Josep Maria Jujol: Another Famous Catalan Architect

Antoni Gaudí may reign supreme as Barcelona’s most famous architect, having been responsible for La Sagrada Família cathedral and many spectacular Modernisme-style houses and palaces, but the work of his contemporary, Josep Maria Jujol, is equally fascinating. Born in Tarragona, Jujol moved to Barcelona as a child and had a rich career not only as an architect but as a furniture designer and a painter.

Recently Jujol has been emerging from Gaudí’s shadow, as more and more people come to appreciate his best-known works. These include the wonderful mosaic façade of Gaudí’s Casa Batlló; the mosaic benches at Parc Güell; and Torre de la Creu, a unique private house crowned by mosaic domes. Jujol’s work differs from that of the austere and deeply religious Gaudí by emphasizing beauty, whimsy and sensuality as much as spirituality.