Eclectic architecture in Catalonia, an unwritten history

Abstract

This article aims to rediscover a little-known area of Catalonia’s architectural heritage: eclecticism. Reviewing the most important work of Catalan eclectic architecture, we present a rough classification, define the various tendencies, and tentatively suggest a chronology. The article focuses on questions such as the relationship between eclecticism and the new building materials in 19th century to show that the style is not so anachronistic as is sometimes claimed, and on the arrival of European influences, primarily from France and the German-speaking area, in Catalonia. We stress that, in addition to the brilliance of its modernist buildings, the urban landscape of Barcelona offers a fine ensemble of the eclectic style, dating from the period between 1875 and 1910.