Casa Vicens Tickets

The garden of Casa Vicens

The garden is under the protection of Saint Rita, whose Mass continues to be celebrated here, every year on May 22nd. The garden shows, from his first work, all the creativity of the young Gaudí. Referring to Mediterranean nature and fauna, it already outlines its naturalistic vision of architecture. Palms, magnolias, roses, climbing plants originally surrounded this residence to make it a haven of orientalist freshness.

Gaudí is still looking for his own style. The house is made of straight lines and seems very simple in its forms, but it is in the details that points his genius which is already inspired by nature. Thus leaves of dwarf palms serve as a model for the magnificent wrought iron grid that surrounds the building. These are carnations of India or tagets, again, which inspire the ceramics of orange and green color that cover the external wall. Bricks, colored ceramics and stones serve to reinforce, on the three other facades, geometric shapes and oriental motifs. Gaudi is young but already freed from the architectural constraints of his time.

The interior of the Casa Vicens

The interior of the house is 698m2. Its decoration is also inspired by nature and the nazari art coming from Granada. Floor with mosaics, walls adorned with climbing ivy, ceiling decorated with stucco stalactites.

The ground floor of Casa Vicens

Your visit will begin with the ground floor, which was considered at the time to be the noble floor, the place where people lived and received. There is an entrance, a central space that was the dining room that opens onto a gallery and a smoking room. Everything here is imagined by Gaudíwho had an incredible sense of detail. He is even responsible for the wooden furnishings of the rooms he supervised from beginning to end. The smoking room is a masterpiece of skill with its painted stucco “muqarnas”, decorative elements in the shape of honeycombs typical of Islamic craftsmanship, in vogue at the time. A true polychrome symphony of blue, green and gold with a motif of bunches of dates and palm leaves.

The decoration of this room is divided into three areas, the base made with tiles, the intermediate part with tiles made of papier-maché and the ceiling with a polychrome plaster muqarnas structure.

Another masterpiece is the dining room with its vegetal decoration on the walls and ceiling. A scenery decorated with 32 paintings by Francesc Torrescassana, a painter from Barcelona and a friend of Gaudi's who had a great success at the end of the 19th century. A short video documentary tells how these paintings were meticulously restored by Barcelona's best curators.

The first floor

Was the intimate and private floor of the Vicens Family. There are three bedrooms, a living room, a bathroom and a magnificent terrace. We remain in the same vegetable and symbolic universe. The decoration of the ceilings offers ceramics and polychrome papier-mâché where green dominates. On the walls stuccoes symbolize ferns, reeds and rushes. A small room is topped by a golden dome and magnificent birds in flight, in trompe-l'oeil. In the bathroom, ceramic tiles colour the room in ochre, blue and white.

The second floor

The second floor is now a space dedicated to the history of Casa Vicens. The visitor discovers models, plans, videos, infographics explaining the evolution of this house; from its construction to its renovation. This exhibition is entitled “The Manifesto House” because, as you have understood, this first work by Gaudí already reveals the beginnings of a genius in the making and its architectural language.

The roof

We are not yet at the breathtaking architectural creativity of the roof of La Pedrera, but Gaudí has already thought for this house that it was necessary to be able to enjoy the roof. Thus was born this roof terrace, bordered by a walkway. An ingenious system is used to collect rainwater. A small dome, tiles and coloured ceramics further strengthen the oriental spirit of the building. Thanks to a clever restoration, you can visit this terrace.

Sponsor of the Casa Vicens : Manuel Vicens Montaner

Casa Vicens was built between 1883 and 1885 in the peaceful district of Gracia in Barcelona. In 1883, Manuel Vicens i Montaner, stockbroker and broker, entrusted Gaudí with the construction of a summer residence. At that time, Gaudí was 31 years old and in his most orientalist period. One of the most characteristic symbols of Casa Vicens are the "clavelline" azulejos, a flower that Gaudí simply found in the garden of this house. The owner, Manuel Vicens Montaner, was a tile manufacturer who is not unhappy to choose this young architect of 31 years passionate about technique, stone, brick and tiles. The first idea of ​​Gaudí will be to draw inspiration from the carnations of India of the garden of the Casa Vicens to design the printed pattern of its tiling initiating thus what will later become his custom to use nature as model. Also influenced by oriental art (India, Persia, Japan), he made it a hallmark for this house, which will be received with enthusiasm by the Barcelona citizens of the time, much better than his future creations.

What are the opening days of Casa Vicens?

Casa Vicens is open every day of the year except on December 25th (Christmas), January 1st and January 6th.

What time is the last admission to Casa Vicens?

The last admission to Casa Vicens is 1 hour 20 minutes before the doors close. The Casa Vicens' schedules change from one season to another, so it is important to take this into account.

What is the closing time of the Casa Vicens ticket office?

The Casa Vicens ticket office closes 1 hour before the museum. It should be noted that visitors are asked to leave the building between 10 and 15 minutes before the museum closes.

Can I go out and come back to Casa Vicens with the same ticket?

No, having used your ticket to enter Casa Vicens, you will no longer be able to leave the museum and enter again.

Is Casa Vicens accessible to people with reduced mobility?

Casa Vicens is 100% wheelchair accessible. It is therefore accessible to people with reduced mobility. The building has been adapted to facilitate the experience of all visitors. 

Is there a cloakroom service at Casa Vicens?

Casa Vicens has a cloakroom.

Can you leave your things in a locker at Casa Vicens?

Yes, Casa Vicens offers lockers for visitors  where they can safely leave their belongings. 

Can we leave a pram in the cloakroom of Casa Vicens? 

Yes you can leave a pram in the cloakroom of Casa Vicens, there is a pram storage provided for this purpose.

Is there a coffee shop at Casa Vicens?

Yes, there is a café at La Casa Vicens, it is called "Cafetería Hofmann" and it is open at the same time as the museum. 

Is there a bookstore in Casa Vicens?

Yes, there is a bookshop at La Casa Vicens. It is called "La Capell", it is open at the same opening hours as the museum. There are books but also souvenirs. 

Is it possible to visit Casa Vicens at night?

No, it is not possible to visit Casa Vicens at night. 

Can I park my car at Casa Vicens?

No, Casa Vicens does not have its own parking lot. The nearest car parks are :

• BSM Torrent de l'Olla. Carrer del Torrent de l'Olla, 221, 08012, Barcelona, Spain.
• SABA BAMSA Gal-la Placídia. Gal-la Placídia, 2, 08006, Barcelona, Spain.
• Travessera Parking Pompeia. Travessera de Gràcia 112, 08012, Barcelona, Spain.
• SABA BAMSA Plaça del Sol. Plaça del Sol, 5, 08012, Barcelona, Spain.

To book your online parking - at the best price - next to Casa Vicens, please access this page: Car Parking Barcelona