Return to Barcelona 2017! Casa Amatller with Helena

You need to purchase tickets for a guided tour to visit the Casa Amatller, on the "Block of Discord" (Illa de la Discòrdia), next to the Casa Battlo, but completely different in architectural style! In 1898, the chocolatier/industrialist Antoni Amatller Costa (1851-1910), bought an estate on Paseo de Gracia in Barcelona, ​​consisting of a house on the ground floor and four floors and a garden. He then commissioned Josep Puig i Cadafalch. His concept was to project a modern image that showed respect for the past, based on traditional arts, but adapted to new materials and new needs. According to the Fundacio Instituto Amatller de Arte Hispánico: 

"The intervention of Puig i Cadafalch led to a radical transformation of the building, which involved:

• The demolition and recomposition of the facade,
• the construction of a photo studio on the roof,
• restructuring and redecoration of the ground floor (including the main staircase),
• substantial changes in the distribution and integral redecoration of the main floor,
• the incorporation of an electric lift and the installation of a revolving platform for the owner's car and
• the rehabilitation of kitchens and bathrooms of all homes"

We thoroughly enjoyed our nearly private tour which ended with a cup of the thick, hot chocolate they are famous for, as well as a chance to buy some of their beautifully designed, delicious chocolates as souvenirs!