Portal Miralles

Portal Miralles is one of the most extraordinary and breathtaking architectural designs in Sarrià, Barcelona. The structure exists at the address Passeig de Manuel Girona, 55 – 57 which belonged to Ermenegild Miralles' properties. It served as the gateway to the Miralles estate and one of the minor works of the famous Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi.

The construction gives the whole region an incredible facelift and a charismatic view making it one of the most notable spots in the area.

Commissioning of Portal Miralles

Commissioned by Ermenegild Miralles in 1901, Miralles wanted Gaudi to come up with a compelling gate to act as an entrance to his property which is currently inexistent. Having extensive experience, Gaudi went ahead to design the perimeter wall as well as the gate, which is a centre of attraction.

Inspiration

Gaudi was known to draw his inspiration from nature. This is also what inspired him to come up with the Portal Miralles. Its design is both unique and brilliant. It showcases the ability of Antoni Gaudi to come up with an idea from the shapes of nature and craft something that is beautiful. The entrance currently leads to a beautiful street that is perfectly adorned by plants and beautiful pavements.

An Analysis of Architectural Design

The Finca Miralles gate has an eight-meter high irregular curve that made of a variety of materials including mortared stones and trencadis. The architecture used the undulating design to give it an appealing look. He was keen to incorporate two gates, one which for carriages and the other one for pedestrians. The carriage gate currently acts as the main gate of the perimeter wall. While the surface of the structure portrays a rough skin-like finish, the edges are smooth and wavy. The perimeter wall has two distinct parts. The first is the section made of stone while the other consists of a netted grille and two supporting pillars on either side of the carriage gate. Gaudi also includes an overhanging canopy which provides shade and perfectly blends with the design.

Antoni Gaudi also goes ahead to include a cross made from wrought iron. The three-dimensional cross gives the whole architectural structure an impressive finish and adds glamour to the gate. Gaudi concentrated on the entrance while his assistant who was Domingo Sugrañes by then worked on Miralles house. The gate still stands strong with the pedestrian gate maintaining the industrial metal strips, which gives it an incredible look.

There were significant restorations of the gateway in the year 2000, that saw the strengthening of the structure, and they used that idea to include a human-size statue of Antoni Gaudi. The gate's stones and irregular patterns make it look like a tortoiseshell, and the fencing on the perimeter wall makes it more elegant and secure. By the time Antoni Gaudi was being commissioned to build the Portal Miralles gate, he was starting to work on Park Guell. The building took place between 1901 and 1902, and the resultant piece is a marvellous gate with stunning finishes.