casa batllóa

7/28/2019 Casa Batlla

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Casa Batll

building restored by Antoni Gaud and Josep Maria Jujol , built in 1877 andremodelled in the years 1904 1906; located at 43, Passeig de Grcia , part of the Illade la Discrdia (the "Block of Discord") in the Eixample district of Barcelona , Spain . It was originally designed for a middle-class family and situated in a prosperous districtof Barcelona.AN EMINENT FAMILY IN BARCELONAS TEXTILE SECTOR This family was well known in Barcelona. Mr. Josep Batll i Casanovas was a textileindustrialist who owned several factories in the city. As such, he was an importantbusinessman. He married Amlia God Belaunzarn, from the family which founded thedaily newspaper La Vanguardia, also of the jute industry God connection. They had fivechildren: Jos, Mercedes, Carmen, Felipe and Luis, though the youngest died at an earlyage from a little-known disease.

The Batll God marriage was reported in the evening edition of La Vanguardiafrom the 14th of May 1884:

This morning at nine oclock, in the parish church of the Immaculate Conception, the marriage was celebrated between Miss Amalia God Belaunzarn, the beautiful and graceful daughter of our honourable friend Mr Bartolom God, ex-member of parliament for Igualada, and the distinguished young gentleman Mr Jos Batll y Casanovas, with the esteemed families of both the bride and groom present at the most solemn ceremony.

At two oclock this afternoon the newlyweds will set off on their honeymoon, visiting some of the most important cities in Sp ainand abroad. We wish them a successful trip and complete happiness in their new life together, and we also extend our congratulations totheir respective families.

Both Josep Batll and his wife were open to innovation and they did not limit Gaud s creativity in any way. Batll did not want hishouse to look anything like the houses of the rest of the Batll clan, such as Casa Pa, built on the corner of Gran Va and Rambla deCatalunya by the well-known figure Josep Vilaseca. Therefore, he chose the architect who had designed Park Gell (Eusebi Gell had beenGauds great patron) and asked him to come up with a daring plan.

The family lived on the Noble Floor of Casa Batll until the middle of the 1950s.

Mr. Josep Batll i Casanovas died on the 10th of March 1934.

La Vanguardia reported the death on Sunday the 11th of March1934:DEATHS DON JOS BATLL CASANOVAS One of Barcelonas best known and most respected industrialists, Mr. Jos Batll Casanovas, has died,at an old age and following a long and arduous illness,which was the sad conclusion of an industrious life.In life he was wholly dedicated to his work, as a result of which he was a prominent figure in the industrial movement in Barcelona. At the head of several important companies, Mr Jos Batll Casanovas exhibited the many talents with which he was blessed. The inseparable companion of his cousin, the first Count of God, to whose family he was closely related,

he contributed his efforts for many years along with those of his cousin, to one of the many activities that he performed, for which he was the best and most sadly missed friend of LA VANGUARDIA. The personal character of Mr Batll, which was rich in the qualities of amiability and kindness, earned him the affection and friendship of all those who knew him, near and far. His death has been unanimously and widely felt. At thisdifficult time, we wish to express to his entire family, and especially to his sons, Mr Jos and Mr Felipe, our deepest and most heartfelt condolences.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoni_Gaud%C3%ADhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoni_Gaud%C3%ADhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoni_Gaud%C3%ADhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josep_Maria_Jujolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josep_Maria_Jujolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josep_Maria_Jujolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passeig_de_Gr%C3%A0cia,_Barcelonahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passeig_de_Gr%C3%A0cia,_Barcelonahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passeig_de_Gr%C3%A0cia,_Barcelonahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illa_de_la_Disc%C3%B2rdiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illa_de_la_Disc%C3%B2rdiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illa_de_la_Disc%C3%B2rdiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illa_de_la_Disc%C3%B2rdiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eixamplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eixamplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eixamplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcelonahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcelonahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcelonahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle-classhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle-classhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle-classhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle-classhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcelonahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eixamplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illa_de_la_Disc%C3%B2rdiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illa_de_la_Disc%C3%B2rdiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passeig_de_Gr%C3%A0cia,_Barcelonahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josep_Maria_Jujolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoni_Gaud%C3%AD


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1877 The house that is today known as Casa Batll was built between 1875 and 1877 by Emilio Salas Corts,who, incidentally, was one of Gaud's teachers. It was a sober and classical building with a basement, aground floor, four upper floors and a garden behind the house.

1900The building was bought by the textile businessman Josep Batll and his wife. The original house was of

no particular architectural interest; however, its location in the middle of Passeig de Grcia, which was avery fashionable and prestigious area, made it a prized and desirable dwelling. Being a distinguishedfamily, they wanted to stand out from the crowd, and to do this they wished to build a spectacular house.

1904In order to realise this ambitious project, Josep Batll decided to contact an architect who was different,who was an innovator. The one he selected was Antonio Gaud. His initial orders were to knock down theoriginal building and to build a new one from scratch. Gaud, however, managed to convince Josep Batllthat this was not necessary, and that renovation would be sufficient. In November 1904, when Gaud was52 years old and at the height of his professional maturity, the planning application was submitted.

1906The building works were completed in 1906. Gaud carried out a full refurbishment of the building usinginnovative techniques and with total creative freedom. The result was the exceptional and extraordinarybuilding that we are able to enjoy today.The refurbishment: Gaud modified the main faca de and added the balconies and the main gallery. In the

interior of the house, he transformed the main apartment, which was the residence of the Batll family,expanded the central well to supply the entire building with light, and added new floors. He also crownedthe house with what appears to be the spine of an animal.In the same year the Barcelona City Council selected the house as a candidate for the 1906 award for thebest building. In the end this prize went to another architect, probably because the same prize had recentlybeen awarded to Gaud for another house, Casa Calvet.

1934Josep Batll died.

1940His wife, Amalia God, died. Following the death of the two parents, Casa Batll passed to their children.

1954 An insurance company, Seguros Iberia, acquired Casa Batll and set up its offices there

1983Restoration work was carried out on the balcony railings, which were restored to their original colour.


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1984The facade of the building was illuminated, with the official inauguration during the festival of La Merc that

year.

1993The current owners took over Casa Batll.

2004Coinciding with the hundredth anniversary of the beginning of work on Casa Batll (1904), the 5th floor of the building was restored.

2005Casa Batll became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

casa batllóa

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