![\"Fundaci\u00f3](\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/Hovkst8.jpg\")
<\/a><\/br>Fundaci\u00f3 Antoni T\u00e0pies<\/br>Contemporary museum in a modernist building offering works by painter Antoni T\u00e0pies & other artists. One can tell that it’s different from its roof decorations.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n <\/br>Buildings along Barcelona d’Arag\u00f3 Street<\/p><\/div>\n As usual, we got up late in the cozy Barcelona atmosphere, but this time we got an excuse, as Casa Amatller wasn’t as major a tourist attraction as its neighboring Casa Batll\u00f3 (because it wasn’t designed by Gaudi, even the ticket agent at Casa Amatller made fun of this), so it only offered guided tours at fixed times of day (and so did Casa Lle\u00f3 Morera). The only one-hour full length tour in English was offered at 11am, so we happily stayed on our beds until 0930 in the morning before breakfast and checking out of our hotel. As for Casa Amatller itself, it was designed by Josep Puig i Cadafalch (not Gaudi) for chocolate mogul Amatller, also in the Modernisme style. Currently visitors could only visit its main (2nd) floor where the Amatller family lived, as other floors were occupied by tenants.<\/p>\n It was quite some time ago, and my memories were a little bit fuzzy, so I’m not totally sure about all the titles and description I added to the photos.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/br>Casa Amatller Facade<\/br>On the three windows in the center of second floor were monkeys making chocolate, taking photos and making glassware, representing the three major hobbies of the house owner.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n Well, it seemed that Josep Puig i Cadafalch put most of his efforts on the facade. It was such a fascinating design to put monkey sculptures over the windows to tell the hobbies of the owner, only they weren’t so noticeable, as we were told of this feature by our guide through PPT presentation.<\/p>\n <\/br>Casa Amatller Foyer<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Stairs up Casa Amatller<\/br>At this point all visitors were required to put on shoe covers.<\/span><\/p><\/div> <\/br>Dinning Room<\/br>A beautiful fireplace, albeit less imaginative than the ones in Casa Batll\u00f3 was in the background.<\/span><\/p><\/div> <\/br>Stained Glasses of Casa Amatller<\/br>No, it didn’t have a garden as Casa Batll\u00f3.<\/span><\/p><\/div> <\/br>Dinning Room<\/br>Only the tiny wallpaper in the corner was original, all the other pink was restored, if I remembered correctly.<\/span><\/p><\/div> <\/br>Sink and Decorations behind Fireplace<\/br>Thus water could be heated with heat from the fireplace in the back, if I remembered correctly.<\/span><\/p><\/div> <\/br>Decorated Lamp<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Bed<\/br>This should be children’s bedroom where Ms. Amatller grew up, if I remembered correctly.<\/span><\/p><\/div> <\/br>Bedroom Ceiling<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Street Window and Column on Casa Amatller Main Floor<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Corridor<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Master Bed<\/br>Ms. Amatller passed away lying on this bed, if I remembered correctly.<\/span><\/p><\/div> <\/br>Collection Room<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Glass Collection<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Elevator Shaft<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Stained Glasses on Casa Amatller Atrium<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Study<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Stove<\/br>The kitchen of Casa Amatller was on the first floor (which was now an public-access chocolate shop). Casa Amatller used elevator to transport food from its first floor kitchen to its second floor dinning room. The elevator was still functional till this day as our tour guide demonstrated it.<\/span><\/p><\/div> <\/br>Turntable Garage Floor<\/br>Mr. Amatller’s car didn’t have a reverse gear, so such a turntable floor was designed so that his car could drive in and out unhindered.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/p>\n Well, since Amatller was a chocolate mogul, our tour expectedly ended with chocolate tasting. Although Ms. Amatller died without heir, the brand Amatller was purchased by other companies and lived on.<\/p>\n After that, my plan was to visit Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau for more Catalan Modernism architecture, while my half-soccer-fan friend was more interested in FCB’s Camp Nou instead. So we said goodbye to each other and boarded different metros.<\/p>\n <\/br>Barcelona Metro Passeig de Gr\u00e0cia Station<\/p><\/div>\n \nRecinte Modernista de Sant Pau was home to the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau from 1916 to 2009. Built by Catalan architect Llu\u00eds Dom\u00e8nech i Montaner, it’s a jewel of Modernista architecture. Currently Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau occupied the center of a huge city block, with part of Autonomous University of Barcelona campus surrounding it. These two institutions seemed to be closely knitted, as the Convent of Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau was actually used by Autonomous University of Barcelona nowadays. <\/br>Autonomous University of Barcelona Building<\/br>A small campus by Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau.