Restroom Ratings » Spain

La Sagrada Familia

Jon — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

One of Spain’s and certainly Barcelona’s best known landmarks is the neo-neo-gothic spires of the totemic La Sagrada Familia. Rising over the Bohemian city, the stalagmite inspired modernista masterpiece has become a symbol and an icon despite being several decades from completion. It’s restrooms, as they now exist, fall somewhat short of the undulating curves and glorious adornments seen throughout the church. Chalk it up to Gaudi’s workroom being set aflame by anarchists in the 1930’s and having all of his precious restroom plans destroyed or chalk it up to the fact that this is a 150-year work in progress. The entire site is under construction and it’s likely in a few years this restroom may be upgraded to a complete architectural makeover.

Despite large crowds, this restroom located near the entrance to the Gaudi museum (in the basement, near where Gaudi’s body lies), was quiet and modestly clean. The porcelain was sleek and modern but the narrow door, exposed pipework and dated tile made me believe better things are yet to come.

Alcazar de la Puerta de Sevilla

Jon — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

While it is doubtful the Carthaginians had electric hand-dryers and running water in 900 BC, you can bet this fortified city fortress structure had some serious extreme makeover action when the plumb-crazy (aqueducts everywhere!) bath maniac Romans conquered and made this ancient structure their own in later years. Since then, it’s seen a few more conquerings and the makeovers that go along with that sort of thing. While the rooftop of this crucial fortress features important structures such as battlements, merlons, and murder holes (you know, where you pour the hot oil), perhaps the most important structure during this time of peace is the rooftop restroom, accessible down a short and narrow set of stairs. Beware the dangerously splashy high-pressure sink.

Palacio Real de Madrid

Jon — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

The largest palace in Western Europe, adorned in countless priceless works of art and craft from the ages, contains a somewhat less impressive restroom in it’s gift shop adjacent to the lift. The quaint squared urinals with lids are striking, but not so much as the glorious ceiling frescoes, magnificent chapel, Goya paintings, and intricate interiors of the palace. Also notable, yet not quite as notable as the world’s only complete Stradivarius string quintet, were the stylistic auto-sensors and flush mechanisms reminiscent of the concentric circles made from a drip of water. The stalls featured the "BACTERIOSTATICO" freshening device which seemed to be working quite well.

Oddly, while I was urinating a female janitor came in to restock the paper supplies.

Casa Mila

Jon — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

This architectural wonder, nicknamed La Pedrera or "The Quarry" due to it’s rock-like facade, features expressionistic organic forms and curves. While the restroom is set on a very unique footprint, it features a much more linear and geometic design. Given the small amount of space, it is quite impressive that there was ample room for 2 sinks, 3 urinals and and 2 complete toilet stalls with solid independent doors. Perhaps playing on the quarry theme, the sink marble and square floor tiles lent a certain geologic component. A very pungent yet sweet smell carried well beyond the restroom and could actually be smelled some 50 feet away.

Also worth noting is the original two fourth floor bathrooms which are roped off but are a great example of early 20th century restrooms, complete with high-tank flush toilets, bidets, claw-foot tubs and small water heaters.

Alcazar

Jon — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

The grand Alcazar complex in Seville is a treasure trove of beautiful buildings, stately rooms, peaceful courtyards, and labyrinthian hedges. Of course any majestic monument of this scale needs an accompanying restroom. The particular one I visited was located near the cafe off a quite branch of the courtyard. With doors wide open and accessible to the outside, it had more of the tone of a perhaps a campsite or public park restroom than the restroom of a royal palace where Columbus’s voyages to the New World were negotiated and charted. The sign reading "Please, do not throw toilet paper in to the W.C. Use the paper bin. Thanks" and the hard water stains on the floor only added to that notion. The men’s room soap dispenser had a broken lid and the women’s room was completely without soap.