Casa Milà

Casa Mila, La Pedrera

The Barcelona audio-guided tour invites you to admire Casa Mila, better known as La Pedrera. The last civil building site of Antoni Gaudi before he devoted himself entirely to the Sagrada Familia, it is among the major works of Catalan modernism.

The stone quarry

Casa Mila was a commission from the wealthy industrialist Pere Mila, but the construction, carried out between 1906 and 1912 on Passeig de Gracia, did not go smoothly: the two men's tastes diverged and Gaudi eventually withdrew from the project. He nonetheless had time to give the building its sublime undulating facade, whose mineral appearance earned the house its nickname of Pedrera, the stone quarry.

What there is to see

The undulating facade, pierced by wrought-iron balconies with plant-like forms, seems carved from rock. But it is the rooftop terrace that fascinates most, with its chimneys and ventilation towers resembling fantastical sentinels, which have become an emblematic image of Barcelona. The interior spaces and courtyards bear witness to Gaudi's ingenuity in light and ventilation.

Practical information

Casa Mila is on Passeig de Gracia, in the Eixample district. The facade can be seen freely from the street; the visit of the interior and the rooftop terrace is ticketed, with hours that vary by season. As the site is very busy, it is best to plan ahead.

Why is Casa Mila nicknamed La Pedrera ?

Because of its undulating stone facade, with its mineral appearance, which evokes a quarry: Pedrera means stone quarry.

What is remarkable on the roof ?

The chimneys and ventilation towers with their sculptural forms, which have become one of the emblematic images of Barcelona.