Buildings Of Spain – One of the most architecturally celebrated cities in the world is Spain, with interesting sights, history, fascinating culture, amazing food, rich arts and literature collection, the La Tomatina festival, wine collection, and unique architecture. Spain has housed great artists including Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, and Diego Velazquez to name a few. It is interesting to note that Spain has 47 UNESCO world heritage sites which makes it worthwhile to visit for every architect at least once in a lifetime.
Here are 15 must-watch places that you should visit while planning your visit to Spain.
1. The Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao | Buildings Of Spain
Designed by none other than Frank Gehry, the museum was opened in 1997, is considered to be one of the largest museums in Europe, and hosts many permanent and temporary exhibitions and conventions on contemporary and modern art. This building is the best example of Deconstructivism. The arbitrary curves of the exterior of titanium, limestone, and glass, interact with the sun and weather and create a beautiful pattern when the light change in the daytime and reflect city lights in the nighttime.
Designed for the 2nd International World Exhibition in Barcelona, with neoclassical style surroundings and context. Designed by renowned Architect Mies van der Rohe, the structure has strong architectural significance and can be seen as an example of modern architecture. With an elegant and sleek design with natural materials, it creates a place of tranquillity and escape. Mies transformed the idea of a pavilion into an inhabitable sculpture. In 1930, the original pavilion was demolished after the exhibition got over but in 1983 a group of Catalan architects rebuild it concerning previous drawings and can be visited now in the same location.
3. Domenech’s Hospital de la Santa Creu,Barcelona | Buildings Of Spain
A Holy Cross and Saint Paul Hospital, one of the prominent examples of Barcelona architecture, designed by Architect Lluis Domenech I Montaner, build 48 pavilions connected with underground tunnels for keeping patients safe from harsh climatic conditions. The hospital has paintings, sculptures, stained glass, and gargoyles. In contemporary times, some pavilions have become the headquarters of international entities such as the United Nations University or the World Health Organization.
Consists of a 9 km long garden crossing city, various museums, bridges, and sports complexes. Designed by prominent architects Santiago Calatrava, and Felix Candela make the place recommendable on your trip.
5. The Atocha Station, Madrid | Buildings Of Spain
Originally constructed in 1851 and reconstructed in 1892, by the Spanish Pritzker winner Moneo the train station was reimaged with buffer spaces and green zones, large atrium spaces, interesting roof pattern, with new geometry for the hypostyle hall and strong change in color shades.
A part of the redevelopment project of the Plaza de la Encarnacion in Seville by famous German architect J Mayer H., completed in 2011. It has a Roman museum, a farmers’ market, an elevated plaza, a bar, and a restaurant with wooden construction in the most intricate form.
Designed by Santiago Calatrava, this bridge crosses the Alfonso 13 canal, a part of the Guadalquivir River, and connects Seville with Cartuja Island. It was primarily designed for World Expo in 1992. A must-watch for structure enthusiasts, a large steel structure is connected to the bridge from 13 cables, which balances the weight of the bridge.
8. MACBA(Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona), Barcelona | Buildings Of Spain
Marvellous piece designed by Pritzker Prize winner in 1984 Richard Meier. It has a variety of contemporary artworks from all around the globe. The building has a strong reference to Modernism. The huge 120X35 sq.m. white building has a southern elevation glazed, providing enormous views across the plaza, and allowing natural light in gallery areas.
The building resembles Guggenheim Museum as the building is designed by the same architect Frank Gehry, it is one of the oldest wine houses and institutions with beautiful historic references.
10. The Alhambra Palace and Generalife Gardens, Granada | Buildings Of Spain
The finest example of medieval Islamic architecture, Alhambra is a palace and a fortress complex that gives a strong cultural essence of the last centuries of the Moorish rule in Al-Andalus as well as the Nasrid Emirate of Granada in Spain. The Generalife gardens are located just outside the palace, which has fountains designed in the 13th century by 35 professional gardeners. The site is on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list.
They were constructed in 98-117CE and are still used to carry water from the Frio River to the city of Segovia. In 1985, the aqueducts were awarded the UNESCO world heritage site, the above-ground portion is 728mts. And 165 arches with more than 9 mts. high. Built of approximately 24000 Guadarrama granite stone blocks, one of the preserved examples of Roman engineering.
Located 45 km northwest of Madrid, was a historical residence of the Spanish Kings. It previously functioned as various spaces like a monastery, a basilica, a royal palace, a pantheon, a library, a museum, a university, a school, and a hospital. Two architecturally rich complexes that form Escorial are the royal monastery and La Granjila de La Fresneda, a royal hunting lodge and a retreat around 5 km away. Escorial is a notable structure and a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site List.
13. La Foncalada, Oviedo, Asturias | Buildings Of Spain
Constructed primarily for public use and to reserve natural drinking water, located in Oviedo Cathedral. This has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Designed by Lluis Domenech I Montaner, who has contributed notable modern works in the city of Barcelona. This palace has won several architectural prizes and been listed in UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It hosts various types of events and performances for the public.
15. Antoni Gaudi’s La Pedrera, Barcelona | Buildings Of Spain
The masterpiece created by Antoni Gaudi is the finest example of modern architecture, complex work of stone façade is worth watching. This masterpiece is listed in UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Ayushi Saini is a 5th year student of Bachelor’s of Architecture, interested in exploring various cities and design or planning strategies. Always busy investigating different urban design theories and practices and upcoming design solutions, writing about it is one of her aspirations which she is going to fulfill through RTF.
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