Palau Baró de Quadras Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Palau Baró de Quadras

General information
Architectural style	Modernista
Address	Diagonal, 373
Town or city	Barcelona, Spain
Construction started	1904
Design and construction
Architect	Josep Puig i Cadafalch

The Palau Baró de Quadras is a beautiful old building in Barcelona, Spain. It's a small palace built in the Modernista style, which is like the Spanish version of Art Nouveau. You can find it on Avinguda Diagonal, a famous street in the city.

A well-known Catalan architect named Josep Puig i Cadafalch designed this palace. He built it between 1904 and 1906. In 1976, the Palau Baró de Quadras became a National Historical Monument. This means it's a very important building for art and history. Today, it is home to the main offices of the Institut Ramon Llull.

Discovering the Palace
Palace Restorations
Gallery
See also

Discovering the Palace

This palace was created by updating an older building. It sits on a narrow piece of land. Architect Puig i Cadafalch made it a new Modernista building with two main sides. One side faces Avinguda Diagonal, and the other faces Carrer Rosselló.

The palace is in an area called the Quadrat d'or, or "Golden Square." This area has many important Modernista buildings. Some of these include Casa Milà (also known as La Pedrera) and Casa Batlló. These were designed by Antoni Gaudí. Other famous buildings are Casa Amatller and Casa de les Punxes by Puig i Cadafalch himself. There's also Casa Lleó Morera by Lluís Domènech i Montaner.

The Diagonal Side

The side of the building facing Avinguda Diagonal is very impressive. It has a stunning balcony that looks like something from a Gothic castle. Skilled artists, Alfons Juyol and Eusebi Arnau, carved the stone for this design.

The Rosselló Side

The back of the palace faces Carrer Rosselló. This side features many flower designs. These flow both across and up the building. You can see them on the three balconies and all four floors.

Inside the Palace

When you step inside, you'll find a grand entrance. The stairway is beautifully decorated. There's also a lovely glass skylight above. The floor has a Roman-style mosaic. This central area connects the stairway and the first floor rooms.

The iron gates on the ground floor are also special. They face both Avinguda Diagonal and Carrer Rosselló. A master ironworker named Manuel Ballarín i Lancuentra created them.

Public Rooms

The large rooms facing Avinguda Diagonal were for guests. These were the public spaces of the palace. They have stone arches that look like Moorish designs. These arches are decorated with colorful ceramic flowers. You can also see Gothic-style sculptures.

Family Rooms

The rooms facing Carrer Rosselló were for the family. These rooms have more detailed flower designs on the walls. They also feature bold columns with flower and plant patterns. These designs are in the English Arts and Crafts style. A fireplace, a symbol of home life, is also found here.

It's worth noticing the amazing wooden ceilings. The hardwood floors also have many different geometric patterns.

The beautiful stairway and other details inside the palace.

Palace Restorations

The Palau Baró de Quadras has been restored several times. In 1980, it was fixed up to become the Music Museum of Barcelona. However, this museum moved to the Auditori in 2001.

Between 2003 and 2013, the building was the main office for Casa Àsia. This organization promotes Asian culture. Casa Àsia is now in a different Modernista building.

Today, the palace is the main office for the Institut Ramon Llull. This group works to share Catalan language and culture around the world. It includes the government of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands government, and the Barcelona City Council.

The most recent restoration happened in 2015. Architect Àngel Gil and restorers Anna González and Josep Pasqual worked on the entrance. They carefully preserved and repaired the stone, mosaics, tiles, and ceilings. They also worked on the iron railings, a wooden door, and bronze lamps.