The iconic doric columns of Park Güell’s Sala Hipòstila are sharing the spotlight with a different kind of architectural wonder this month: ten giant chocolate Easter eggs, each a masterpiece inspired by the genius of Antoni Gaudí. The unique exhibition, titled ‘Gaudí in Chocolate’, opened to the public on Tuesday and will be on display until 9 April.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
This delectable display is a joint venture between Park Güell’s management company, BSM, and the Gremi de Pastisseria de Barcelona (Barcelona Pastry Guild). It marks the traditional beginning of the Easter ‘mona’ cake season in Catalonia, but its timing is especially significant. The exhibition is a centrepiece for a trio of major city milestones in 2026: the centenary of Park Güell’s opening as a public park, the 100th anniversary of Antoni Gaudí’s death, and Barcelona’s designation as the UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture.
For the Pastry Guild, which is also celebrating its 125th anniversary, the collaboration is a natural fit. “The work done by Gaudí inspires artists,” commented Miquel Zaguirre, president of the guild, during the inauguration event.
From Trencadís to Chocolate Masterpieces
More than a dozen master pastry chefs from across Catalonia have contributed to the ten intricate creations. The only condition for their designs was to interpret an element of Park Güell, one of Barcelona’s most recognisable UNESCO World Heritage sites. The results are a testament to their craft, with Gaudí’s signature symbolism, vibrant colours, and organic forms reinterpreted entirely in chocolate.
Creations include tributes to the park’s famous salamander, the undulating curves of its serpentine bench, and even the columns of the very room where they are displayed. The list of participants features some of the region’s most celebrated names, including Lluc Crusellas of Eukarya Xocolata, who was crowned World Chocolate Master in 2022.
One particularly ambitious piece comes from Adan Sáez of Xocosave in Riudoms, the town many consider to be Gaudí’s birthplace. His egg features a detailed chocolate figure of the architect embracing his work. “Here, everything has its challenge: to achieve these dimensions with chocolate,” Sáez explained to El País. He noted that, much like many of Gaudí’s own structures, the piece has “no internal structure that supports it.”
A Sweet Fate and a Public Vote
Visitors to the Sala Hipòstila over the next three weeks can participate in deciding the fate of these edible artworks. Each display case features a QR code allowing the public to vote for their favourite egg.
After the exhibition closes on 9 April, the winning creation will be carefully transported and preserved for display at Barcelona’s Museu de la Xocolata. The other nine eggs, however, are destined for a sweeter, if more violent, end.
In keeping with Catalan Easter traditions, the remaining chocolate sculptures will be ceremonially broken in a party called the ‘Trencadís del Trencadís’, a playful nod to Gaudí’s broken-tile mosaic technique. The chocolate will be shared among students from four nearby schools in the Gràcia district: Baldiri Reixac, l’Escola Montseny, l’Escola Turó del Cargol, and Col·legi Kostka – Jesuïtes Gràcia.
The chefs, whose creations are protected behind glass in the cool, ventilated hall, have dismissed any concerns about their masterpieces melting. When asked if the chocolate would hold up, they responded with a confident laugh, according to reports from El Periódico. Their artistry provides a unique, temporary fusion of architecture, gastronomy, and local culture, celebrating the legacy of an architect whose life was tragically cut short. This exhibition highlights his lasting impact in a truly delicious way.
