Casa Amatller

The Casa Amatller is a modernist building in Barcelona adjoining Casa Batlló and close to Casa Lleó Morera. It was designed by the architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch between 1898 and 1900. The three buildings form what is known as the Block of Discord, an allusion to the mythological dispute between the goddesses Hera, Aphrodite and Athena over who was the most beautiful.

The building was commissioned by the chocolate manufacturer Antoni Amatller from Josep Puig, who devised a model of urban Gothic palace, with a flat façade, a central courtyard and a staircase giving access to the main rooms.

On the façade, two asymmetrical doors can be seen, linked by a Saint George sculpted by the sculptor Eusebi Arnau. Sgraffito runs across the entire façade, delicately combining with the ceramic work.

The entrance hall, as was very common at the time of its construction, was designed for carriages. It is decorated with lamps and stained glass and has two staircases: the more ornate and sumptuous one leads to the main floor, while the simpler one serves the other floors.

The style is a blend of Catalan Gothic and Flemish, characterised by the stepped shape of the upper part of the façade.

Since 1960 the house has been under the Amatller Institute of Hispanic Art, a foundation created by the descendants of the photographer Antoni Amatller. It was declared a historic-artistic monument on 9 January 1976.