What is the nickname of Casa Batlló, derived from its skeletal balconies?

Casa Batlló’s skeletal balconies helped give it the nickname “House of Bones.”

The Catalan name is Casa dels ossos, literally “House of Bones.” The nickname refers to the building’s organic, skeletal appearance: the sandstone façade undulates, the columns resemble bones, and the balconies have mask-like or skull-like forms.

Gaudí redesigned the existing house for Josep Batlló between 1904 and 1906 rather than demolishing it. He transformed its exterior with flowing stonework, irregular windows, coloured ceramic mosaics and unusual iron balconies. The result was so unlike conventional apartment architecture that it acquired several imaginative interpretations.

“Dragon House” is a reasonable description of the roof, whose arched, tiled profile is often read as a dragon’s back. However, that is not the nickname asked for here. “House of Bones” specifically describes the skeletal façade and balconies, while “Stone Quarry” is more closely associated with another Gaudí building, Casa Milà, whose rough façade inspired the name La Pedrera.