Gaudi's Sagrada Familia

Originally designed and started by Francesc de Paula Villar, Antoni Gaudi was given the project of Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) when Villar had a falling out with the project's consultant. The year was 1883, and 31 year old Gaudi would work on this cathedral for 43 years of his life until his death in 1926.

I had the opportunity to see this magnificent structure last October when I visited Barcelona. To this day, the structure is not complete. But, plans for the finished construction is expected in 2028 -- some 146 years after the project started in 1882 with Villar. Believe me, it will make an impression on you.

This picture does not do justice to this structure. Once up close, I marveled at the intricacies of the carvings depicting the stories from the Bible and the Holy Family. Carvings are extended upward and outward at every crevice. I should mention that there are also depictions of mythology within the carvings.

 These three examples show the stone carvings in the neo-Gothic style.

Now, if you look closely to the large cathedral pictured above, you see the crevices where the stone carvings have been placed. This covers a major portion of the cathedral.

Gaudi's death, Spain's Civil War and World
War II halted the Sagrada Familia until 1954. Then, in 1986 Josep Maria Subirachs began fervently again to finish the cathedral. His style is abstract and this style covers another major portion of the cathedral.

The photo below is the expected finished project as many people from around the world study the design of the completed Sagrada Familia.

I do want to go back to Barcelona and to see the Sagrada Familia completed in 2028. And I hope to see it a few times in between because I fell in love with Barcelona.

Tomorrow I am going to take you inside the Sagrada Familia, before showing you later this week the Barcelona I fell in love with. 

Until tomorrow...have a great day!