Gaudi the artist has several works of art in the form of buildings spread throughout Barcelona, unfortunately he died in the 1930’s prior to completing the church, however he did leave behind models and drawings of the finished design, even more unfortunately many of these were destroyed during the Spanish revolution, as his workshop within the church was set afire. However, his apprentices and other master builders were able to salvage or remember the designs and set about finishing the church. Gaudi was a naturalist and incorporated many shapes from nature in his designs, but with artistic flourishes. It’s hard to believe he was designing in such a way in the early 1900’s, they really appear more modernist.
La Sagrada Familia is an amazing church initially designed by Antoni Gaudi in the late 1800’s-early 1900’s, one that is still being completed to this day!! They say it is finally close to being completed, only another 20 years or so to go! (I’d bet on the ‘or so’ personally…). This is the one place that everyone says if you can only see one thing in Barcelona, then this is it. And it doesn’t disappoint, it is unlike any church you have ever seen.
Amazing exterior of the church, the traditional spires in a non traditional way
Taking a photo of the scale model
From the amazing facades of the church, the front is the “Passion” and the back the “Nativity” I’m not much of a church goer, much more of an architecture lover, but these scenes are unlike any I’ve seen at other churches and quite powerful, yet quite avant-garde
Magnificent stained glass
Interiors of the church, church pillars, inspired by tree trunks, the “branch ” structures also made for better support.
Kind of looks like batman, but it’s a saint
Jesus on the cross
View of the ceiling looking up
I overheard a guide say that the most work was done in the last 20 years, partially due to Gaudi’s death and the partial destruction of his models and drawings in the 1940’s and that the parts of the interior didn’t have a roof until the last ten years.
I look forward to visiting again to see what else unfolds. And a tip, buy tickets online, will save you a 2 hour wait to get in!
Another Gaudi designed building is the apartments known as La Pedrera, commissioned by a wealthy family as their personal residence as well as rental and ground level retail space. It is unlike any building I’ve ever seen
Here is the roof where function meets … whimsy(?)
Water towers and chimneys reimagined
Interior courtyard, looking down from above
From below up
In the attic
Casa Batlló is another building he designed
In addition he designed parks that emphasized his take on natural forms all in the 1910’s, will have to check them out next time!
I also went to the Picasso museum, but no photos were allowed. Barcelona was where Picasso spent many of his teen years, attending art school in Barcelona and visiting the brothels by the harbor, which inspired one of his earliest and most famous works, “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon”