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| Nativity Facade of the Sagrada Familia |
Howdy!
I'm here today to discuss my favorite piece of real estate, the Basilica de la Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain. I had the chance to spend five weeks in Barcelona over the summer, and while I was there, I went to la Sagrada Familia not once, but twice.
Ground was broken on the church in 1882, and Antoni Gaudi was given the job of chief architect in 1883 to put his distinctly Modernist spin on it. With almost no straight lines, numerous pine cone-inspired spires, and three facades each dedicated to a different facet of Christianity (The Nativity, the Passion, and the Glory), la Sagrada Familia is truly one of the most unique architectural works on Earth. Contrary to popular myth, Gaudi made extensive plans and models for his vision of the church. He knew his design was so complex and intricate that it would never be finished in his life-time, so he left his plans for later architects to follow, albeit with some of the more minute details, such as the sculptures on the unfinished facades, left to be decided by future architects. Gaudi's design for the church, as with all of his other works, took much of its inspiration from nature. From the pine-cone shaped spires to the turtle-shaped exterior column bases to the fruit adorning the spires to the tree-shaped interior columns, the influence of nature is unmistakable. Additionally, Gaudi used complex geometry to maximize interior space and light, utilizing a hyperbolic shape for the walls and a parabolic shape for the vaults.
Although Gaudi died before even the first facade was completed, it is the only one on which he had a direct influence. The realistic scenes on the facade depict the birth of Jesus, and the sculptures, as well as all the other details, take on as much life, texture, and detail as could be put into them. In contrast, the other completed facade, that of the Passion, is much more austere and abstract, depicting a very gaunt Jesus, along with faceless Roman soldiers and numerous harsh straight lines. The third facade, dedicated to the Glory of God, is currently under construction, and its exact design is not yet publicly known. When completed, the Glory facade will be the main facade of the church. Gaudi's design features 17 spires, one for each of the apostles, one for the Virgin Mary, one for each of the Evangelists, and lastly, one dedicated to Jesus. When finished, la Sagrada Familia will be the tallest church in the world.
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| The Passion Facade |
I have been to Rome and Florence and seen some of the most famous churches and cathedrals in the world, and there is absolutely nothing that can compare to la Sagrada Familia. The incredible detail, both inside and outside, is unmatched by anything on Earth. Gaudi was a very devout Catholic, and that can be sensed from his design, through which he hoped to glorify God in every detail. La Sagrada Familia was Gaudi's attempt to reach heaven through architecture. When I walked around the two completed facades, I realized that it was almost impossible to see every minute detail and architectural feature. I spent almost an hour just trying to take it all in. But, for as amazing as the facades are, the interior is even more splendid. Both times I visited, my breath was actually taken away as soon as I set foot inside the church. I am not particularly religious, but I couldn't help but feel a certain sense of reverence and spirituality inside. Everywhere you look, there is more detail than you can perceive. I could look at the same spot three times and see something new each time, and I even saw new, recurring features upon my second visit. Rather than having discrete, spaced out windows, the stained glass extends almost the entire length of the building, basking the entire interior in brilliant, multicolored light at all times of day. And even the ceiling has certain recurring features that are difficult to entirely take in.
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| The ceiling |
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| The continuous stained glass |
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| View from the main doors up the nave |
-Tucker
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