Casa Vicens is a Gaudí’s house (the first) built between 1883 and 1885. It has oriental influences and it precedes the Modernism that some years later will appear in Barcelona with the International Expo in 1888.

The main floor, given its size and central location, is home to the most decorative and ornamental elements at Casa Vicens. It is the heart of the home and features three interconnected  spaces: the dining room, the enclosed porch and the smoking room. All of them showcase the exuberant staging that will captivate all five of the visitor’s senses. A place to leisurely enjoy the beauty in the details and quality artisan craftsmanship.

In the dining room at Casa Vicens, Gaudí designed a space where architecture and decoration come together in a true work of total art, a contemplative space reminiscent of the orientalists. The largest original space in the house stands out for its rich, artisan, strikingly delicate decoration. The furniture in the living room, designed by Gaudí himself; a series of thirty-two paintings by Francesc Torrescassana (private collection of Mr. Vicens); and the decoration, with plant motifs on the walls, ceiling and fireplace, make this room a pleasure for the senses.

The main floor has an enclosed porch, another space to rest and look out over the garden. An open, fresh space, full of rich colours, designed to lend continuity with the striking garden just outside, bringing the outdoors into the home.

The smoking room is one of the gems to be discovered at Casa Vicens, a room whose structure is defined by its intended use and voluptuous decoration, which will leave no visitor indifferent. Highlights include the multi-coloured plaster mocarabes on the ceiling, typical in Asian architecture, the plant decorations on the walls and windows. All of this takes us immediately into the imaginary world of exotic far-off places. A true oriental oasis of leisure and relaxation.

The first floor gives visitors a more intimate, private look at Casa Vicens and its former inhabitants: the Vicens family. The tour reveals the bedrooms, bathroom and living room in the first home designed by Gaudí. All of the rooms stand out for their decoration and finishings, especially the trompe-l’oeil in the living room with its false dome with birds and creeper plants that transport visitors outdoors. In fact, this rich decoration inspired by nature can be found in every nook and cranny of the first floor; a repertory of vegetation full of symbolism that will be seen throughout Gaudí’s later works.

The second floor is an open, well-ventilated space with strong, hard-wearing materials according to the building tradition for household architecture of the time. In this space originally set aside as the service quarters, visitors will admire the exposed, angled wooden beams and forty-two windows, which create a fascinating play of light and shadows and give the space great warmth.