Press Kit

PARK GÜELL’S HISTORY AND MANAGEMENT

Park Güell is one of the most representative examples of Antoni Gaudí’s architecture as well as an iconic heritage space in Barcelona. The Catalan architect, commissioned by the industrialist Eusebi Güell in 1900, attempted to recreate England’s residential parks in his project in order to house the city’s well-to-do families.

The project failed and the industrialist’s heirs agreed to sell the Park to Barcelona City Council, which opened it as a public park in 1926.

The Park has been a meeting point ever since, playing host to every type of ceremony and event, from cultural competitions to communal lunches, and noted above all for the sardana ring-dance gatherings. In addition, today’s Austria Gardens became a municipal incubator and the Güell family’s house a state school, named after the educator Baldiri Reixac and still in use to this day.

UNESCO declared it a Cultural Heritage of Humanity site in 1984, giving it the impetus for achieving the worldwide significance it enjoys today. It is likewise a Cultural Asset of National Interest, a status awarded by the Government of Catalonia (Generalitat) in 1993. Then in October 2013, Barcelona City Council implemented its Park Güell Monument Area regulations, giving priority to preserving this 12-hectare space and protecting it from mass tourism.
 

The purpose is to protect, study and disseminate Gaudí's work for humanity as a whole, as required by UNESCO, while providing a quality visit experience. It is also to enable the Park to remain an urban park, a space for the community and even a space for individual and collective memories. 

Park Güell’s new management model came into force on 1 July 2020, with the aim of facilitating the city’s re-connection with the park. Hence the regulated visitor capacity for its entire surface area, to avoid overcrowding, improve visitor experiences and ensure compliance with the park’s safety, protection and preservation measures.

The challenge, therefore, lies in finding a balance between tourist activities and social uses, above all so that residents from the Park's surrounding neighbourhoods can enjoy it in peace and quiet. Consequently, local residents will be given free access throughout the year and all proceeds raised by the regulation will be reinvested in the Park under various improvement and renovation projects for green spaces, viewing points, paths, play areas and so on.

PARK GÜELL: HARMONY WITH LOCAL RESIDENTS

Park Güell’s challenge is to strike a balance between tourist activities and social uses, above all so that residents from the Park's surrounding neighbourhoods can enjoy it in peace and quiet. Two time slots have been adapted for that very purpose, one called “Bon dia Barcelona” and the other “Bon vespre Barcelona” during which local residents and anyone who is registered with Gaudir Més can enjoy free, unrestricted access when the Park is open but CLOSED to tourists.

The aim is to facilitate Barcelona’s re-connection with Park Güell.

PARK GÜELL DATA FOR 2023

Most significant:

• Total annual number of visitors with paid ticket:   4.473.470 pax
• Total annual number of visitors with free pass (local residents):    671.281 pax
• Total number of school visits:  59.379 pax

Visitor profile:

The visitor profile consists largely of women, with a significant majority between the ages of 25 and 34, who come either with their partners or in a family group.

The majority are foreign visitors (89.4%, especially from the USA, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy), followed by other areas of Spain (6.7%), the City of Barcelona (2.9%), other areas of Catalonia (0.7%) and lastly, at 0.3%, those hailing from the Barcelona Metropolitan Area.
Most visitors to the park are attracted by information they have found on the internet or recommendations from their friends or relatives. The importance of these two aspects has increased in the last year.

The main reasons for visiting Park Güell are because it is an emblematic location (24.9%), due to Gaudí's architecture (22.5%), because it is part of a visiting schedule (14.6%) and because it is a unique, beautiful place (11.7%).

Leisure activities and attendees:

Besides facilitating city residents’ reconnection with Park Güell, recreational activities are organised in the Park’s grounds. At the close of 2023, we had hosted a total of 45 cultural events, including St. Jordi an the Dragon of Park Güell, Barri de la Salut [Health Neighbourhood] Association Fair, LEGO workshops, Visions STEAM and activities in collaboration with MUHBA (tours, concerts and film screenings), with a total of 9,050 participants.