Beyond Gaudí—Barcelona's Other Beautiful Architecture

Palau de la Música Catalana, just over a kilometer from La Rambla, is one of the most exquisite and elegant concert halls in the world. It has the fantastic nickname "House of Spikes." As one of the highest achievements of modernist architecture, it is a listed World Heritage Site.

The main features of the concert hall are the vivid muse sculptures and the kaleidoscopic stained glass dome on the top of the hall. The sunlight penetrates this huge colored window, creating a more soft and delicate glow than electric lighting, which is projected on the stage. No matter what angle you look at it from, the artistry is unusually gorgeous and dazzling.

Casa Amatller is one of the three famous buildings in the "Block of Discord" (Illa de la Discòrdia). Built in 1898, Casa Amatller is the work of modernist architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch. It was originally the residence of the chocolatier Antoni Amatller. It faces Passeig de Gràcia side by side with Gaudí's Casa Batlló.

The gate of this Gothic-style building is decorated with colorful mosaics. The whole building embodies the medieval style, the most distinctive features being the wall reliefs. The pointed roof of the building is built into a ladder shape with square bricks, and the walls are covered with geometric patterns.

Casa Lleó Morera is another one of the three famous buildings in the "Block of Discord," flanking Casa Amatller and Casa Batlló along the Passeig de Gràcia. It is the work of Lluís Domènech i Montaner, a famous modernist architect, and takes its name from the decorations of lions and mulberry trees on the outside of the building.

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Casa Lleó Morera exudes an air of elegance and nobility in the sunlight. The gorgeous lace sculptures are very eye-catching and floral-motif tiles, reliefs and stained glass are all exquisite and elegant, fully reflecting the style of the "flower architect" Domènech i Montaner.

This medieval castle, located not far from Casa Milà, is an excellent example of the modernist style. The house is composed of six towers with tips that resemble witches' hats. Fascinatingly, each of the supporting pillars has different carvings.

Casa de les Punxes was built by modernist architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch in 1905. The apartments are still owned by the three Terradas Brutau sisters. It is not open to the general public, and can only be viewed from the outside.

Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau is the work of master architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner and his son Pere Domènech i Roura. It is a red-brick building decorated with ceramics, mosaics and stained glass. Domènech i Montaner hoped to use art and color to help treat patients. Today, the hospital has been changed into a museum and cultural center and listed as a World Heritage Site.

This vast hospital is composed of various small buildings decorated with colorful mosaics. Forty-eight wards are connected with each other via underground passageways. The spaces between the buildings are decorated with gardens and green spaces, creating an elegant environment for patients to recuperate. There is a spired tower on the top of the entrance building, and you can climb to the top of it to get a panoramic view of the entire hospital.

Arc de Triomf, located in front of the Parc de la Ciutadella (Citadel Park), was built as the entrance to the 1888 World Expo. It is built of red brick in Moorish revival style. The front frieze has a sculpture inscribed "Barcelona rep les nacions" (Barcelona welcomes the nations) with the provincial emblem of the 49 other Spanish provinces over the top.

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The Parc de la Ciutadella, which runs on from the back of Arc de Triomf, is a favorite place for local people to relax. The flat square in front of the Arc is packed with young people riding around on skateboards. For 1 euro, you can ask someone to blow bubbles so you can take photos with them.