Spain
Casa Vicens
Welcome to Barcelona! Casa Vicens is covered from top to bottom in bright checkered patterns and hand-painted flower tiles — it was architect Antoni Gaudí's very first big building.
Why is it famous?
It was the first major house Gaudí ever designed, built between 1883 and 1885.
Its checkerboard walls and turrets make it look almost like a castle from a storybook.
Flowers everywhere
Gaudí found yellow flowers called Indian carnations growing on the empty lot before building started.
He was so charmed by them that he designed tiles shaped like those flowers to decorate the entire house.
Amazing facts
The huge iron entrance gate was shaped like palm leaves, inspired by a palm tree Gaudí spotted nearby.
One room had a ceiling designed to look like frozen dripping stalactites in a cave.
Quick facts
- The huge iron entrance gate was shaped like palm leaves, inspired by a palm tree Gaudí spotted nearby.
- One room had a ceiling designed to look like frozen dripping stalactites in a cave.
- The porch had a fountain with a metal mesh "spider web" that made the water sparkle like a rainbow.
- It only opened to the public as a museum in 2017, after being a private home for over 130 years.