Palau Güell, 40 years as a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Internal staircase leading to the main floor / Barcelona Provincial Council

On November 2nd, it will be forty years since UNESCO recognised the exceptional and universal value of the Palau Güell by declaring it a World Heritage Site. This declaration recognised Antoni Gaudí's extraordinary contribution to universal art and architecture, and was one of the first to protect monuments of the contemporary age.

Palau Güell was inscribed on the World Heritage List by UNESCO – the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization – on 2 November 1984, together with Park Güell and Casa Milà, popularly known as La Pedrera. World Heritage sites are comprised of properties or places that have exceptional universal value, that is, they have extraordinary cultural or natural importance that transcends borders and are valued for having a special meaning in the history of humanity.

A rooftop with spectacular chimneys / Barcelona Provincial Council

To celebrate this anniversary, the Palau Güell will host the presentation of the book "El patrimoni UNESCO a Catalunya" (UNESCO heritage in Catalonia) on Wednesday 13 November, by journalist Aure Farran.

This magnificent urban palace, built in just four years, demonstrates how Gaudí knew how to find ingenious solutions to the challenges posed by Eusebi Güell's commission, giving him an effective, genuine and extraordinarily beautiful response.

It is a building that is at the origin of Art Nouveau architecture on a global scale and, at the same time, contains the essence of all of Gaudí's later work. Since 1945 it has belonged to the Barcelona Provincial Council, which was responsible for its restoration and subsequent opening to the public.

La caballeriza, a unique and surprising space / Barcelona Provincial Council

The Palau was the family residence of the wealthy industrialist, politician and patron, Eusebi Güell, as well as that of his wife, Isabel López i Bru, daughter of the Marquis of Comillas, and their ten children, from 1888 until 1906-1910, when they moved to Casa Larrard in Park Güell. During those years it served a variety of purposes: a home in the most domestic sense of the word; a space for musical concerts, literary gatherings, cultural and social gatherings with the aristocratic class, the upper bourgeoisie, intellectuals and artists, and occasionally the royal family; and, finally, the headquarters of Eusebi Güell's businesses.

Its construction became a reality thanks to the trust that Güell placed in a young Gaudí, and to the close collaboration of the architect with his team made up of artists and master craftsmen of the time: blacksmiths, cabinetmakers, ceramists and glassmakers, among others.

With a sense of responsibility for owning the Palau Güell – Gaudí's great masterpiece – the Barcelona Provincial Council, since it acquired it from Mercè Güell i López – youngest daughter of Eusebi Güell and Isabel López – has dedicated efforts and resources to preserving the building and opening it to the public. In recent decades, this desire has been evident in the planning and execution of rigorous restoration works, to make it possible to recover the building's original beauty and spatial richness. Today the Palau Güell is accessible to everyone, so that local citizens – and those who visit us – can enjoy this essential work of Catalan and world architecture.

Main facade of the Palau Güell / Barcelona Provincial Council

Activities at the Palau Güell

Palau Güell offers a variety of options for visits and activities, at affordable prices and also with discounts - the entry fee for only €5 with the Municipal Library Network card is a good example.

Among these activities we highlight:

Guided tours

Guided tours on weekends (Saturdays and Sundays, except on open days), in different languages and at no additional cost. To learn about the history and tour the rooms of the Palau accompanied by an expert voice.

Dynamic family visits

"Gaudi's secret documents", every fourth Sunday of the month - except August. So that the little ones can discover the Palau Güell and Gaudí's architecture in a fun and entertaining way, following a game of clues.

"The secret Palau Güell"

"The secret Palau Güell", every second Saturday of the month - except August. In the afternoon, it shows interesting spaces not open to the public during the conventional visit and explains more details about their history.

"The Güells on the Rambla. Four palaces connected"

"The Güells on the Rambla. Four palaces connected", every third Sunday of the month - except July, August and September. This itinerary covers four palaces related to the Güell family, located on the Rambla or in adjacent streets, and ends with a guided tour of the Palau Güell.

You can check all the activities, schedules and ticket prices in detail on the website www.palauguell.cat.

**Content provided by the Barcelona Provincial Council**