Barcelona's Casa Batllo facade full of roses to celebrate Sant Jordi

Casa Batllo, a renowned building in Spain's Barcelona designed by modernist architect Antoni Gaudi, had its balconies full of roses on Saturday to celebrate the day of Sant Jordi, patron saint of Catalonia.

Sant Jordi coincides with the International Book Day and this year it is the 400th death anniversary of three great writers of world literature, Spain's Miguel de Cervantes, Britain's William Shakespeare and China's Tang Xianzu.

In Catalonia, April 23 is associated with roses and books due to the legend: Sant Jordi killed the dragon and saved the princess. The knight gave her a rose born from the blood of the dragon. Then, people give books and roses to celebrate Sant Jordi.

Casa Batllo had its balconies with over a thousand roses, putting together tradition, legend and solidarity.

"Roses are made of polystyrene and they have been painted so if it rains, nothing happens," Ferran Martinez, who worked on Saturday at Casa Batllo, told Xinhua.

Gaudi represented the legend of Sant Jordi on his work, and the roof of the house, of which tiles have the form of scales, represents the back of a dragon pierced by the four-arm cross that evoke the sword of Sant Jordi.

On the top floor, a balcony flower-shaped represents the balcony of the princess, while other balconies represent other victims of the dragon.

Solidarity was represented by the sale of 2016 roses, whose earnings will go entirely to the Arrels Foundation, which works with homeless people.

"The minimum contribution is five euros, from that point, you could have a rose. Five euros is equivalent to having electricity and water. If people want to pay nine euros, it is equivalent to three dishes. If people want to pay 22 or more, this would be to pay electricity, water, an assistant and a bed," Martinez said.

"People sometimes give you higher than those figures, and they are very willing to give," he added.

It is estimated that in the city of Barcelona about 900 people are sleeping on the streets and 1,500 in public and private care centers.

Rose sales with solidarity purposes were present at many stands on Saturday and a sunny Saturday made thousands of people take the streets of Barcelona.

The books were also a key aspect on Saturday, along with the signatures of several authors that caused long queues in several stands. The city also held concerts, markets and different activities creating a very festive atmosphere. Endit