Guëll Park is one of the world's most intriguing parks. The
pavilions and main staircase designed by Antoni Gaudí look like
they belong in some fairy tale. A Failed Project This popular
park started out as a development project. Eusebi Guëll, a well
known Catalan industrialist, acquired a 17ha / 42acre large
hilly plot in the Gràcia district, north of Barcelona. He wanted
to turn the area into a residential garden village based on
English models. 60 Housing units as well as several public
buildings were planned. In 1900 Guëll commissioned his friend
and protégé Antoni Gaudí with the development of the project.
With the support from other architects including Josep M. Jujol
and his disciple Francesc Berenguer, Gaudí worked on the garden
village until 1914 when it was clear the project was a
commercial failure: Guëll failed to sell a single house. In 1918
the city acquired the property and in 1922 it was opened to the
public as a park. Gaudi's Staircase and Pavilions Two houses
were completed as well as pavilio