Walking along the streets of the old city of the Catalan capital, it will simply be a sacrilege not to visit the legendary Four Cats cafe-restaurant, located on one of the streets of the Gothic Quarter.
We can not help but talk about the magnificent architecture of the building. The cafe is located on the ground floor of the Marty House, the project of which belongs to the famous representative of Catalan modernism, Josep Puig- and –Kadafalke.
This is one of the first works of a novice architect in the capital of Catalonia. The house was planned to be used as a profitable one, so the second floor soon became a law office, and the lower floor remained unoccupied for a long time, until Pere Romeu was rented.
The distinctive architectural features of the mansion are simply huge pointed window arches, stained-glass windows decorating the first floor. An unusual "fiery" ornament crowns windows and balconies. The loggia located on the side of the facade looks especially unusual.
The corner sculpture depicting St. Joseph, on whose hands is the baby Jesus, cannot but go unnoticed. She stepped out from under the incisor of the Catalan sculptor Jusepe Llimona. But, today's version is just a copy installed in 2000 and replacing the lost original.
Famous visitors
At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries of the last century, Four Cats is a meeting place for the intellectual and artistic elite of Barcelona. This cafe gathered such famous personalities as Santiago Rusignola, Ramon Casos, Ricardo Opisso, for some time being an assistant to the great Antonio Gaudi, Manuel Uge, as well as a very young Picasso. This place in 1900 was the first exhibition site for the future great artist. Famous composers also visited here: Enrique Granados, Isaac Albenis. The appearance of the menu cover was designed by 19-year-old Pablo Picasso, inspired by the posters of Toulouse-Lautrec, and is still in use.
A little story about creating a cafe
One of the founders is Pere Romeu - now a fairly well-known personality, the famous artist - modernist. But, at that distant time, he was just a waiter and part-time entertainer in the popular Black Cabaret cabaret in Paris. Impressed by the atmosphere of this unusual place, the young man decides to recreate something not inferior in scale in his native Barcelona: a small cozy restaurant where music should constantly sound and which would become a meeting place for friends from the art world.
The institution opened its doors in June 1897. Today's interior of this legendary place is practically no different from the original.
It will be interesting
If you remember, the prototype of the cafe was the Parisian cabaret, the title of which also traces the "cat" theme. It would seem that the same theme is embedded in Romeu in the very name of the institution, but this is not entirely true. The fact is that the phrase “quatre gats” is a kind of turnover, which means a small number of people. And this already emphasized the bohemian destiny of this place.
Quite often you can hear another interpretation of the name: four cats are four inseparable friends: Ramon Cazas, Miguel Utriyo, Santiago Rusignol and the founder of the institution.
Interior
The interior design was borrowed from a Paris cabaret. The financial expenses for creating a unique style were partially borne by the owner’s friend, the rich Barcelona artist Ramon Casas. He paid for the magnificent wrought-iron chandeliers and furniture designed by the famous Puig-i-Cadafalca.
The walls were decorated with paintings and multi-colored ceramic tiles. All this can be seen now.
The wall of the establishment is decorated with a reproduction of the famous painting which depicts both founders of this place on a tandem bicycle. ” You can get acquainted with the original by visiting the Barcelona Museum. Most of this work, unfortunately, has been lost, as the last owner cut off a large piece from it, which is why the right wheel seems to be cut off.
Another reproduction that draws attention to itself depicts the same Casas and Romeu, but who have already replaced the obsolete tandem bicycle with a more modern means of transportation: a car. This time the favorite terrier of the artist Zieme joined the company of the main characters.
The Four Cats, after many years of desolation, opened their doors in 1993. Unusual interior, the ability to touch a living story.
And still stand out this institution, attracting many visitors. But, the only thing that has really changed since the work of this cafe is the price. Now a cup of coffee drunk in this pathos restaurant will be very expensive, but coffee is very tasty like cookies.
Where is:
Address Carrer de Montsió, 3, 08002 Barcelona
Work schedule:
Daily from 9-00 to 24-00
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Sight | |
Cafe Four Cats |
|
Cafe Entrance |
|
| The country | Spain |
| Town | Barcelona |
| Architect | Josep pooch |
| Established | 1897 |
| Status | Is acting |
| condition | restored |
| Website | |
Initially included a small hotel and a cabaret. It is best known for the fact that its regular guests were Pablo Picasso and his famous friend Antonio Gaudi, sculptor Julio Gonzalez and composer Isaac Albenis and many other talents of the “beautiful era”. In 1900, the cafe hosted the first two personal exhibitions of Picasso.
The cafe is located on a narrow street in the Gothic Quarter, open from one in the afternoon until one in the morning, in the evenings a pianist plays. At one time, such famous composers as Isaac Albenis and Enrique Granados performed in this capacity.
During the reign of Franco, the cafe building was demolished, but in the 1970s. it has been completely restored to its original form as part of a program to increase the attractiveness of Barcelona for tourists.
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Notes
References
Excerpt from Four Cats
At first, the old man looked with fixed eyes at his son and unnaturally opened a smile with a new tooth flaw, which Prince Andrey could not get used to.“What friend, darling?” A? Already talked! A?
“Father, I didn’t want to be a judge,” said Prince Andrey in a gallant and harsh tone, “but you called me, and I said and always will say that Princess Mary is neither to blame, but to blame ... this Frenchwoman is to blame ...”
“And he sentenced! .. sentenced! ..” said the old man in a low voice and, as it seemed to Prince Andrei, embarrassed, but then he suddenly jumped up and cried out: “There! So that your spirit was not here! ..
