The structure itself was built in 1877, but remodeled and finished in 1906 by Antoni Gaudi and Josep Maria Jujol.  Gaudi, who was born in 1852 and died in 1926, was a very creative and unconventional architect who fought through the initial ridicule and judgment of his peers to create his own special visions.

Casa Batllo, also called “The House of Bones” or Casa dels Ossos, makes use of sculpted stone and mosaic to create a totally unique exterior.

The roof is arched like the ridged fin of some strange fish or dinosaur, and one legend says that the turret and cross on top stand for Saint George’s sword – which of course he used to kill the dragon.

The roofline of Casa Batllo

The man who commissioned the building was a rich aristocrat named Josep Batlo.

As for the interior of the structure, Batllo himself lived in the building for a while – the first floor apartment is included in the tour.  Batllo and his family lived on the first and second floors of the building, and they rented out the upper floors to residential tenants.

It only costs 17.80 Euros per person to tour this historic structure.  That includes an audio guided tour and can observe the grandeur and charm of this true work of art.