Main entrance to the Parc Güell

The Parc Güell has multiple entrances. The most beautiful one certainly is the main access from the Carrer d'Olot. Typical of Gaudí are the two pavilions with cafe on both sides of the entrance.
If you go straight through these buildings, you get to a staircase, which is guarded in the middle by a friendly dragon. As well as the surrounding walls and the famous bench above the market hall the dragon also is decorated with split ceramics.

From the staircase you get to a very unusual room. Consisting of 86 columns, it was originally thought of as a marketplace of the residential area - the originally purpose of the Parc Güell.

Market hall and the winding bank

The columned hall, forest of Roman-inspired columns, support the main eye catcher, the large terrace. Originally, the hall was planned as a market hall for residential area only. The allusion to Roman temple refers to a Roman road that led here.

The columns worn by the terrace are bordered by a fraction ceramic excessive balustrade with a bench. This bench is world famous. Salvador Dalí called the bench once the precursor of surrealism.
Colourful like children's toys it winds in snake-lines, creating small niches and gives a splendid view over the city.

Beyond the square the actual green space begins.

The green space of the Parc Güell are fabulous

The park, high above the city, must have been a particular challenge for Gaudí. Here, he had the opportunity to make his natural art with nature itself. The result is a Mar Cheng species, influenced by tiny details. The gardens of the Parc Güell is a carefully and originally in the landscape integrated maze of trails, courses, walls and bridges.

For the tour of the park you should take a lot more time, because there are many details to discover.

After walking the park you know it is worth a visit to the Gaudí Museum in his former residence. The museum is about 200 meters eastern from the main entrance.

History of the Parc Güell

In 1885 Gaudí's patron, the industrialist Eusebi Güell, acquired the terrain on a mountain ridge, with a fantastic view of Barcelona.

In1890 Güell instructed the architect Antoni Gaudí to build a garden city, in which nature and an equal housing should form a symbiosis. In addition to the Sagrada Familia, this was the largest project of Gaudí.

Finished were only two buildings, roads and the extensive park. Planned were 60 villas, but nobody was interested.

The park was opened in 1922.

In 1963, the former residence of Gaudí was opened as a museum.

In 1984, the park was included in the UNESCO list of cultural heritage.

How to get the Parc Güell?

With the underground line L3 go to the station Lesseps. From there it's about 10-15 minutes by foot. Go from the station from the main road Travessera de Dalt up (not the great guide to follow) to the left side of a road with the not very simple name "Avinguda del Santuari de Sant Josep de la Muntanya". These go up until the end of the Carrer d'Ot. You will see the entrance already.
On our map we have drawn the way for you.
If you follow the signs, you can reach the Parc Güell through a side entrance, an escalators takes you up the mountain for the last metres. You leave the Parc at the main entrance and go back the way as described above.

Information for Admission to Park Guell

About 95% of the park area are accessible free of charge, only the entry to the monumental zone isn't. This zone covers the entrance area with the dragon, the curved bench and the market hall. Only 400 visitors are allowed here per half hour.

Tickets are available at the box office or at the online booking. With the ticket you can go in the monumental zone in a certain period of time and then stay as long as you like. Note that it may need much time to get a free time period if you buy the tickets at the box office.

We therefore recommend to book online. The prices above are the cheaper online prices.