<\/span><\/p><\/div> <\/br>Buildings in Barcelona Suburb<\/br>The style of balconies looked a lot more modern here.<\/span><\/p><\/div> <\/br>Escola Universit\u00e0ria d’Infermeria Entrance<\/br>A UAB affiliate.<\/span><\/p><\/div> <\/br>Administration Pavilion<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n First on the tour route was Underground Tunnels. The pavilions of Sant Pau Hospital were connected by a network of underground tunnels to ensure comfort for the sick as well as safe and speedy transport of people and medicine.<\/p>\n <\/br>Underground Tunnels<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Underground Tunnels<\/br>With projections of hospital daily life on the walls.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/p>\n Then it’s Sant Salvador Pavilion, which was the best restored pavilion among others. Nowadays, it’s a museum about Sant Pau Hospital’s history, the history of medicine, and the life of his designer Dom\u00e8nech i Montaner.<\/p>\n <\/br>Model of Hospital De La Santa Creu in the Neighborhood of El Ravel<\/br>Predecessor of Sant Pau Hospital<\/span><\/p><\/div> <\/br>Model of Sant Pau Hospital<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Painting about Santa Creu Hospital<\/br>The words on the wall reads “No Hi Ha Llits” (There are no beds). Back in the old days Santa Creu Hospital alone wasn’t enough for the city’s needs, thus faciliated the construction fo Sant Pau Hospital.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/p>\n For a long time Santa Creu Hospital was the only way a commoner in the city of Barcelona could get any kind of proper medical treatment. <\/p>\n <\/br>Medical Equipment<\/p><\/div> On the first floor of Sant Salvador Pavilion, there’s a giant dragon made up of different patterns on paper on display. Well, I’m not particularly into this kind of abstract art, so I didn’t know what that was about.<\/p>\n <\/br>Sant Salvador Pavilion<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Operation House Facade<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n Then there’s the operation house in the central axis of Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau (which showed the room’s prominence). Back in the hospital days all major surgical operations were done in this room.<\/p>\n <\/br>Sant Leopold Pavilion<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Mother of God of Merce Pavilion<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Mother of God of Carme Pavilion<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau through Operation House Window<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Sant Rafael Pavilion<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n Sant Rafael Pavilion Interior was the only other properly restored pavilion. It used to be a nursing pavilion, with a long ward for in-patients. Currently it’s a small museum housing picture exhibitions.<\/p>\n <\/br>Sant Rafael Pavilion Interior<\/br>A photo by the end of the room shows its hospital days filled with in-patients.<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Casa Asia<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Convent Building<\/br>Now part of university campus.<\/span><\/p><\/div> <\/br>Mother of God of Montserrat Pavilion<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Mother of God of Merce Pavilion<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Windows of Operation House<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Purissima Pavilion<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n At the end of the tour was Administration Pavilion, the biggest and best restored building of all.<\/p>\n <\/br>Administration Pavilion<\/br>I liked the fact that I can get three buildings in this shot, they are Administration Pavilion in the foreground, operation house reflected by the main mirror, and Sagrada Fam\u00edlia through the small opening.<\/span><\/p><\/div> <\/br>Administration Pavilion<\/br>I liked the fact that I can get three buildings in this shot, they are Administration Pavilion in the foreground, operation house reflected by the main mirror, and Sagrada Fam\u00edlia through the small opening.<\/span><\/p><\/div> <\/br>Operation House among Buildings of Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Decorated Lamppost<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Windows with Relief of Administration Pavilion<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Main Stair of Administration Pavilion<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Gaudi Avenue Leading from Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau to Sagrada Fam\u00edlia<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Operation House among Buildings of Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau<\/p><\/div> One could catch a glimpse here<\/a> about how the Administration Pavilion was preserved and renovated, and how it was modified to serve as a 21st Century conference center while preserving its old Catalan Modernism features.