Park Güell Facts for Kids

Park Güell

Gaudí's multicolored mosaic salamander, popularly known as "el drac" (the dragon), at the main entrance, as restored after the vandalism of February 2007

The Park Güell (Catalan: Parc Güell) is a public park system of gardens and architectonic elements. It is located on Carmelo Hill, in Barcelona (Spain). Carmelo Hill belongs to the mountain range of Sierra de Collserola — the Parque del Carmelo (Catalan: Parc del Carmel) is located on the northern face. Park Güell is located in La Salut, a neighborhood in the Gràcia district of Barcelona. With urbanization in mind, Eusebi Güell gave the design of the park to architect Antoni Gaudí. He designed the park in the Catalonian modernism style. The park was built between 1900 and 1914. It opened as a public park in 1926.

In 1984, UNESCO declared the park a World Heritage Site under “Works of Antoni Gaudí”. Park Güell was one of 100 finalists for the 12 Treasures of Spain in 2007.

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The Gaudí House Museum
Gaudí's mosaic work on the main terrace
View from the main terrace of the park.
Entrance to the Park.
Doric columns support the roof of the lower court which forms the central terrace, with serpentine seating round its edge.
The unique shape of the serpentine bench enables the people sitting on it to converse privately, although the square is large. The bench is tiled and in order to dry up quickly after it rains, and to stop people from sitting in the wet part of the bench, small bumps were installed by Gaudí.
Bird nests built by Gaudí in the terrace walls. The walls imitate the trees planted on them.
An uninterrupted view of the terrace walls.
Roadway in the Park - resembles the pine trees of the park. In order to fit in, the road and walkway structures between the terraces were built with stones quarried within the park. Bird nests have been installed in the walkways.
One of the three viaducts located within the park. Originally created by Antoni Gaudí to allow carriages to easily facilitate the transportation of visitors from the park's entrance to the "Turó de Tres Creus" which can be found on the top of the mountain, these viaducts continue to allow guests to travel throughout the park.
Colonnaded footpath under the roadway viaduct, with external columns sloping to take the diagonal thrust from the vault supporting the road.
Colonnaded pathway where the road projects out from the hillside, with the vaulting forming a retaining wall which curves over to support the road, and transmits the load onto sloping columns.
Another of Gaudí's Tiled Mosaics on the ceiling.
One of Gaudí's unique tiles in Parc Güell
Ceiling Mosaic in the Hypostyle Room, Park Güell, Barcelona
The Porter's Lodge pavilion at the park's entrance. The roof is made up of trencadís tiles.
Third fountain at the entrance with the dragon
Casa Martí Trias i Domènech
Panoramic view of the entrance to the Park Güell. Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
A musician playing among columns of Sala Hipóstila, Park Güell ( UNESCO World Heritage Site), hill of El Carmel, Gràcia (district), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Park Güell facts for kids

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