Revolt against industrialism gave Barcelona an array of facades.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)

BARCELONA, Spain _ Though Antoni Gaudi had a unique vision, his work was part of an artistic movement at the beginning of the 20th century.

Like Paris' Art Nouveau and Vienna's Jugendstil, Modernism honored nature in defiance of the rigid impersonality of industrialism. Architects protested the strict geometric street plan set out for Barcelona's new city, Eixample, with fanciful facades characterized by dashes of color, ceramic tiles, showy ornaments and statues, curves and swoops.

Exteriors were often adorned with elaborate wrought iron details, stained glass or "esgrafiat" designs _ made with layers of etched color. Many recall Gothic styles, harking to Barcelona's past as a medieval power. In back, the houses typically were made entirely of glass, to let in natural light and views of the courtyard behind.

Barcelona counted three masters of Modernism: Lluis Domenech i Montaner, Josep Puig i Cadafalch _ both politicians _ and Gaudi, the eccentric.

A stroll through the Eixample area _ 100 years ago, the new city popular with the middle classes _ will take you past works by all three, plus other Modernist architects. Note that most are privately owned and can be seen only from the outside.

Start at the Diagonal metro stop, a trove of six-story pastel-colored town houses identified with the crest of the family. (Note that the owners normally occupied only the first floor or two, leaving those above for renters.) Many of the buildings here are identified with plaques.

Move south, toward the PlaCa de Catalunya, the city's main square. Along the way: