Antoni Plàcid Guillem Gaudí Cornet is considered by many to be one of Spain's most brilliant and gifted architects. The master builder was born on Wednesday, June 25, 1852 in Baix Camp, near Reus within the province of Tarragona. His father, Francesc Gaudí Serra, was a coppersmith from Riudoms and his mother, Antonia Cornet Bertran was the daughter of coppersmiths from Reus. Gaudi was the youngest of five children he outlived two sisters and two brothers.

Gaudí grew up with his family in the small town of Reus on the north east coast of Spain. His childhood was made particularly difficult by a painful rheumatic problem that stayed with him throughout his life. In adulthood doctors recommended a vegetarian diet and regular gentle exercise to ease the most extreme symptoms, but during his childhood Gaudí was unable to walk unassisted for substantial distances, or enjoy energetic play with his peers. It would seem that Gaudí's close observation and examination of the natural world began to develop at this early stage of his life.

Following an early education in Reus, Gaudí started his formal education at Col.legi de les Escoles Píes at the age of 11. The religious teachings and good, solid education he received gave Gaudí a firm grasp of a range of subjects. Although he did not excel in any specific area, his bright, inquiring intelligent mind was already clearly apparent and developing towards the levels of genius he would later attain.

A year after the sudden death of his mother in 1867 Gaudí left Reus to study architecture at the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura in Barcelona. Over the next decade he worked hard on his architectural courses continually researching around the subject, as he believed a comprehensive approach was the answer to fundamental architectural restrictions. He was eager to discover the diverse ideas put forward in the philosophy, history, economics and aesthetics of 19th Century Spain.