Gaudí's best-kept secret revealed in Casa Batlló restauration
This intervention marks a historic milestone, as since 1915 the colours of the rear façade had changed and characteristic elements of the courtyard such as the jardinières and the pergola had completely disappeared. Although there was limited restoration work in the 1950s and 1990s, this represents the first truly comprehensive restoration of the space, where every material has been returned to its original splendour in accordance with Gaudí's intentions.
The restoration process has revealed surprising discoveries that have completely transformed the understanding of the original design. Xavier Villanueva, the architect in charge of the operation, said that when they found the original colours they were astonished, as the façade had become the photographic negative of the original designed by Gaudí. Stratigraphic tests carried out during the pandemic revealed the original shades hidden under layers of paint on the wood, ironwork and stucco.
The rebirth of an intimate space designed by the modernista genius
The restoration has brought back to life the intimate outdoor space next to the dining room, originally conceived as a garden-like retreat for family relaxation. On the rear façade, the stucco and glass and ceramic trencadís of the side walls and cornice have been restored, while the wrought iron railings, wooden windows, balcony doors and mosaic paving have been recovered on the balconies, reinforcing a structure that was in a state of extreme deterioration.
The private courtyard has undergone an even more spectacular transformation with the reproduction of elements lost in time. The heather pergola with a parabolic shape that was originally located in the centre of the courtyard has been recreated, together with the planters located next to the ventilation courtyards. The paving has been faithfully replicated using 85,000 pieces of Nolla mosaic, respecting the original techniques.
This restoration is part of a five-year series of major interventions that culminates in 2025, the year in which Casa Batlló commemorates the 20th anniversary of its inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Gary Gautier, CEO of Casa Batlló, believes that being part of this milestone represents a true honour, uncovering Gaudí's genius for future generations and celebrating the enduring craftsmanship of master artisans, a gift not only to Barcelona, but to the world.
Rigorous research combined with advanced digital techniques such as 3D scanning and photogrammetry has ensured pinpoint accuracy in the restoration. Among the most outstanding findings is a previously unknown structure in the form of a spiral of brick and mixed iron, as well as a newly discovered vaulted system supporting the balconies, representing a revolutionary innovation for its time that reinforces Gaudí's constructive genius.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Euronews
21-06-2025
- Euronews
Gaudí's best-kept secret revealed in Casa Batlló restauration
The comprehensive refurbishment of the rear façade of Antoni Gaudí's work and the private courtyard of the Planta Noble required an investment of 3.5 million euros and the joint work of specialised restorers and local craftsmen who have preserved centuries-old techniques and adapted them to contemporary standards. This intervention marks a historic milestone, as since 1915 the colours of the rear façade had changed and characteristic elements of the courtyard such as the jardinières and the pergola had completely disappeared. Although there was limited restoration work in the 1950s and 1990s, this represents the first truly comprehensive restoration of the space, where every material has been returned to its original splendour in accordance with Gaudí's intentions. The restoration process has revealed surprising discoveries that have completely transformed the understanding of the original design. Xavier Villanueva, the architect in charge of the operation, said that when they found the original colours they were astonished, as the façade had become the photographic negative of the original designed by Gaudí. Stratigraphic tests carried out during the pandemic revealed the original shades hidden under layers of paint on the wood, ironwork and stucco. The rebirth of an intimate space designed by the modernista genius The restoration has brought back to life the intimate outdoor space next to the dining room, originally conceived as a garden-like retreat for family relaxation. On the rear façade, the stucco and glass and ceramic trencadís of the side walls and cornice have been restored, while the wrought iron railings, wooden windows, balcony doors and mosaic paving have been recovered on the balconies, reinforcing a structure that was in a state of extreme deterioration. The private courtyard has undergone an even more spectacular transformation with the reproduction of elements lost in time. The heather pergola with a parabolic shape that was originally located in the centre of the courtyard has been recreated, together with the planters located next to the ventilation courtyards. The paving has been faithfully replicated using 85,000 pieces of Nolla mosaic, respecting the original techniques. This restoration is part of a five-year series of major interventions that culminates in 2025, the year in which Casa Batlló commemorates the 20th anniversary of its inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Gary Gautier, CEO of Casa Batlló, believes that being part of this milestone represents a true honour, uncovering Gaudí's genius for future generations and celebrating the enduring craftsmanship of master artisans, a gift not only to Barcelona, but to the world. Rigorous research combined with advanced digital techniques such as 3D scanning and photogrammetry has ensured pinpoint accuracy in the restoration. Among the most outstanding findings is a previously unknown structure in the form of a spiral of brick and mixed iron, as well as a newly discovered vaulted system supporting the balconies, representing a revolutionary innovation for its time that reinforces Gaudí's constructive genius.
