Pedralbes, Barcelona

The Finca Güell, built in 1884-87 by Antoni Gaudí for the Count Güell as a country residence outside what was then the built-up area of the city, today lies in the district of Pedralbes, one of Barcelona's most select residential areas, in the immediate vicinity of the Palau de Pedralbes. The property consists of three buildings: the single story lodge to the left of the entrance, the large former stables and, attached to them, the round riding hall.From a stylistic point of view the group of buildings is closely linked to the Casa Vicens (1883- 88) and, in common with that building, is reminiscent of the architecture of the Spanish Moorish period. The roofs of both the lodge and the riding hall are spanned by domes crowned with lanterns; the facades are covered in decorative tiles to which the window sections, executed in clinker brick, make an attractive contrast. Worthy of note are the elaborate openwork bricked ledges which surround the roof of the stables.

The Casa de Caritat is situated in the old area of the city to the south of the Plaça de Catalunya. Since the 13th C. the area has belonged to the Augustinian canons and later a seminary was set up there. The cloister acquired its present appearance, which follows Tuscan models, in the middle of the 18th C. Today the Casa de Caritat has been enlarged by a modern extension and serves as a cultural center and exhibition hall.

The Palau Reial de Pedralbes lies in the similarly named and well-to-do residential area of the city, close to the Zona Universitaria in a beautiful, carefully tended and terraced park with many old cedar and lime trees. The gardens were designed by the Frenchman Jean-Claude Forestier.At one time a country house belonging to Count Güell stood here; he subsequently made the land available for the building of a prestigious royal palace. The three-story building in the Italian style was officially opened on the occasion of the visit of the Spanish King and Queen in 1924. The ground floor with the throne-room and large adjoining rooms is now used for public functions.The first and second floors now permanently house the Museu de Ceràmica ; the collections of the Museu d'Arts Decoratives and the Gabinet Postal are provisionally stored here, so they are not open to the public.The Finca Güell adjoins the park to the north.

The Museu Etnogràfic Andino-Amazoånic is in the care of the Capuchin order of monks in Catalonia and is housed in their monastery buildings. The small but extremely well cared for and displayed collection is specialized and covers the native cultures in those areas of Latin America where the order has missions.A monk (he should be addressed as "padre") will guide you through the museum; a knowledge of Spanish will be a great help in understanding him. On display are small works of art, prepared slides and skeletons of Central American animals, a collection of butterflies and insects and also weapons.On leaving the museum it is customary to make a suitable donation "para el monasterio", i.e. "for the monastery".

Some way out, at the southwestern end of the Avinguda de la Diagonal, the extensive modern campus of the Zona Universitaria spreads over the Pedralbes district of the city. It is here that the natural science and social and economic science faculties of the university are situated.