The 'Casa de la Punxes' and the 'Casa Vicens' open their doors to the public | Cultural Heritage. Goverment of Catalonia.

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Casa de les Punxes

'Casa de les Punxes' in Barcelona

The 'Casa de la Punxes' and the 'Casa Vicens' open their doors to the public

These two modernist jewels of Barcelona will be open to visit from Summer 2016 and 2017 respectively 09.12.2015

Lovers of Modernisme and the city of Barcelona are in luck. A few months from now, two more protagonists of this artistic style will open their doors to the public, examples which, from an architectural standpoint, have made their fortune in the city.

They are the place known more commonly as the “Casa de les Punxes”, built by Josep Puig i Cadafalch and the Casa Vicens, an early work by Antoni Gaudí. The first one, located in the heart of the Eixample in Barcelona, will be open to visit in Summer 2016. No fixed date has yet been set for the second, situated in a discreet street in the Gràcia district, but all the signs are pointing towards 2017.

The Casa de les Punxes, built between 1903 and 1906, is the only modernist building in the city with three façades and main entrances. Crowned by six towers in the shape of a thorn, Puig i Cadafalch was inspired by the Chateau de Pierrefonds when designing the commission for the Terradas family. This is a medieval-style building which brings together three apartment buildings and catches the attention of anyone on the road to the Sagrada Família.

Currently, cleaning, restoration and adaptation works are being carried out in preparation for visits: the most notable amongst these are works on the façades and terraces, the original lifts and the columns, also original, which Puig i Cadafalch used in the interior of the building to replace the heavy, load-bearing walls.

Works will also be carried out on the Casa Vicens by Gaudí to adapt it into a museum house. This will be an interpretation centre for the brilliant architect which will open its doors in 2017. The works will remove elements which were added later and restore the original aspect of the house that the businessman Manuel Vicens Montaner had built in Gràcia for a young and as-yet unknown Antoni Gaudí.