Casa Milà, Barcelona

About Casa Milà

The wealthy couple Pere Milà and Roser Segimon commissioned the house, and Gaudí built it from 1906 to 1912, his last residential project. Its pale limestone front ripples around the street corner like a sea-worn cliff, and locals found it so rough that they nicknamed it La Pedrera, the stone quarry.

Inside, Gaudí did away with most load-bearing walls: columns and a frame carry the weight, so the flats could be laid out freely. Two large courtyards bring light and air into the middle of the building. In 1984 Casa Milà became one of the first UNESCO-listed Works of Antoni Gaudí. People still live here; visitors see the roof, the attic and one apartment.

The rooftop and attic

The main reason to come is the roof. It rises and falls in waves, topped by chimneys and stair exits that look like helmeted warriors or chess pieces, some clad in broken tile and bottle glass. Between them are views down Passeig de Gràcia and across to the Sagrada Família.

Below it is the attic, more than a hundred brick arches of varying height, like the ribs of a whale. It was once used for drying laundry and now houses an exhibition on how Gaudí worked: models, drawings and hanging chain models he used to calculate his arches. It helps explain why his buildings look alive.

What to see at Casa Milà

• The roof — chimney warriors and city views.
• The attic — brick arches and the Gaudí exhibition.
• The apartment — a well-off family's home of the early 1900s.
• The courtyards — painted walls and light wells.
• The façade — wavy stone and wrought-iron balconies.
• The night visit — a light show on the roof.

The apartment and courtyards

One floor is furnished as the home of a well-to-do Barcelona family in the early 20th century: modernista furniture, a kitchen with its utensils, a nursery with toys and a period bathroom. It shows how unusual life was in a Gaudí house, with no right-angled rooms and doors and windows that follow the curves of the façade.

On the way down, look into the courtyards: from below you see how the building wraps around its light wells, and the entrance halls are painted with flowers and scenes from myth. The tangled wrought-iron balconies were made by Gaudí's assistant Josep Maria Jujol and are nicknamed 'seaweed'.

Tips for your visit

For a daytime visit, go early while the roof is quiet and the light is soft; the evening visit suits people who've already seen it by day or want something different. In rain or high wind the roof may close, leaving the attic and apartment. Wear comfortable shoes, as the roof has steps and slopes.

If you're seeing both Gaudí houses on Passeig de Gràcia, space them out, say Casa Batlló in the morning and Casa Milà after lunch. There's a café and shop on the ground floor, and the quiet Eixample streets around have bars where locals have lunch.

Places in Barcelona: compare and choose

Places in Barcelona rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.

Nearby and on the way

55

Casa Batlló

Barcelona, Spain

1 h 15 min · Paid · 9 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Casa Batlló

45

Plaça de Catalunya

Barcelona, Spain

20 min · Free · 20 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Plaça de Catalunya

39

Casa Vicens

Barcelona, Spain

1 h · Paid · 22 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Casa Vicens

69

Sagrada Família

Barcelona, Spain

2 h · Paid · 24 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Sagrada Família

How to do it right

• The roof is quieter in the morning.
• Evenings bring a light show.
• The roof may close in rain.
• Casa Batlló is close by.

Questions