Visiting Casa Batlló in Barcelona is like stepping into a living legend. While the building itself—remodelled by Antoni Gaudí between 1904 and 1906—stands as one of the crowning achievements of Catalan Modernisme, the rooftop is where the magic truly comes alive. Known as the “House of Bones” or the “House of the Dragon,” Casa Batlló’s terrace unfolds as an extraordinary blend of myth, colour, and architectural innovation.
The rooftop is often interpreted as Saint George’s dragon, with its scalloped roof forming the dragon’s spine and a cross‑topped turret representing the knight’s lance—symbolism that lies at the heart of its enduring fame. Gaudí covered the curved roof in thousands of glazed ceramic tiles, arranged in a graded spectrum from greens (suggestive of the dragon’s head) through blues and violets to reds and pinks.
These tiles carry a slight metallic sheen, giving them a living, shimmering quality under the Mediterranean sun. At the highest point, a white four‑armed cross stands proudly as Saint George’s lance, while nearby spires recall floral motifs tied to Catalan legend. Through meticulous restoration work, including cleaning and repair of tiles and ornaments, this vivid chromatic design remains as striking today as when Gaudí conceived it.
Arguably, the most captivating elements are the sculptural chimneys that punctuate the terrace. Arranged in groups and clad in multicoloured trencadís mosaic, each chimney is topped with a glass sphere and rises like a whimsical mushroom from a fairytale landscape. These are not merely decorative; their helical forms serve a practical purpose by preventing wind from blowing smoke back into the house, an elegant demonstration of Gaudí’s ability to combine function with imagination.
Conservation has played a crucial role in preserving the rooftop’s allure. Casa Batlló received the Europa Nostra “Best in Heritage” award in 2006 for its exceptional restoration efforts. More recently, between 2015 and 2020, conservators replaced and resecured the decorative glass spheres using lime‑based mortars and fibre-reinforcement techniques, while a 2019 campaign stabilised and cleaned the roof tiles and the iconic cross. These ongoing efforts ensure that the rooftop—the “dragon’s back” and its chimneys—looks very much as Gaudí intended, delighting visitors and meeting modern heritage standards.
Standing on Casa Batlló’s rooftop and gazing over Barcelona, it’s easy to feel part of a narrative that fuses myth, architecture, and colour. The terrace is not just a visual spectacle; it’s a masterclass in Gaudí’s imagination, where each tile and chimney has a story to tell.
Reflecting on my visit, I also chose to capture the spirit of that experience in art. I own a framed print of the Casa Batlló Rooftop Barcelona Vintage Travel Poster by BCN Posters, a piece that transforms the rooftop’s vibrant ceramics, dragon‑like curves, and golden turret into a timeless vintage travel poster. This artwork celebrates Gaudí’s genius under a radiant Catalan sky. It brings the iconic architectural skyline of Casa Batlló into my home—a visual reminder of the terrace where myth and design converge. The framed print is produced with archival matte paper, assembled by expert framers, and delivered ready to hang, making it a perfect complement to any space inspired by Mediterranean design and Barcelona’s architectural heritage.
About this poster: Celebrate the genius of Antoni Gaudí with this vintage-style travel poster of Casa Batlló’s iconic rooftop in Barcelona, Spain. Featuring the building’s vibrant ceramic tiles, dragon-like curves, and golden turret under a radiant Catalan sky, this artwork captures the imagination and artistry of modernist architecture. Perfect for lovers of Barcelona, architecture, and Mediterranean design, this piece brings Gaudí’s creativity and the spirit of Catalunya into your home decor. A vibrant depiction of a Gaudi architectural feature with detailed mosaic patterns against a clear blue sky. The bold text ‘Barcelona Catalunya’ emphasises the location.
