Bellesguard

Bellesguard (Catalan pronunciation: [ˌbeʎəzˈɣwart], "Beautiful View"), also known as Casa Figueres, is a modernist manor house designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, which was constructed between 1900 and 1909.

It is located at the Sarrià-Sant Gervasi district of Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain. The ground on which Bellesguard stands on had been the site of a country residence belonging to Martin, king of Aragon and count of Barcelona.

Gaudí was assisted by Joan Rubio whilst Domènec Sugrañes i Gras created the various mosaics that adorn the house.

Gaudí drew inspiration for Casa Figueras from the medieval castle that once stood on the same site, built for King Aragon in the early 15th century. When King Aragon died without an heir in 1410, his widow, Margaret of Prades, inherited the estate. Following her death, the castle fell into decline and was passed from hand to hand over centuries until Jaume Figueres purchased the estate in 1900.

When Jaume Figueres and his wife María Sagues Molíns commissioned Gaudí for the project in 1900, all that remained of the initial structure were a few walls and the patio. Still, Gaudí was aware of the important history this location bore to Catalonia, so he worked to preserve the medieval spirit of the ruins, as is evident in the exterior resemblance to a medieval castle, complemented by signature aspects of Gaudí’s architectural style. As always, Gaudí sought to blend the construction with its natural surroundings, hence the exterior is made with stone slate. Through Gaudí's incorporation of decorative elements resonant of natural surroundings together with traditional gothic characteristics, the façade of the structure is still best understood as neogothic, though there is no denying the modernist elements in the actual Torre Bellesguard. Gaudí designed the home in a period where he himself was still developing his unique style. For instance, while the building displays Gaudí's iconic mosaic detailing and incorporation of natural elements, it does not include Moorish accents and bright colors (aside from the stripes on the tower cross), which are key distinctive characteristics in much of his later works.

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