Sagrada Familia Church, Barcelona, Spain
Antonio Gaudi died under the wheels of a tram and was to be buried in an unknown grave. Yet, he is known for his Barcelona Gaudi Architecture – Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, Casa Milà, Casa Batlló in Barcelona. He was an enthusiast of the nineteenth century popular style of Art Nouveau, a style celebrating art for art’s sake. A style that did not relate to any designs of the past. The style was an invention of a new kind of ornament based on the asymmetrical flowing lines of plant forms. Gaudi impressed the architectural community with his wild, vehement and whimsical forms of the curls and furls of the style. The stone and iron used in his work were bent and warped creating surfaces of great complexity that flow like molten lava. He used outlandish, original, colored mosaics and toyed with ideas in architecture, both interior and exterior, that bring visitors and tourists to Barcelona by the millions.
Unless you have been there, you cannot possibly imagine the overwhelming pomposity, grandeur, and fantasy of this church. I have traveled the world over, from the USA to England, Portugal, Mexico, Spain, Bangladesh, Africa, and to other countries. I have seen churches, I have studied churches, I have painted churches . . . and to clarify before you have a chance to verify, the churches I painted were on canvas. Never have I seen, explored, or experienced any like Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia. His work has been described as “melted butter.” The towers here, in the above image, with the rippling contours of the stone facade make it look as though Sagrada Familia is melting in the sun.
Façade
The holy figures of stone imbedded into the fascia are unbelievable. From afar, the details blur some. This image shows the details. The church began its life in 1882. From 1883 Gaudi worked on the architecture until his death. He left a legacy of information. The church, in the lower level, has models, architectural drawings, and yards and yards and yards of information to continue building to completion. And so it goes. There are always cranes on site. Always workers on site, always lines of onlookers on site. The church is open to the public everyday all year except for Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Death
Gaudí’s funeral (12 June 1926)
On 7 June 1926, Gaudí was taking his daily walk to the Sant Felip Neri church for his habitual prayer and confession. While walking along the Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes between Girona and Bailén streets, he was struck by a passing tram and lost consciousness.[48] Assumed to be a beggar because of his lack of identity documents and shabby clothing, the unconscious Gaudí did not receive immediate aid. Eventually a police officer transported him in a taxi to the Santa Creu Hospital, where he received rudimentary care.[49] By the time that the chaplain of the Sagrada Família, Mosén Gil Parés, recognised him on the following day, Gaudí’s condition had deteriorated too severely to benefit from additional treatment. Gaudí died on 10 June 1926 at the age of 73 and was buried two days later. A large crowd gathered to bid farewell to him in the chapel of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the crypt of the Sagrada Família.
- Mosaics section
Gaudi is dead, long live Gaudi.
Roof architecture at Casa Batllo
The towers of Sagrada Familia can be seen from almost everywhere in Barcelona. Buildings . . .architecture, set the tone, the culture, for a town, a city, a country. Architecture is a live, breathing, functioning sculpture. You cannot hold it in your hand, but you can become part of it. You can love it, hate it, tolerate it, but like it or not, architecture sets the pace by which you live and survive.
Are you familiar with the architecture surrounding you? Are you aware that architecture is public art?
very nice article. I will surely travel Barcelona next month
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This makes me want to go to Barcelona!
Thanks Toni, it would make an amazing trip. The people are friendly, and mostly everyone speaks English. If you know Catalan, you’ll be all set. Imagine, they have their own language, but some speak Spanish. The city is covered with the Gaudi style. Benches, street lights, you can become part of his work.
It is amazing. And photos never do something like this justice. So if it is amazing in picture, I can only imagine how I would feel in its presence.
I remember walking through Florence, Italy and turning the corner to the Basilica. My mind couldn’t wrap around what I was seeing. The colors, the magnitude…a camera can’t grab it all correctly. You have to see it in person. All I could do was stand there and be in awe. And remember how it felt forever.
Katy, thanks, you are so right. I taught about Gaudi for years, but exploring his architecture was a trip. I always wanted to see his buildings made of butter. I was in Italy and felt the same. The Basilica is amazing. The designs have influenced the architectural community since it was built. Thomas Jefferson’s house has the dome as did Palladio who influenced Jefferson and others to this day. The paths are fascinating. The Art Nouveau Period didn’t last, that’s Gaudi’s era. We always seem to go back to simplicity.
Amazing, Gail. I was in Barcelona last summer and stood in front of the Sagrada Familia looking through a pair of binoculars so I could examine the architectural and artistic detail. After almost an hour, I still hadn’t taken in one tenth of the incredible intricacies of Gaudi’s spectacular facade. A truly magnificent feat of architectural and artistic genius. Thanks for sharing the history with us.
Thanks Paula, Right on . . . I remember you went to Barcelona. You sent me your photos. I enjoyed the travel log. We were there in May 2010 for two weeks. We hired a driver who took us everywhere, including Granda. That was a fantastic way to see Spain. Every tour we reviewed was limiting. After teaching about architecture for so many years, I wanted to see all. There was not enough time. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
Thanks for the great education on awesome building, Gail! Maybe someday I’ll make it over to Europe!
Thanks Casey. It was truly amazing to stand in front of his work. To see and feel his presence. We visited all we could to stand in, walk in, look at and enjoy what he designed, what he built.
As soon as I saw those spires, I thought of the Watts Towers. http://www.wattstowers.us/history.htm
I haven’t been to Barcelona or LA, but we live in a wonderful age of pictures and images everywhere.
How was Gaudi’s work received during his lifetime?
Thanks Rhonda, He was an influential figure. Here he was hired by the Guell family. The Works of Antoni Gaudí represent the creative architectural works of this Modernist architect from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Gaudí was born in 1852, and died 74 years later in Barcelona. From the 1880s he did a lot of work for the Güell family, who supported him with money and gave him freedom in his work.
The designated World Heritage Site consists of the following works by Gaudí:
– Parque Güell
– Palacio Güell
– Casa Mila
– Casa Vicens
– Nativity Façade and Crypt of the Sagrada Familia
– Casa Batlló
– Crypt at the Colònia Güell
This Sam played with his towers in his lifetime which was when architecture was changing. Modernism came in strong through the Bauhaus, the war happened, and his towers were Gaudi like. I think the timing did not work. Could be that he was inspired by Gaudi.
Hi Gail,
Great article. I have been to the wonderful city of Barcelona and have seen this overwhelming cathedral. It is HUGE. To me it looked like someone flung hands full of wet mud or clay which hangs in clumps around the figures and statuary. For me, it was hideious and grand at the same time. You really can’t appreciate it close up but need to be close to see the detail. It’s an oxymoron in and of itself. They say it will be complete in about 75 years. I would have loved to see that.
I love your apt descriptions of this amazing architectural feat. It was an important time of growth for the architectural community. Gaudi was willing to play with form, and play he did. He not only mixed mud and clay, and other materials, but styles as well. He borrowed from the Moors and plant life with its tendrils,spirals and s-curves. The original section was the most overwhelming, dark and ominous. It could be that it needs to be cleaned.