Gaudi

Anne approaches Sagrada Familia

Barcelona is a beautiful city that has inspired and been shaped by many artists.  Notably, both Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali spent time in Barcelona and both of their legacies are well represented there.  However, the 800 pound artistic gorilla in Mark's, Anne's and Bren's trip to Barcelona was Gaudi.

Antoni Gaudi was an architect and artist who had begun work on the Sagrada Familia, massive church, in the late nineteenth century.  He worked on it until his death in 1926.  Since then others have continued the work, although interruptions due to war, money and various other issues have slowed its progress.  It is still not completed (the cranes in the photo above are there doing original construction, not renovations) and in fact, the authorities do not anticipate a completion of the church until 2026, the centennial of the death of Gaudi.

But it is difficult to get too hung up on the fact that the work is still in progress.  There is more than enough there to look at now.

Both the inside and outside of the church (actually, as of 2010, the pope consecrated the Sagrada Familia and named it a 'basilica,' so calling it a "church" might be a bit too informal) are wildly impressive.  The exterior has four main spires and several shorter ones, each covered from base to tip with intricate carvings and artwork.  On the interior, the building is supported by a variety of different forms of columns, each decorated with a unique vision.  The stained glass is still a work in process being made by another artist, but under the instructions left by Gaudi.  Similarly, much of the intricate artwork is being completed by artists under the guidance of Gaudi's original plans.

But Gaudi was not limited in his creations to churches.  He actually made quite a name for himself designing other buildings.  There are a number of apartment buildings throughout Barcelona designed by him that tourists stop and gawk at every day (Anne, Mark and Bren were limited to gawking, as the idea of paying 9 Euro to enter the lobby of an apartment building - ANY apartment building - seemed a bit crazy).

If the Sagrada Familia ("Holy Family") Basilica is Gaudi's most famous work, a close second has to be the Park Guell.

The park, which was originally intended to be a housing development (it actually was a huge failure in that regard), sits on a hill overlooking the city and the sea.  The park itself was designed by Gaudi and contains a full sensory overload, which seems to be a Gaudi trademark in Barcelona.

View from the guard's house.

The sea serpent guards the main entrance to the park, and has become a bit of a mascot for the park and the city itself (well, at least for the souvenir shops).  The park is rather spacious and has areas where a visitor could fine quiet and solitude.  However, the main part of the park is lively and dynamic.  During their visit, Anne, Bren and Mark heard two different local bands and enjoyed the talents of multiple street park performers