Spain Catalunya Barcelona

Els 4Gats

An iconic Barcelona café and one-time bohemian haunt of artists like Picasso, known for its Modernisme style and cultural significance.

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Opened in 1897 by Catalan artist Ramon Casas and his friend Pere Romeu, Els Quatre Gats was meant to hold gatherings of artists and as a concert and exhibition hall. It was Barcelona’s answer to Paris’ famous Le Chat Noir cabaret and nightclub in Montmartre. It became a famous meeting point for artists, writers and thinkers to exchange ideas, usually over a few too many glasses of wine. 
Located in the heart of the Gothic Quarter, the establishment served as a spot for Picasso and his artist friends to think and socialize (and drink). He carried out his first ever public exhibition in the large room in 1900 at the age of 18. It was at Els Quatre Gats where Picasso soaked in Barcelona’s famous bohemian scene and the overwhelming artistic vibration of Barcelona. 
Today it remains a famous restaurant, cafe, and bar with the same interior and decor as when Picasso frequented the establishment. Although it’s naturally a bit of a tourist trap nowadays, you can’t help but admire the modernist exterior of the building which was done by famous Catalan architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch.

braedentg 5 years ago

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Els 4Gats Articles

  • A Guide to Barcelona Through the Eyes of Picasso

    Pablo Picasso: one of the defining artists of the 20th century and a primary figure behind the Cubism movement. Although he spent the bulk of his adult life in Paris, Barcelona is where the legendary painter called his true home in times of nostalgia and sadness. Picasso was born in Málaga and later moved to […]

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