Architect Rock Star for God: Antoni Gaudí

You may find it strange to hear that I have passionate feelings for a dead, Spanish Catholic, of whom I've never seen so much as a picture. Perhaps it will make you feel a bit better to know that my husband introduced me to the object of my affection. It was August of 1993, and my then-boyfriend Eddie took me for a visit to see his family in Mallorca, Spain. It was my first trip to Europe, and we spent a few days in London on the way there--stopping in at a number of British churches as well as the cathedral in Palma. The influences of art history classes and being raised Catholic taught me that churches are an important part of any European tour, so when Eddie said we should also visit the cathedral in Barcelona, I agreed--despite the fact that I was melting in the 39-degree-Celsius heat (102.2 for the Fahrenheit inclined, although it was probably best I didn't know that at the time). There are, of course, a lot of churches in Barcelona, so I had no way of knowing that we were were headed to THE church: Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família (Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family).

Designed by Antoni Gaudí, construction of the cathedral started in 1882 and continues today. The church is paid for by private donations, rather than by the Catholic church, which I'd imagine allowed Gaudí some leeway on design (His design is allegedly still being used by the builders and architects today.). I've never seen a church even remotely like it in my travels. It's amazingly beautiful, even in its unfinished state.

For instance, take a look at two of the three entrances to the church (the third remains unconstructed as of yet):

Pictured on the left is a small portion of the ornate Nativity entrance on the East side of the church; it was completed first, which is the reason for its darker color. This is a close up, as the pictures I took from far away can't come near to showing what it's like. I find the natural elements, such as the cave's overhang and the tree above the holy family, remarkable. My favorite is the Passion entrance (right) on the West of the church, however. The angular, stylized figures have a bleak look to them that seems appropriate to an event that is saddening to Christians--the death of Jesus on the cross.

Here's a close up, which provides a better depiction of what I mean:

It's not just the entrances of the church that are ornate, though. The outside of the cathedral has interesting detail everywhere you look:

The towers, above left and also pictured in the opening photo of this posting, each contain a circular staircase. Eventually there will be 18 towers, representing the 12 apostles, 4 Evangelists, the Virgin Mary, and Jesus himself (the highest, central tower, of course). When Eddie and I first visited 16 years ago, one tower was open to the public, and visitors could ascend and descend this tower by staircase. Ever up to the challenge, Eddie climbed to the top, and he has never let me forget that I opted out of the climb (Remember the temperatures I mentioned earlier?), so on this visit I resolved that I would climb the tower regardless of weather. I was surprised (and pretty relieved, quite frankly) to find that climbing up the tower is no longer an option; instead, the two towers now open to the public are accessed by elevator, with the option of taking the staircase on the way down. So, for those of you who have climbed the towers of Sagrada Família on foot, you've done something no longer possible, and it appears Eddie will have the final bragging rights on this count.

On my recent visit, I did opt to walk down the staircase, of course, and was amazed by the view. As I wound my way down, I was alternately treated to views of Barcelona and the rooftops/facade of Sagrada Família. It's where I took many of the detail pictures, including these two:



















Clearly, the exterior of Sagrada Família is worth taking in. In fact, many tourists satisfy themselves by taking pictures from the other side of the fence, rather than waiting in line (Go early in the day to avoid the worst of the wait!) and paying the entrance fee. That's a bad decision, though, as the church's interior--although less complete--is equally breathtaking. Here's one shot that attempts to capture the majesty of the space:

This picture also hints at one thing I most love about Sagrada Família--the feeling of the natural world that is invoked by its shapes and lines. This nod toward the organic is common in Gaudí's work, and it's evident everywhere in this church: the Nativity entrance, the piles of fruit marking the rooftop (oranges shown above right), and the sinuous lines of the choir boxes. The most amazing example, though is the ceiling and pillars, which look like exotic flowers from some angles and a network of nerve endings and synapses from others:



















The ceiling was actually the most exciting thing for me to see on this recent visit to Sagrada Família. I recall that in 1993 the majority of the space was open to the elements, and on this visit the entire ceiling was more-or-less enclosed. This, I believe, is what makes Sagrada Família the most visited structure in all of Barcelona: the opportunity for visitors to witness the creation of something entirely unique. For, if buildings have a "life" of their own, Gaudí's Sagrada Família continues to grow and mature with every visit.

It's inspirational.


For further inspiration, follow this link to the official Sagrada Família website. Better yet, plan a trip to Barcelona to see this and many other amazing (Gaudí and non-Gaudí) sights for yourself. But be forewarned: you may fall in love with a dead, Spanish, rock-star architect as well.