|
|
|
|
Manzana de la Discordia Review
Read our Barcelona sights reviews. Or post your own.
Manzana de la Discòrdia 
- Category: Houses/Mansions
- Location: The Eixample
Fodor's Review:
A pun on the Spanish word manzana, meaning both city block and apple, the reference is to the classical myth of the Apple of Discord, in which Eris, goddess of strife, drops a golden apple with the inscription "to the fairest." Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite all claim the apple; Paris is chosen to settle the dispute and awards the apple to Aphrodite, who promises him Helen, the most beautiful of women, triggering the Trojan War. On this city block you can find the architectural counterpoint, where the three main Moderniste architects go hand to hand, drawing steady crowds of architecture buffs. Of the three, Casa Batlló is clearly the star.
Casa Lleó Morera (No. 35) was extensively rebuilt (1902-06) by Palau de la Música Catalana architect Domènech i Montaner and is a treasure chest of Modernisme. The facade is covered with ornamentation and sculptures of female figures using the modern inventions of the age: the telephone, the telegraph, the photographic camera, and the Victrola. The inside is currently closed to the public, but a quick glimpse into the entryway on the corner gives an idea of what's upstairs.
The pseudo-Flemish Casa Amatller (No. 41) was built by Josep Puig i Cadafalch in 1900 when the architect was 33 years old. Puig i Cadafalch's architectural historicism sought to recover Catalonia's proud past, in combination with eclectic elements from Flemish and Netherlandish architectural motifs. The Eusebi Arnau sculptures range from St. George and the dragon to the figures of a handless drummer with his dancing bear. The flowing-haired "Princesa" is thought to be Amatller's daughter, and the animals up above are pouring chocolate, a reference to the source of the Amatller family fortune. Casa Amatller is closed to the public (call or ask about any change in this), but an office on-site dispenses tickets for the Ruta del Modernisme tour.
At No. 43, the colorful and bizarre Casa Batlló —Gaudí at his most spectacular—with its mottled facade resembling anything from an abstract pointillist painting to rainbow sprinkles on an ice-cream cone, is usually easily identifiable by the crowd of tourists snapping photographs on the sidewalk. Nationalist symbolism is hard at work here: the scaly roofline represents the Dragon of Evil impaled on St. George's cross, and the skulls and bones on the balconies are the dragon's victims. These motifs are allusions to Catalonia's Middle Ages, with its codes of chivalry and religious fervor. The interior design follows a gently swirling maritime motif in stark contrast to the terrestrial strife represented on the facade. Passeig de Gràcia 43, between Carrer Consell de Cent and Carrer Aragó, Eixample, 08007. 93/216-0306. www.casabatllo.es. EUR 17. Daily 9-8. Passeig de Gràcia.
Get Advice From Other Travelers
Visit the Travel Talk forums for help on planning your trip
- Spain for seniors-Maribel and others-please help
8 responses; most recent on 07/05/2009 at 01:14 PM - Looking for a beautiful village in Spain?
12 responses; most recent on 07/05/2009 at 12:49 PM - Maribel - Did you Visit Cornucopia Restaurant Yet?
2 responses; most recent on 07/04/2009 at 07:14 PM
- Travel DealsPowered by ShermansTravel.com
-
Barcelona hotel nr Placa de Catalunya$267/nt+
Hotel 1898 -
Low summer fares to Barcelona (round-trip)$584+
Expedia -
Round-trip Madrid fares from NY & Chicago$583+
Major Airlines -
Flights to Milan, Bergen & more (round-trip)$549+
Finnair - View All Travel Deals
Buy the Guidebook
-
$22.95
-
$22.95
Get the Fodor's Newsletter
For more travel ideas, tips, and deals, sign up for the Fodor's newsletter here. Read the current issue. Browse previous issues.
