Bellesguard
Bellesguard (Catalan pronunciation: [ˌbeʎəzˈɣwart], "Beautiful View"), also known as Casa Figueres, is a modernist manor house designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, which was constructed between 1900 and 1909.
It is located at the Sarrià-Sant Gervasi district of Barcelona (Catalonia). The ground on which Bellesguard stands on was previously the site of a country residence belonging to Martin, king of Aragon and count of Barcelona.
Gaudí was assisted by Joan Rubio whilst Domènec Sugrañes i Gras, who created the various mosaics which adorn the house, took over as lead architect and completed the building in 1917 after Gaudi quit the project.[1]
Etymology
The term Bellesguard comes from the Catalan for "Beautiful View", representing the fact that the building lies at halfway up the Collserola mountain overlooking Barcelona and consequently provides wide views over the city. The name dates to the age of Martin of Aragon, who had a summer residence on the site in the 15th century and subsequently coined the name Bellesguard[2]
The Bellesguard is sometimes called the Casa Figueres because it was commissioned by Maria Sagués, widow of Jaume Figueras. Sagués was a longtime admirer of Gaudís work and she commissioned him to design the building 1900.[3]
Gallery
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Bellesguard
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Entrance
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Seating area by the entrance, with mosaics from Domènec Sugrañes i Gras
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Seat at the garden
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Bellesguard scale model at Catalunya en Miniatura
See also
- List of Modernisme buildings in Barcelona
- Antoni Gaudí
- List of Gaudí buildings
References
- ↑ Craven, Jackie. "Great Buildings - Bellesguard". http://architecture.about.com. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
- ↑ Zerbst, Rainer (1985). Gaudí. Taschen. p. 129. ISBN 3-8228-2171-3.
- ↑ Zerbst Rainer, Gaudí, p. 129.
Official Webpage: http://www.bellesguardgaudi.com/
Sources
- Rainer Zerbst - Antoni Gaudí, Taschen, 2002.