Episcopal Palace Astorga
Casa de Botines Léon
You don’t need to visit Barcelona to see the works of Spain’s greatest architect, Antoni Gaudí. Along the Camino Francés, there are two examples of Gaudí’s work, once in Léon and then Astorga. After a fire destroyed the original building, Gaudí was commissioned to design a new Episcopal Palace in Astorga by his friend, the Bishop. Work began in 1890, but disagreements between Gaudí and the local council meant the construction (without Gaudí’s assistance) would not be finished until 1915. Built of grey granite from El Bierzo, the palace reflected the neo-medieval style of the adjacent cathedral. The arches and buttresses at the palace entrance do reveal some of the elements that were part of his later famous work in Barcelona. In Léon, Gaudí was asked to design a residence cum warehouse for a friend of his Barcelona patron, Guell. Construction commenced in 1891 and was completed the following year. Gaudí sought to portray Léon’s medieval past by adding neo-Gothic features such as the pitched roof and the four corner towers. It was known as the Casa de los Botines, named after an original business colleague of the owner. In 1929, it was purchased by the local savings bank and re-purposed into its headquarters. These are two of only three buildings that Gaudí executed outside of his native Catalonia. Make time on you camino to visit these fantastic examples of the master’s brilliance.