miércoles, 2 de diciembre de 2009

More Monuments

While Gaudí was finishing the construction of the Palacio Episcopal de Astorga, his friend and patron, Eusebi Güell recommended him to build a house in the center of León. Simón Fernández and Mariano Andrés, the owners of a company that bought fabrics from Güell, commissioned Gaudí to build a residential building with a warehouse. The nickname of the house comes from the last name of the company's former owner, Joan Homs i Botinàs.

With Casa de los Botines, the architect wanted to pay tribute to León's emblematic buildings. Therefore, he designed a building with a medieval air and numerous neo-Gothic characteristics. The building consists of four floors, a basement and an attic. Gaudí, chose an inclined roof and placed towers in the corners to reinforce the project's neo-Gothic feel. To ventilate and illuminate the basement, he created a moat around two of the façades, a strategy that he would repeat in the Sagrada Familia.

In 1929, the savings bank of León, Caja España, bought the building and adapted it to its needs, without altering Gaudí's original project.

3 comentarios:

  1. Just curious, how would a moat illuminate the basement?

    Instead of "recommended him to build" you should say "recommended that he build."
    Best,
    Stephanie

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  2. Interesting section, although I have never heard of Gaudi. Could you include some more information about him and other buildings he has built?
    Great English, I could not find any mistakes, and the grammar was very good. In response to Stephanie's comment, for clarification: were you saying that Gaudi's friend told him to build the building, or that the friend told other people that they should hire Gaudi to build it?

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  3. I love the Medieval architecture of the building. The moat also seems Medieval to me. I especially like the towers on the corners. Also, your English is excellent. There wasn't anything confusing and the grammar appears flawless.

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