Barcelona Weekend Break

Mancana de Discordia

The Mancana de Discordia (translating to "apple of discord") is probably the most famous block of modernist buildings in Spain. It contains Gaudi's Casa Batllo, Josep Puig i Cadafalch's Casa Amatller and Lluis Domenech i Montaner's Casa Lleo Morera. The block is on the Passeig de Gracia (street) in the centre of the city and was the district where the moneyed classes made their homes.

Attempting to describe these three buildings, and the way that their alternative approaches to modernist design play off one another, is almost futile – you have to see them first hand. What they demonstrate is an amazing and totally uninhibited approach to the design of buildings that occurred during a short period either side of the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. This kind of artistic freedom has never since been duplicated by any other architect and even if you have little interest in buildings, you will marvel at these incredible structures.

A brief summary of each building

The Casa Amatller was built in 1900 and contrasts Gaudi's designs by using regular themes and squared off openings. Some try to categorize it as Gothic and others say that it has a Dutch or German inspiration. Its current use sees it as the headquarters for the Modernist Centre which plans and runs tours of Barcelona's modernist sights.

The Casa Lleo Morera was built between 1902 and 1906 and is quite "Gaudiesque" at a first glance. It has highly ornate detailing around its windows and balconies and the treatment of the building's prominent corner sees lavish masonry, sculptures, ornaments and an eye catching design.

For Gaudi's Casa Batllo, see the main Gaudi page which will take you to a full page summary of this building.