Casa Lleo Morera (Lleo Morera House), Barcelona

Lleó Morera House, at Number 35 on Gràcia Boulevard, was designed by renowned Catalan Modernist architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner. Commissioned in 1902 by Francesca Morera, the building was named after her son, Albert Lleó i Morera, following her death two years later.

This property forms part of the so-called "Block of Discord" that features the works of Barcelona's top four Catalan Modernist architects, Lluís Domènech i Montaner, Antoni Gaudí, Josep Puig i Cadafalch, and Enric Sagnier. Less extravagant than the other two local landmarks – Batlló and Amatller houses – but no less opulent when it comes to the richly decorated balconies and facade, Lleó Morera House was the only one on the block to win Barcelona’s Arts Building Annual Award in 1906.

The edifice stands out with its distinctive egg-shaped rooftop and intricately ornamented round-shaped balcony. Domènech i Montaner collaborated with various artists to incorporate natural and organic motifs into the building’s design. Lluís Bru and Mario Maragliano worked on mosaics, Eusebi Arnau on sculptures, Antoni Serra on ceramics, and Gaspar Homar on interior decoration and furniture. Upon closer inspection, one can notice the building's name, "Lleó Morera," depicted on the facade, which translates from Catalan to "lion" and "mulberry". The mulberry tree motif, symbolizing the Morera family name, is a recurrent decorative element, seen in door handles, patio designs, and ceramics.

The building’s façade and ground floor originally featured modernist sculptures by Arnau, which included feminine figures symbolizing technological advancements of the time like the light bulb, phonograph, and telephone. However, modifications in the 1940s removed some of these elements. Many sculptures were lost, while others were later acquired by Salvador Dalí.

The dining room showcases stained-glass windows, exquisite woodwork, and marble details, complete with the eight ceramic mosaic wall panels depicting idyllic countryside scenes. The staircase in the house is also notably unique for European buildings of that period.

In the mid-1980s and early 1990s, restoration efforts were made to recover the building’s damaged elements, including the tempietto, destroyed during the Spanish Civil War. In 2007, Lleó Morera House was included in the Art Nouveau European Route. Guided tours of the building are available for a fee, making it an excellent choice for passionate modernist enthusiasts and architecture buffs who won't be disappointed by the experience.