1886-1890
Presented by Drew Olson
The Palau Güell, or Güell Palace, located in Nou de la Rambla street in Barcelona, was built by the architect Antoni Gaudí i Cornet (Reus 1852-Barcelona, 1926). It was commissioned by the wealthy industrialist, landowner and politician, Eusebi Güell i Bacigalupi (Barcelona, 1846-1918), and his new home. The building was completed in 1890. It remained a private residence for the family until 1936. During the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) the Palau was confiscated and turned into a barracks. After this period, the Palau was in such a poor state of repair that the then owner, Mercè Güell i López (the daughter od Eusebi Güell), decided to donate the building to the state. In 1945, on May 25th the Palau was officially handed over to the Diputació de Barcelona (Barcelona Council), which became the formal owner and titleholder. In 1969 the Spanish State declared the property an Historic Artistic Monument. November 2, 1984 was an important date for the building when the Palau Güell was declared a World Heritage site by the UNESCO. In 2002, the 150th anniversary of the birth of the architect Gaudí, the Palau Güell was used for the celebration of the events with an exhibition and several events under the heading of "Gaudí and Güell: two men and one project".