Next door to the Casa Amatller, Casa Batlló was designed by Gaudí in 1905, and is hands-down the superior of the three works in the manzana. Using sensuous curves in iron and stone and glittering, luminous trencadis (collage of broken tiles and ceramic) on the facade, the Casa Batlló is widely thought to represent the legend of Saint George (the patron saint of Catalonia) and his dragon. The balconies are protected by imposing skull-like formations and supported by vertebrae-like columns representing the dragon's victims, while the spectacular roof is the dragon's humped and glossy scaled back. St. George can be seen in the turret, his lance crowned by a cross. The building was opened to the public in 2004, and although its admission price is steep compared to many other Gaudí attractions, the interior of the building is no less spectacular than the exterior, with sinuous staircases, flowing wood paneling, and a stained-glass gallery supported by yet more bonelike columns. Custom-made Gaudí-designed furniture is scattered throughout.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Barcelona, 3rd Edition, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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