Parc Güell

The gingerbread houses and the sea

Parc Güell, Gaudi's natural masterpiece. Originally designed as an upscale housing development now overrun with tourist, it is probably one of the most interesting parks (architecturally speaking) I've ever seen.

The entrance, and Dr. Seuss' house.

Above you see the entrance to the park. Supposedly that building is made of gingerbread...I think Steves was just being fantastical. So you're walking up a random street between random high rises, you see the gingerbread houses and turn to find this:

The "whimsical" (as Steves puts it) staircase. Can you spy Micah?

A pretty cool surprise despite all the people teaming the steps and balconies (even on a Monday).The first time we hiked up the hill to this treasure we went in the side entrance using the open air escalators but missing the most iconic part of the park. Foley had told us this was the best place in Barcelona. We got there and thought: "These Rockies aren't very Rocky. That John Denver's full of crap." Whether that's true of Foley or not, you can tell from the pictures (well, I still maintain it is categorically not the best place in Barcelona, but it's cool).

Below is the highest point in the park. Gaudi wanted to build a chapel here, but they found prehistoric remains so they decided to build this instead...Two of the crosses indicate the cardinal points (N-S-E-W) while the other points skyward. Three crosses on top of a hill stone name "Calvari." (Thank you Park Guell website)

It doesn't look high, but no railings and jostling people is a little unnerving.

The park winds its way all over the little hill. Idyllic houses peak there way out of the trees and shrubbery. It must be cool living in this architects park, but maybe you get tired of the rubber neckers.

 We walked almost all around the green areas of the park the first time without climbing down those steps at the top of the blog or seeing the famous dragon below. But we did see some excellent views and renegade merchants running through the underbrush to escape from the local police sauntering behind. I think it's all for show. I've never seen any of these hawkers get caught even with police populating the exits.

View of the city from one of the lookout points.

The Hall of 100 Columns was originally built as a produce market for the envisioned rich man's haven but now remains empty of apples, figs, and pears and full of gaudy trinkets sold by a different kind of merchant than envisioned. One with strings on his carpet of wares, ready for a quick get-a-way.

Under the arches

If you look at the top of the next photo you see people siting on the undulating benches, the first nods to ergonomics. And if you look even closer you will see they are made of tiny tiles of varying shapes. No tile is square, their broken pieces used to design a terrace of unique beauty. Our pastor at the International Church here said we are like the broken pieces and God uses us for his unique masterpiece. A function that square, "perfect" tiles could not perform. I thought that was pretty cool.

I'm not sure what all this open space was meant for. Maybe acrobatics? At any rate, it needs a fountain. On second thought maybe there was one and I don't remember.

Evidently the natural looking columns in the back form a perfect surfers tube.

I love pillar

This "dragon" is supposed to personify (or dragonify? not sure) the dragon of Barcelona that St. George was said to have slain. Doesn't look very menacing to me, but people were a lot smaller in St. George's 2nd Cen. AD so maybe this dragon is quite large in comparison.

The "dragon"...