<\/p>\n <\/br>Ballroom Window<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Sagrada Fam\u00edlia behind Windows of Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Windows with Relief of Administration Pavilion<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Columns with Sculptures in Administration Pavilion<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Relief by Administration Pavilion Main Stair<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Ceiling of Administration Pavilion<\/p><\/div> <\/br>First Floor Corridor of Administration Pavilion<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Administration Pavilion<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n After that, I left Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau and went to rejoin my friend outside Camp Nou. Our last stop of the day was Mount Montju\u00efc.<\/p>\n <\/br>Buildings along Creu Coberta Avenue<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Sants-Montju\u00efc Government Office<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Arenas de Barcelona<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Statue in Pla\u00e7a d’Espanya and Venetian Towers<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n I took these photos of Pla\u00e7a d’Espanya while waiting for our bus transfer. We quite enjoyed the handy free-transfer feature of Barcelona 10-ride ticket.<\/p>\n <\/br>Barcelona City Bus<\/p><\/div>\n We took the bus all the way up to Montju\u00efc Castle, because it’s the top of the mountain, with fabulous views of both the city of Barcelona and the ocean.<\/p>\n \nMontju\u00efc Castle was first built in 1640. Due to is strategical advantages (on top of a mountain overlooking Barcelona), it had seen many battles and was seen as a symbol of submission after the Catalan defeat to Spain in 1714. Since then the Montju\u00efc canons have bombarded the city and its citizens on various occasions and Montju\u00efc has been used as a prison and torture center repeatedly for three centuries.<\/span>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/br>Artilleries by Castell de Montju\u00efc<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Garden below Castell de Montju\u00efc<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Coat of Arms on Castell de Montju\u00efc Entrance<\/br>of Charles III of Bourbon<\/span><\/p><\/div> <\/br>Castell de Montju\u00efc<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n The sea flank of the castle was not well defended, because the Castle mainly focused on land attacks.<\/p>\n <\/br>Barcelona Harbor from Castell de Montju\u00efc<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Port of Barcelona below Castell de Montju\u00efc<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Castell de Montju\u00efc<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Statue in Honor of Gaspar de Portol\u00e0<\/br>Spanish-born first governor of Alta California.<\/span><\/p><\/div> <\/br>Barcelona Harbor from Castell de Montju\u00efc<\/p><\/div>
\nThe images in this post are hosted on Imgur. Email me should there be any display problems.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Casa Amatller<\/span><\/h3>\n
\nThe good thing about these guided tours were that, all the furniture (mostly original) was still in the room on display. This wasn’t possible in the tourist-flocked Casa Batll\u00f3 (so they brought out AR phones for visitors to see Gaudi’s vision). The tour size was relatively small (4 in total on that morning), so it’s quite an intimate experience.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a>
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\n<\/a><\/a><\/br>Modern Room<\/br>The style of room decorations were too outdated for Ms. Amatller in her old days, so she ordered this room to be renovated with modern furniture.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
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\n<\/a><\/a>Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau<\/span><\/h3>\n
\nAlthough the hospital’s current buildings date from the 20th century, the Hospital de la Santa Creu (the last part of its name, “Sant Pau”, was added in honour of the banker, Pau Gil, who paid the new buildings in the twentieth century) was founded in 1401 when six small medieval hospitals merged. The hospital’s former buildings near the center of Barcelona date from the 15th century, and now house an art school (Escola Massana) and Biblioteca de Catalunya (National Library of Catalonia).
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\n<\/a><\/a><\/br>Paper Dragon<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n<\/a>
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\n<\/a>Administration Pavilion<\/span><\/h4>\n
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\n<\/a><\/a><\/br>Ballroom in Administration Pavilion<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n<\/a>
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\n<\/a><\/a><\/br>Conference Room in Administration Pavilion<\/p><\/div>
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\n<\/a><\/a>Montju\u00efc Castle<\/span><\/h3>\n
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