Park Güell Gaudí partnership: How Eusebi Güell and Antoni Gaudí changed Barcelona

Antoni Gaudí was a Catalan architect who has become a defining symbol of Art Nouveau and Catalan Modernism—and honestly, a bit of a legend in Barcelona’s skyline. Known for his wildly intricate, totally one-of-a-kind style, Gaudí didn’t just design buildings, he sculpted dreams in stone and tile.

His first major project was Casa Vicens, heavily influenced by oriental architecture. From there, he kept raising the bar, gifting the world with masterpieces like the Bellesguard Tower, Park Güell, the restoration of Mallorca Cathedral, Casa Milà, Casa Batlló, and of course, his magnum opus—the Church of the Sagrada Família.

Born in Barcelona in 1846 to an affluent family, Eusebi Güell was a man of the world—quite literally. A keen traveler, he studied in Spain, England, and France before stepping into his father’s shoes and giving the family business a smart, profitable makeover with his forward-thinking ideas.

In 1878, at the World Fair in Paris, fate worked its magic—this is where Güell first crossed paths with Antoni Gaudí. The two hit it off quickly, bonded by their shared faith and passion for architecture. As Güell’s businesses boomed, so did his need for grand buildings—and who better to bring those visions to life than his new architect friend? Naturally, Gaudí was his go-to genius.