Prince Andrew wanted to leave immediately, but Princess Marya begged to stay another day. On this day, Prince Andrei did not see his father, who did not go out and did not let anyone in, except m lle Bourienne and Tikhon, and asked several times about whether his son had left. The next day, before leaving, Prince Andrei went with his half son. A healthy, curly mother was sitting on his lap. Prince Andrew began to tell him the tale of Bluebeard, but, without finishing it, he thought. He was not thinking about this pretty boy's son while he was holding him on his lap, but was thinking about himself. He searched with horror and did not find in himself either remorse that he irritated his father, or regret that he (in a quarrel for the first time in his life) was leaving him. The main thing for him was what he was looking for and did not find that former tenderness for his son, which he hoped to arouse in himself, fondling the boy and putting him on his lap.
“Well, tell me,” said the son. Prince Andrei, not answering him, removed him from the columns and went out of the room.
As soon as Prince Andrey left his daily studies, especially as soon as he entered the previous living conditions in which he was still when he was happy, the longing of life gripped him with the same strength, and he was in a hurry to quickly leave these memories and find hurry up some business.
“Are you determined to drive, Andre?” - the sister told him.
“Thank God that I can go,” said Prince Andrei, “I am very sorry that you cannot.”
- Why are you saying this! Said Princess Mary. - Why are you saying this now, when you are going to this terrible war and he is so old! M lle Bourienne said that he asked about you ... - As soon as she began to talk about it, her lips trembled and her tears dripped. Prince Andrew turned away from her and began to walk around the room.
Cafe Four Cats is a legendary place in Barcelona. I once wrote about places where you can. Buzuslovno, this institution does not apply to budget restaurants, but you can’t call it an expensive cafe either.
Located in the very center of Barcelona, \u200b\u200bit opened in 1897. The founder of the cafe was Pere Romeu, who stole this idea when he was the host at Le Chat Noir cabaret in Paris.
view of the cafe in 1901
At the beginning of the 20th century, in addition to the restaurant itself, guests could use the services of the hotel, and in the evenings see the famous cabaret. Restaurant Four Cats was interesting because its visitors were: artist Pablo Picasso, sculptor Julio Gonzalez, pianist Enrique Granados, composer Isaac Albenis, as well as many other famous personalities. About I already have a detailed article. Cafe Four Cats is also, to some extent, a landmark associated with a famous artist who took part in the design of the cover of the restaurant’s menu. At the beginning of the XX century, the Picasso Biennale was held in it.
Picasso and co
The director of the cafe was very famous among the Catalan elite Pere Romeu. His work as accompanist in a cafe and inspired to create a bohemian restaurant for artists, writers and other artists.
The interior of the institution
The cafe is located on the 1st floor of the Marty House, which was designed by the famous architect from Catalonia, Josep Puig i Cadafalk. A familiar surname, right? .. 🙂 Let me remind you, it was he who was engaged in reconstruction, an article about which can also be read on my website.
Initially, the building was supposed to be used as a tenement house, and the second floor became a law firm. Actually, almost all the houses of Antonio Gaudi were built for such purposes. However, soon, the first floor was bought by Pere Romeu, who founded the restaurant.
outside view
The main architectural features of the building are its large pointed arches on the windows, as well as the stained-glass windows located on the 1st floor. The loggia located on the side of the facade, as well as an ornament in the form of a flame, looks original.
The sculpture, which is located on the corner of the building, symbolizes St. Joseph with a baby in her arms. This is a monument by the famous Spanish sculptor Giuseppe Llimona.
The interior of the institution resembles the Parisian cafe Black Cat. During the reconstruction of the 1st floor, the project was financed by a rich artist from Barcelona, \u200b\u200bRamon Casas. He paid for wrought-iron chandeliers and furniture, designed according to the design of the same Josep Puig-i-Kadafalka.
The walls of the institution were decorated with paintings and ceramics of various colors. On one of the walls is a reproduction of a picture which depicts the founders of the restaurant on a large bicycle. In another picture - they are the same, but by car.
Pere Romeu and Ramon Casas on a bike
The cafe-restaurant was desolate for a long time and began to receive its first visitors only in the 1990s. Everything remained as before in this cafe, even food prices are not too high.
Despite the popularity of the cafe, the prices here are quite reasonable. It is quite possible to come here for breakfast and plunge into the Renaissance.
price for breakfast in a cafe
Also very close is another famous gastronomic place in Barcelona - where I also highly recommend a drop in.
How to get there
Cafe Four cats is located at ul. Carrer de Montsió, 3.
As I have repeatedly said, the Gothic Quarter is an ideal place to stay in Barcelona.
Well, say goodbye to the sim! Until next articles!
Cafe Four Cats (Els Quatre Gats) in Barcelona is not just a catering establishment, but also a unique architectural landmark of the city.
The cafe was opened in the medieval quarter of Barcelona in 1897. A model for him was the Parisian cafe "Black Cat". Today, the cafe is one of the symbols of the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona. It combines elements of medieval style and architecture of the turn of the XIX - XX centuries.
Initially, Four Cats included a small hotel and a cabaret. Once regular guests of the institution were Pablo Picasso, Antonio Gaudi, and other famous artists. Famous musicians, famous Catalan and Spanish composers performed here. It was here that in 1900 the first two solo exhibitions were held by Pablo Picasso.
In the Franco era, the cafe building was demolished, but in the 1970s, the Barcelona authorities decided to restore it. The cafe was completely restored in its original form as part of a program to increase the attractiveness of Barcelona for tourists. The constant popularity of the cafe indicates that the institution copes with the task assigned to it. The cafe is open every day, from 1 p.m. to 1 p.m., opening the doors for new and regular visitors.
