The ground floor (1890)

The ground floor of the episcopal palace of Astorga was built during 1890. In it, Gaudí did not use the catenaries arch -impossible to accept for the Academy-, but the Gothic, highlighted with glazed ceramics to Mudejar style. As in the contemporary building of the Tereses, the artist showed his mastery of light -the material of his architecture-, which is poured by the glass and plays ingeniously thousand and one times with the granite carved in extreme forms of ductility. Gaudí made three trips to steer the work: one in the spring, other in the summer and another in year-end. During the latter, was mounted the most interesting part of the ground floor: the triple arc of the entry, a novel structure that architects from all over the Spanish estate considered insane, and whose failure waited anxiously. Half city was congregated around the works for contemplating the spectacle. The dovelas fell twice and was done at night. It began to snow and blowing wind. Antoni Gaudí left his executive position and with their hands, with the help of a loyal worker of Astorga, Pedro Luengo, rebuilds the arches. After this, architect and builder have merged into a hug.

Josep Maria Tarragona, December 12, 2008
COMMENTS



©2013 antonigaudi.org
All rights reserved

Last update: 06/05/2016