Elies Rogent facts for kids
Elies Rogent i Amat (born in Barcelona on July 18, 1821 – died in Barcelona on February 21, 1897) was a famous Catalan architect from Spain. He is known for designing important buildings and for teaching many future architects.
Contents
Life and Work
Early Life and Education
Elies Rogent studied architecture in Madrid and finished his studies on February 20, 1851. Later, in 1871, he became the director of the Barcelona Provincial School of Architecture. This was a very important role where he could teach new architects.
A Passion for Medieval Style
Rogent really admired a French architect named Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. Viollet-le-Duc loved medieval architecture, and Rogent shared this passion with his students. Among his students were famous architects like Lluís Domènech i Montaner and Antoni Gaudí. It is said that when he signed Gaudí's degree, Rogent remarked, "I have approved either a madman or a genius."
Leading the Barcelona Exposition
In 1887, the mayor of Barcelona, Francesc de Paula Rius i Taulet, asked Rogent to manage the construction for the Barcelona Universal Exposition of 1888. This was a huge project! Rogent made many changes to the original plans by Josep Fontserè i Mestre. He managed to finish the work very quickly with help from his student, Lluís Domènech i Montaner.
Important Buildings and Restorations
Elies Rogent designed many significant buildings. He also helped restore old, important structures. Here are some of his most famous works:
- Mataró Prison (1863): This was the first prison designed using the "panoptical" idea. This means the building was planned so that a single guard could see every part of it from a central spot. This idea came from an English thinker named Jeremy Bentham.
- Vallvidrera Dam (1865): An important structure for water management.
- Casa Arnús (1868): A building located in Passeig de Gràcia in Barcelona.
- Casa Almirall (1870): Another building in Barcelona, on Carrer Pelai.
- University of Barcelona Building (1873): The old building of the University of Barcelona shows a strong influence from medieval architecture.
- Conciliar Seminary in Barcelona (1879): A building for religious education.
- Barcelona Wax Museum (1882): A unique building that later became a wax museum.
Rogent also worked on restoring old monasteries. He helped fix the cloisters (covered walkways) of the Sant Cugat del Vallès (1852) and Montserrat (1854). He also rebuilt the monastery of Santa Maria de Ripoll in 1886.
