Gaidí's Torre Bellesguard Gaudí Castle – Tours & History

About Gaudì's Torre Bellesguard Castle House

Torre Bellesguard, also known as Casa Figueres, is currently owned by the Guilera family, who still reside in part of the Antoni Gaudí-designed house. This private Gaudí residence in Barcelona was remodeled by Gaudí between 1901 and 1909 in a Gothic art-nouveau style to reflect the existing medieval castle ruins on the site.

The site is also famous in Catalan folklore as the hideout of Joan Sala i Ferrer, known as Serrallonga, a legendary bandit who was hunted by King Felipe IV of Spain’s soldiers and finally captured, tortured, and executed in Barcelona in 1634. The name Bellesguard means “beautiful view” in Catalan, fitting for this Gaudí castle house in Barcelona nestled in the hills of Sant Gervasi.

Gaudí’s design incorporates symbolic elements like the Sant Jordi dragon and irregular stonework, making it a prototype for his later works. This hidden Gaudí architecture blends neo-Gothic and modernist styles, preserving the medieval spirit while showcasing Gaudí’s evolving artistic vision.

Torre Bellesguard could be considered a prototype for Gaudí’s irregular use of stone and symbolic design elements, such as the Sant Jordi dragon. These features reflect his early experimentation with blending Gothic and modernist architecture. This style of construction can also be seen in La Sagrada Família and Parc Güell, making Bellesguard a key part of Gaudí’s architectural evolution in Barcelona.

Torre Bellesguard History

The site consists of the walls of an old castle that was the residence of Martín I the Humane, King of Aragón, Valencia, Sardinia, and Corsica, and Count of Barcelona from 1396, as well as King of Sicily from 1409. At the time of his death in 1410, all of Martín's legitimate descendants, born of his marriage with Queen María de Sicilia, were already dead.

His second marriage did not produce any children. Only an illegitimate grandson, Frederick, Count of Luna—a natural son of Martin the Younger—and an illegitimate daughter remained. All were ineligible for succession due to the rules established during the times of James I the Conqueror. The king, despite his desire and some effort, was unable to obtain sufficient confirmation of Frederick as his successor prior to his death.

Within the medieval walls sits a house constructed by Antoni Gaudí between 1900 and 1909. Gaudí drew inspiration for Casa Figueres from the medieval castle that once stood on the same site, built for the King of Aragón in the early 15th century. When the King died without an heir in 1410, his widow, Margaret of Prades, inherited the estate. Following her death, the castle fell into decline and was passed from hand to hand over centuries until Jaume Figueras i Burull purchased the estate.

Jaume Figueres died in 1877, leaving his widow, Maria Sagués i Molins, in charge of commissioning Gaudí for the project. All that remained of the initial structure were a few walls and the patio. Still, Gaudí was aware of the important history of this location, so he worked to preserve the medieval spirit of the ruins, repairing the outer castle walls. Gaudí sought to blend the construction with its natural surroundings—hence the exterior is made with stone slate.

Gaudí’s decorative elements resonate with the natural surroundings, together with the usual Gothic characteristics. The façade of the structure is still best understood as neo-Gothic, though there is no denying the modernist elements. Gaudí designed the home during a period when he was still developing his unique style. For instance, while the building displays Gaudí’s iconic mosaic detailing and incorporation of natural elements, it does not include Moorish accents and bright colours (aside from the stripes on the tower cross), which are key distinctive characteristics in much of his later works.

Gaudí was given free rein to design and construct what was intended as a second home for the Figueres family. However, this freedom bestowed to the artist later proved disastrous for the family. Figueres died before the construction had finished, leaving the responsibility of overseeing the final stages to his wife, who grew increasingly frustrated with constant delays due to Gaudí’s obsessive detailing.

While the months Gaudí dedicated to placing trencadís (his iconic mosaic technique) on the structure are part of what makes the home so beautiful today, the process added such significant time and cost to the construction that Maria Sagués i Molins was never actually able to live in the home and ultimately had to sell it to avoid bankruptcy.

The house changed hands for several years until the Guilera family purchased the home in 1944 and has continued to own it. When Lluís Guilera Molas first bought Casa Figueres, the doctor intended to convert the building into a modernist hospital, similar to Hospital de Sant Pau, dedicated to cancer treatment and research. The building continued to serve medical purposes following Lluís' death in 1969, when his son, Lluís Guilera Soler, a gynecologist and obstetrician, inherited the home and hospital.

Several Barcelona citizens were born in Casa Figueres until 1974, when the hospital relocated to a more accessible area better suited to medical needs. From that point on, the building has served the purpose that Gaudí always intended: a private residence blending modernist architecture with medieval heritage.

For the past 30 years, the Guilera family has left the gates open, permitting guests to stroll the gardens and observe the home's exquisite exterior. Over the years, they received countless requests from visitors to explore inside the home and enjoy Gaudí’s more modernist interior detailing.

Due to popular demand and the family's realization that restoration was necessary, the Guilera family began plans to open their home to the public in 2009. They officially began inviting tours in September 2013, offering access to the interior accompanied by explanations of the history, architecture, and Gaudí’s design philosophy.

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