Casa Vicens was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. The designation recognized it as part of the serial property “Works of Antoni Gaudí,” which celebrates the architect’s exceptional contribution to architecture and construction techniques.
Casa Vicens was built in Barcelona between 1883 and 1885 for stockbroker Manuel Vicens i Montaner. It is considered Gaudí’s first major architectural commission and reveals an early, strongly orientalizing phase of his work. The façade combines exposed brick, masonry and vivid ceramic tiles, including floral patterns inspired by plants found on the building site.
The date can be confused with 1984, when several other Gaudí buildings—including Casa Milà, Park Güell and Palau Güell—first entered the UNESCO list. Casa Vicens joined the listing in July 2005, together with additional Gaudí works such as Casa Batlló and parts of the Sagrada Família. It had already received Spanish historic protection in 1969 and Catalan cultural protection in 1993.