Gaudí’s Capricho

Instituto de Turismo de España (TURESPAÑA)
The historic, aristocratic town of Comillas is home to the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí’s first building. Come with us off the beaten track to see the origins of Modernism as we travel deep into the prolific and fertile imagination of its creator.Máximo Díaz de Quijano, a Spanish-American who made his fortune in America, commissioned Gaudí to build a small villa beside the Sobrellano Palace, home of the Marquis of Comillas, in 1883. The summer home, which was originally called Villa Quijano, later became known as El Capricho (a caprice or whim), an authentic fantasy construction whose colors and fern-like shapes mimic its surroundings.
El Capricho was conceived as a leisure villa, and its imaginative oriental and medieval features reflect the influence of Neo-Mudéjar art.
Díaz de Quijano’s passions, such as exotic plants and music, are visible in the architecturally rich adornments decorating the small palace. The stained glass windows depict images of animals, insects and musical instruments, including fireflies, guitars and a sparrow perched on top of an organ.