France 24
04-06-2025
- France 24
Five things to know about the St Catherine monastery in Egypt's Sinai
Dating back to the sixth century BC, the UNESCO World Heritage Site is the world's oldest continuously inhabited monastery, attracting hundreds of pilgrims and tourists every year. Following warnings from the authorities and Orthodox Church in Greece that the ruling threatens the monastery's status, a government delegation is travelling from Athens to Cairo on Wednesday to discuss the situation. World's oldest monastery The monastery was founded by Byzantine Emperor Justinian in the sixth century at the biblical site of the burning bush at the foot of Mount Sinai, where Moses was believed to have received the 10 commandments, according to the world's three major monotheistic religions. It was named for Saint Catherine of Alexandria, whose remains are housed in the church, along with rare iconography and manuscripts. It is headed by the Archbishop of Mount Sinai and Raithu, under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. According to UNESCO, "the entire area is of immense spiritual significance" to Christianity, Islam and Judaism. The organisation says the monastery is "the property of the Greek Orthodox Church and belongs to the Archdiocese of Sinai". Ownership dispute On Friday, an Egyptian appeals court ruled that the monastery "is entitled to use" the land and the archaeological religious sites dotting the area, all of which "the state owns as public property". The ruling, only a brief of which has been published by Egyptian media, has drawn criticism from the Orthodox patriarchates in Athens, Jerusalem and Istanbul. Archbishop Ieronymos, head of the Greek Orthodox church in Athens, warned the monastery's property could now be "seized and confiscated". Egypt has defended the court ruling, saying it "consolidates" the site's sacred status. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Egypt was "fully committed to preserving the unique and sacred religious status of Saint Catherine's monastery", in a phone call with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Mitsotakis meanwhile emphasised the importance of "preserving the pilgrimage and Greek Orthodox character of the monastery". The delegation from Athens is expected to lay out its position on Wednesday. According to Greece's state news agency, that position "is supported by a UNESCO document, which proves that Egypt had acknowledged in writing since 2002 that the ownership of the land and buildings belongs to the Greek Orthodox Church and the Archdiocese of Sinai". Megaproject Construction began in March 2021 in the Saint Catherine area, which includes the eponymous town and a nature reserve, for a government megaproject known as the 'Great Transfiguration' of Saint Catherine. The project aims to bring upwards of a million tourists a year to the serene mountain village. Its many construction projects include an events hall, hundreds of hotel rooms and a new residential area housing hundreds of units. Observers say the project has harmed the reserve's ecosystem and threatened both the monastery and the local community. According to a report by World Heritage Watch, the project has "destroyed the integrity of this historical and biblical landscape". UNESCO in 2023 requested that Egypt "halt the implementation of any further development projects", conduct an impact evaluation and develop a conservation plan. The government, which is campaigning for former tourism and antiquities minister Khaled al-Enany to head UNESCO from October, said in January that 90 percent of the project was complete. Visitors The peaks and valleys around Saint Catherine attract large groups of hikers, peaking at 2,000 visitors to Mount Sinai in a single day last December, local authorities reported. The area, 1.5 kilometres (one mile) above sea level, is particularly popular with both Egyptians and foreign tourists seeking a reprieve from overcrowded Red Sea resorts elsewhere in Sinai. - Bedouin tribe - The area is home to the Jabaliya tribe, whose name derives from the Arabic word for "mountain". Said to be the descendants of the Roman soldiers who came to guard the monastery in its early days, they maintain a close connection to Saint Catherine, with many working as tour guides today. For decades, they have been calling for better infrastructure, including reliable water supply, emergency services and telecommunications coverage to improve their work and daily life. According to World Heritage Watch, they are currently outnumbered by the thousands of labourers building the megaproject.
Euronews
15-04-2025
- Euronews
Pope Francis approves first step towards the beatification of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí
ADVERTISEMENT The legendary Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, known affectionately as "God's architect" for his pioneering work creating Barcelona's Sagrada Familia basilica , has moved one step closer up the path to being made a saint. It's now emerged that while he was still convalescing from his respiratory infection , Pope Francis received Italian Catholic Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, and signed a number of decrees , including one on the Catalan architect. Despite being a layman, the Holy See allowed Gaudí to be buried in the Sagrada Família, the church he designed. The process for the architect's beatification is now underway in Rome, and a tribunal has to determine whether there have been any miraculous events connected with him. The Sagrada Família is expected to be completed in 2026, coinciding with the centenary of Gaudí's death. Once its spires are completed, the Sagrada Família will become the tallest cathedral in the world. Visitors inside the Sagrada Familia Basilica AP Photo (Manu Fernández) The steps to sainthood In the Catholic Church, the steps to sainthood are: to become a servant of God, then venerable, blessed, and finally a saint. Gaudí, born on 25 June 1852 and died on 10 June 1926 in Barcelona, is already deemed to be a servant on his journey towards beatification and will have to go through several stages. Once he is declared "venerable servant of God", a title given to a deceased person who is recognised as having "lived the virtues in a heroic manner", he would have to be declared blessed and only then a saint. The case of a woman from Reus who claims to have recovered her sight thanks to her devotion to Gaudí, together with a biography with testimonies of people who knew him are some evidence of this supposed sanctity, according to an investigation by the state broadcaster TVE. Dignitaries leave a mass at the Sagrada Familia for victims of terror attacks in the city. AP Photo/2017 For Gaudí to be beatified, a miracle must have taken place. For a venerable person to be beatified, it is necessary for a miracle to have taken place due to his intercession, and for him to be canonised or made a saint, a second miracle worked through his intercession is required, after he has been proclaimed blessed. The process of beatification of the architect was promoted 30 years ago by the Association for the Beatification of Antoni Gaudí, founded in 1992 and chaired by José Manuel Almuzara. According to the canonical association, Gaudí was "a witness of faith, a man of faith, a great observer of nature and a brilliant architect, and has become a universal figure of modern architecture. His contribution to this discipline broke with established patterns. The testimony of faith he offered during his lifetime is reflected in his most important work, the Sagrada Família in Barcelona. The beauty of things and eternal life In March 2000, the Holy See authorised the formal opening of the diocesan process of beatification, which led to the constitution of the corresponding tribunal to investigate his reputation for sanctity. On his trip to Spain in 2010, Pope Benedict XVI , when he consecrated the Sagrada Família, defined Gaudí as a "brilliant architect and consistent Christian who overcame the current split between human conscience and Christian conscience, between existence in this temporal world and openness to an eternal life, between the beauty of things and God as Beauty".
