Time your visit later in the afternoon, you will not encounter big crowd. The rooftop takes your breath away - beautiful & magical.
Robin Bertels
28 July 2015
Visit the rooftop and discover Gaudi's interpretation of what chimneys and ventilation ducts should look like. La Pedrera's modernist architecture features the organic shapes typical of Gaudi's work.
Matthias
15 September 2014
Take the night tour starting at 9:15pm. It's a great way to see this unique building on the inside and includes a visit to the Espai Gaudí, a visual survey of Gaudí’s work, and a drink on the terrace.
Jaspio Heidenstam
10 April 2017
Unlike the Sagrada Familia, you don't have to book a visit in advance. This is a marvel of 20th C architecture & a great introduction to Gaudi. No Chinese drama tourists in late afternoon
LukaSH
15 December 2014
Buy a ticket for 20,50€ and enjoy a tour to the old times. This house is a masterpiece by Antonio Gaudi totally worth a visit. Beautiful views from the roof and genuine apartment on one of the floors.
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