The colorful Casa Batllo, a remodeled 19th century building, is one of Gaudi's many masterpieces in Barcelona. T house was originally built between 1875 and 1877. In 1900 it was bought by the rich industrialist Josep Battlo i Casanovas.Between 1904 and 1906 Gaudi redesigned the facade and roof, added an extra floor and completely remodeled the interior.The colorful scaled roof recalls a reptile skin.To some authorities on Gaudí architecture, the roof represents a dragon; the small turret with a cross would symbolize the sword of St. George stuck into the dragon.The local name for the building is Casa dels ossos (House of Bones), and indeed it does have a visceral, skeletal organic quality. It was originally designed for a middle-class family.