Park Güell
The two buildings at the entrance of the park
Location	Barcelona, Spain
Coordinates	41°24′49″N 2°09′10″E / 41.41361°N 2.15278°E / 41.41361; 2.15278
Established	1914
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Part of	Works of Antoni Gaudí
Criteria	(i), (ii), (iv)
Reference	320-001
Inscription	1984 (8th Session)
Extensions	2005
Spanish Cultural Heritage
Type	Non-movable
Criteria	Monument
Designated	24 July 1969
Reference no.	RI-51-0003818

Park Güell (Catalan: Parc Güell [ˈpaɾɡ ˈɡweʎ]; Spanish: Parque Güell) is a complex of parks and gardens in Barcelona with architectural elements, located in the La Salut neighborhood of the Gràcia district in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the southern slope of the Turó del Carmel hill, part of the Collserola mountain range, overlooking the city. The separate Parc del Carmel lies on the northern side of the same hill.

In the context of Barcelona's late 19th and early 20th-century urban expansion, Catalan industrialist and art patron Eusebi Güell commissioned architect Antoni Gaudí, a leading figure of the aesthetic movement in Catalan modernism, to design a park.

Construction took place between 1900 and 1914, and the park officially opened to the public in 1926. In 1984, UNESCO designated the park a World Heritage Site, recognizing it as part of the "Works of Antoni Gaudí" collection.^[1][2]

Park Güell reflects Gaudí's distinctive artistic sensibilities and visual language, marking a specific phase in his development—his naturalist period in the first decade of the 20th century.^[3] During this time, Gaudí’s study of nature and organic forms led to innovative structural solutions based on geometric analysis.

These geometric insights gave rise to his imaginative and ornamental style. Rooted in Baroque, Gaudí’s work exhibits structural richness and freedom from the rigidity of classical norms. In Park Güell, he introduced curved and undulating benches—a precursor to the style fully realized in the Sagrada Família.^[4]

Originally, Güell and Gaudí envisioned the site as a private residential development of luxurious homes with modern amenities. The park's common spaces—stairways, terraces, gardens—were designed to embody the political and religious ideals of its creators. Symbolic references include political Catalanism (e.g., on the entrance stairway), and Catholicism (e.g., the Monumento al Calvario, initially conceived as a chapel). Classical elements and Greek mythology references are also present.

The park was originally part of a failed housing development by Count Eusebi Güell, inspired by the English garden city movement. The name \"Park\" reflects this English influence. The location, a rocky hill called Muntanya Pelada (Bare Mountain), contained a large house known as Larrard House. Bordering the upscale La Salut neighborhood, Güell sought to market the area for its clean air and views. The plan included sixty triangular plots for luxury homes. Güell moved into Larrard House in 1906 to promote the project, but only two homes were ever built—neither by Gaudí.

One house, built as a show home in 1904, remained unsold. Güell persuaded Gaudí to purchase it with his savings. Gaudí moved in with his father and niece in 1906.^[5] The house, designed by Francesc Berenguer i Mestres, became the Gaudí House Museum in 1963 and was declared a national monument in 1969.

Park Güell eventually became a municipal garden. It is reachable by the Barcelona Metro, with Vallcarca and Lesseps being closest but not adjacent. Buses and tour buses also serve the park. Since October 2013, entry to the Monumental Zone (main terrace, mosaics, viaducts, and gate area) requires a ticket, while Barcelona residents enter for free. Tickets often sell out. Entry to Gaudí’s house (La Torre Rosa) is separate, with a discount available for visitors of the Sagrada Família.

The entrance is marked by two whimsical gatehouses forming the Porter's Lodge pavilion.^[6] One housed a phone booth; the other now contains a permanent exhibit of the Barcelona City History Museum.^[7][8]

The park's focal point is a terrace bordered by a long, curving bench shaped like a sea serpent. Designed by Josep Maria Jujol, the bench’s ergonomic form creates enclaves to encourage social interaction.^[9]

A system of elevated pathways—originally intended for carriages—threads through the park. Designed by Gaudí using local stone, they blend seamlessly with the landscape. Their columns and vaulted supports mimic tree trunks and natural forms. As with his earlier work at Colònia Güell, Gaudí used inverted catenary arches to achieve optimal load-bearing compression.^[10]

At the park’s highest point is a hill with steps leading to \"El Turó de les Tres Creus\" (\"Hill of the Three Crosses\")—a calvary of three stone crosses. One points skyward; the other two mark cardinal directions. From here, visitors can view the Sagrada Família, Torre Glòries, Montjuïc, and the Mediterranean.

Park Güell supports a diverse range of wildlife, including non-native parrots and sightings of the short-toed eagle. It is also known for hummingbird hawk moths.

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  View from the main terrace
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  Entrance to the Park
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  Doric columns supporting the terrace
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  Ergonomic serpentine bench
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  Bird nests integrated into the walls
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  Terrace retaining walls
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  Stone arcades mimicking pine trees
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  Viaduct designed for carriage transport
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  Colonnaded footpath under a viaduct
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  Vaulted retaining wall beneath the road
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  Tiled mosaic on the ceiling
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  Detail of Gaudí’s ceramic tile
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  Ceiling mosaic in the Hypostyle Room
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  Porter’s Lodge pavilion with tile roof
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  Fountain at the entrance
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  Casa Martí Trias i Domènech
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  Panoramic entrance view
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  Music performance in the Sala Hipóstila

• List of Gaudí buildings
• List of Modernisme buildings in Barcelona
• Urban planning of Barcelona
• Parks and gardens of Barcelona

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Parc Güell.

• Works of Antoni Gaudí – UNESCO Collection on Google Arts & Culture
• Park Güell Official Website