Casa Batlló
Historic siteCasa Batlló is Antoni Gaudí’s most colourful building in Barcelona — a radical 1904–1906 renovation of an existing house, nicknamed the House of Bones for its skeletal balconies and scaled, dragon-back roof.
Why visit Casa Batlló
The building started life in 1877 as a fairly ordinary house, designed by Emili Sala Cortés — one of Gaudí’s own architecture professors. In 1903, textile industrialist Josep Batlló bought it and initially wanted it demolished and rebuilt from scratch. Gaudí talked him out of it, arguing for a full renovation instead, and between 1904 and 1906 transformed the facade, interior partitioning and light well into one of the most distinctive buildings in Europe. Sitting on the Passeig de Gràcia in a stretch of street nicknamed the “Illa de la Discòrdia” (Block of Discord) for its clashing Modernist facades, Casa Batlló has always been the one people stop for.
A wall that seems to breathe
Sandstone covered in trencadís — broken ceramic and glass mosaic in shades of blue, green and ochre — shifts colour with the light throughout the day.
The House of Bones
Bone-shaped stone columns and mask-like balcony railings gave the building its popular name, Casa dels Ossos.
A dragon’s back
The scaled roofline, topped by a four-armed cross tower, is widely read as representing Saint George slaying the dragon — Catalonia’s patron saint.
The blue light well
The interior courtyard is tiled in ceramic that darkens toward the top and lightens toward the ground, evening out the natural light on every floor.
Dalí’s reading
Salvador Dalí saw the facade as representing “the shapes of the sea” — waves on a calm day rendered in stone and glass.
UNESCO since 2005
Added to the World Heritage list as part of the “Works of Antoni Gaudí,” and now drawing around 1 million visitors a year.
Accessibility and the visitor experience
Casa Batlló has built its visitor experience around genuine accessibility rather than treating it as an afterthought. The house offers step-free access throughout, tactile models and accessible information for visitors with visual or hearing impairments, a €6 discount for accredited disabled visitors with a free companion ticket, and a team specifically trained to assist neurodivergent visitors. Accredited assistance dogs are welcome. The standard visit includes an audio guide available in 15 languages, and upgraded tickets add augmented-reality tablets that overlay Gaudí’s design details onto the rooms as you walk through them — useful, since much of what makes the house remarkable (the symbolism in the ceiling mouldings, the logic of the light well) is easy to miss without context.
Practical information
- Address: Passeig de Gràcia, 43, Barcelona — on the left side walking up from Plaça Catalunya.
- Hours: daily, 08:30–22:30 (check the official website for holiday variations).
- Booking: tickets are sold in timed slots online; booking ahead is strongly recommended given the volume of visitors.
- Combine with: Casa Milà (La Pedrera) sits three blocks away on the same avenue, making the two easy to pair in one walk.
- Best light: early morning sun catches the mosaic facade at its most vivid.
Frequently asked questions
Was Casa Batlló built by Gaudí from scratch?
No — it was originally built in 1877 by a different architect. Gaudí carried out a complete renovation between 1904 and 1906 for new owner Josep Batlló.
Why is it called the House of Bones?
Its stone columns and structural elements have a skeletal, organic shape, and the balcony railings resemble masks — giving rise to the nickname Casa dels Ossos.
Is it accessible for visitors with disabilities?
Yes — the house offers step-free access, tactile and accessible information, discounted tickets with a free companion pass, and staff trained to assist neurodivergent visitors.
Is it part of the same UNESCO listing as the Sagrada Família?
Yes — Casa Batlló was added in 2005 as part of the wider “Works of Antoni Gaudí” UNESCO World Heritage listing.
Explore more of Barcelona
Casa Batlló is one of many destinations on the CostaMap interactive map — browse beaches, villages, castles and viewpoints across the whole coast.
This place is part of our Costa Barcelona Guide: Maresme, Garraf, Sitges & Penedès — see every town, beach and cove we have mapped on that coast.
How this page is maintained. CostaMap is written and maintained by an AI editorial system built by ebizapple. Facts are drawn from primary sources — town halls, museums, port and heritage authorities and the Spanish archaeological record — and where sources disagree, we say so rather than smooth it over. Photographs marked as ours are taken on location. This page was last reviewed on 10 August 2026. Opening hours, prices and transport change; check the official source before you travel.