At Guell Park, an upper staircase leads to the entrance of the "Doric Temple" or "Hypostyle Hall." The columns are hollow and serve as storm drain pipes. To maintain a feeling of space, Gaudí left out some of the columns.
The huge public square in the center of the Parque Güell is surrounded by a continuous, undulating wall and bench cove studded with mosaics. This structure sits atop the Doric temple and offers a bird's-eye view of Barcelona.
As in all of Gaudí's work, there is a strong element of playfulness. The caretaker's lodge, shown in this photo beyond the mosaic wall, suggests a house a child would imagine, like the gingerbread cottage in Hansel and Gretel.
The entire Guell Park is made of stone, ceramic, and natural elements. For the mosaics, Gaudi used broken ceramic tiles, plates, and cups.
Guell Park demonstrates Gaudi's high regard for nature. He used recycled ceramics rather than firing new ones. To avoid leveling the land, Gaudi designed meandering viaducts. Finally, he planned the park to include numerous trees.
