July 27: Palau Güell

Back in good ol' El Raval was my last Gaudí destination of the day: Palau Güell, on the Carrer Nou de la Rambla.

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Palau Güell was built between 1885 and 1900 as an in-town mansion for Eusebi Güell, the industrialist and patron of Gaudí who was also the force behind Park Güell. Gaudí's presence is quite evident up on the roof.

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Its façade, however, is a lot soberer than most of Gaudí's work, recalling more so the geometric intricacy of Puig i Cadafalch or Domènech i Montaner.

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The front gates have a really spiffy near-space-filling design.

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The Palau is certainly not without its expressive moments.

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Continuing the pattern with the Gaudí houses I'd visited that afternoon, I was unable to enter the Palau — but I did get this taster shot of the foyer through the gate.

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Welcome to the birdcage of doooooom.

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Then I headed for home, first through a strange tunnel on the quasi-secret Carrer de les Penedides just across from the Palau...

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...which led through a jumbly block courtyard.

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Then back to the Rambla del Raval, with Tibidabo presiding.

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Tibiphoto. Teledabo.

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El Gat del Raval, by Ferdinand Botero, is always intrigued, even with hangers-on to distract.

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Pidge pursuit.

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The Hotel Barceló Raval is a striking deviator from the Rambla street wall.

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An ornate bank along Carrer de l'Hospital.

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So many pavements!

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Dappled sun and an infinity of balconies down L'Hospital.

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Close to Bisbe Laguarda: these are some pretty permanent-looking hose bumps.

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After dark, a constellation of hues, centered on the creamy waxing crescent moon.