What is the nickname of Casa Milà, meaning 'stone quarry'?

Casa Milà’s nickname, meaning “stone quarry,” is La Pedrera.

The Catalan nickname refers to the building’s rough, undulating limestone façade, which looked dramatically unlike conventional apartment houses when it was built. Its irregular walls, twisting iron balconies, and sculptural roofline led many Barcelona residents to view it as quarry-like and unconventional.

Antoni Gaudí designed Casa Milà for Pere Milà and Roser Segimon between 1906 and 1912. It was his last private-residence project and occupies a prominent corner of Passeig de Gràcia. Rather than relying on traditional load-bearing walls, the building uses columns and a largely self-supporting façade, allowing flexible interior layouts.

A common mix-up is treating La Pedrera as the formal name. Casa Milà is the official name connected with its owners; La Pedrera is the popular nickname. The building became part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing “Works of Antoni Gaudí” in 1984.