La Sagrada Familia

You have never been to anything like this before. I don't care how many soaring European cathedrals you have dutifully visited in your lifetime-- if you haven't seen La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, you haven't truly felt awe.

The hubs and I were so lucky to have found an apartment just a block away from this soaring cathedral. We could look out our bedroom window and see the scaffolding around one of the towers, and it was so cool to stop by the little park in front of La Sagrada Familia on our way back from a full day of walking around the city. This is Gaudi's masterpiece, even if several artists have put their own interpretations and styles into the design. The cathedral is planned to be completed in 2026, but who knows if that will actually be the case. Regardless, it was very cool to know that we were seeing history being built before our very eyes. How often do we get the chance to see the "Before" shots of a historical, architectural masterpiece?

Truthfully, I don't even know where to begin for this post. There are so many details, so many wonderful parts of this place that it's hard to sort through them all. But here goes! The religious icons all over the cathedral are heartbreakingly emotional, and the Passion Facade was one of my favorite aspects of La Sagrada Familia.

Inside, it's though you've stepped into a magical forest, with trees arching up over you with whimsical treetops forming a canopy overhead. You can't help put stop in your tracks and let your head fall back as you try to take in the details around you.

The soft sunlight filters through the windows, filling the archways and spilling beautiful warm light inward. The stained glass casts an especially beautiful glow, and the rainbow light makes you want to stay there a while, trying to understand how something could be so beautiful.

The Nativity Facade has such a distinct look. While the familiar scenes of the nativity are recognizable, it's the dripping wax look of the overall facade that really captured my attention. It has such a distinct look, almost unsettling, yet so cool regardless.

There are so many details to take in that it's impossible to remember them all. I just know that this was an unforgettable experience, and I will absolutely return one day. Barcelona spoke to me on so many levels, and La Sagrada Familia is too magnificent not to visit again. Who knows when it will actually be completed and what our lives will be like at that point, but no matter what, we'll be back to bask in the stained glass sunlight.

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Gaudi's Barcelona

At last, the final phase of my honeymoon recap from Barcelona! I can't believe that I have let it drag on for this long, but I suppose it's better late than never.

Barcelona enthralled us, and we both fell in love with the city-- hard. There's something about Barcelona that just makes you want to swirl a glass of wine, linger over tapas, and rave about Gaudí, no? Our apartment happened to be just down the street from one of the city's gems, La Sagrada Familia, so we were treated to a bit of modernism at its best every time we peeked out our bedroom window. Hey, life could be worse.

While I cannot do justice to an explanation of modernist architecture, let me just say that it is magnificent. While art deco can woo me and make yearn for Gatsby, art nouveau, with its swirls and incorporation of natural lines, is just another world. I love how the modernists like Gaudí took those lines and transformed them into such a distinct style.

We began by touring the Palau Güell, the mansion of the Güell family, who were Gaudí's benefactors. It was amazing to see how the family lived, and I enjoyed seeing their main parlor where people were invited to Mass and could hear the giant organ playing above them.The hubs and I opted to do the audio guide tour, and I'm glad that we were able to learn more about the history of the home and the family as we walked around. I would definitely recommend the audio tour!

 

After our peek into the lifestyles of the rich and famous, the hubs and I wandered around the city to catch glimpses of more modernist architecture. It's amazing that what we consider to be amazing art from the sidewalks actually serves as a home to many Barcelonans. Can you imagine being able to look out at the city from one of these ornate windows as you sip your morning coffee? Casa Batlló is one of the most dramatic, and the balconies remind me of theatre masks.

Casa Milá was next on our agenda, and while it doesn't have the same pizzazz as Casa Batlló, it's still a beautiful building, and I love its soft curves. These works of art stand proudly along the streets, reminders of the artists who have called Barcelona home, and I would be totally okay with marveling at them all day long.

We could have walked the streets of Barcelona for days on end and still been amazed by the architecture around us. It is an artful city, and the spirit of Gaudí lives on. I would love to learn even more about modernism overall, as I certainly like what I know of it thus far. Then we will just have to go back to Barcelona and revisit our favorite places with our newfound knowledge. Great plan, right?

As wonderful as our architecture tour was up to this point, the best was yet to come with our tour of La Sagrada Familia, the famous cathedral begun by Gaudí that is yet to be completed. That, however, is a tale for another time and another post.... stay tuned! :)

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