What year did construction of Casa Milà begin?

Construction of Casa Milà began in 1906. Antoni Gaudí designed the building for the married couple Pere Milà and Roser Segimon on Barcelona’s Passeig de Gràcia, then a fashionable avenue in the expanding Eixample district.

The project was built between 1906 and 1912 and became Gaudí’s last major private-residence commission. Its undulating stone façade, irregular balconies and sculptural rooftop made it look radically different from conventional apartment buildings. The nickname La Pedrera, meaning “the stone quarry,” reflects the public reaction to its rough-hewn appearance.

The year 1906 is sometimes confused with the completion date, 1912, or with the date of the building’s UNESCO designation, 1984. Casa Milà was added to the UNESCO World Heritage listing “Works of Antoni Gaudí” in 1984, alongside several other Gaudí works. Its structural innovations include a largely self-supporting façade, a free-plan interior and a remarkable roof terrace.