Sitting right next to Gaudi's Casa Battlo, Casa Amatllo has to be one of the most looked-at buildings in Barcelona, although it was opened to the public, with original decor and furnishings throughout, only a couple years ago. The structure was built earlier in the 19th century, but renovated to then-current tastes only in the late 1890s. Its style is eclectic--the stepped facade is a giant clue--fitting the tastes of its owner, the 3rd generation
chocolatier Antoni Amatlla, a world traveler and collector.
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Walking innocently along the Block of Discord |
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The facade of Casa Amatlla fairly sparkled in the morning sun |
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Alas, not something the camera could catch, but it literally
beckoned |
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We walked right into the lobby and--the price for jubilados
being right, even for non-Spanish and non-EU jubilados--
bought tickets for the 11AM English tour |
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Staircase to the first floor/museum |
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But first, a little chocolate |
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A chocolatier better have a chocolate shoppe on the premises |
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Ceiling of the grand staircase, way up there |
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Chandelier in the main hall/living room |
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Senor Amatlla |
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Some of his very extensive glass collection |
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Stained glass windows facing the street |
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Ancient glass |
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Ceiling |
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The main hall/living room |
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Amatllo lived with his grown daughter; her bedroom; the wife,
we were told, had run off with an Italian musician... |
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Looking out the daughter's bedroom window, people gawking
at what the Amatllos must have thought was the monstrosity
next door |
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Talk about ruining the neighborhood |
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Nice screen |
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In the 30s, after her father had died, she decided she could stand
the Art Nouveau stuff no longer and converted her sitting room
to Art Deco |
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In dad's bedroom |
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Nice Gothic chair |
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More incredible glass |
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Senor Amatllo was really into glass |