Greetings Steemit Friends!

Every year Barcelona (the capital of Catalonia, Spain) tops the travel destination lists as one of the "the best of the best" to see, do and experience in Western Europe.

And for good reason! The city and region's delicious food and drink, spectacular art and architecture, sunny Mediterranean climate and warm hospitality are NOT to be missed.

Today, I'm sharing with you a few of my photos from a springtime visit to one of Barcelona's most famous and fantastical architectural landmarks, the Sagrada Família.

If you only have time to make it to one of Antoni Gaudí's modernist works, this should be at the top of your picks.

Gaudí was one of the most influential and important figures of Modernisme (a.k.a. the Modernista movement, or Catalan modernism) and perhaps one of the world's greatest 20th century architects.

The view of the Basilica from Plaça de la Sagrada Família.

The Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família is a minor basilica in the Roman Catholic church. It's Gaudí's monumental life's work and his former home of fourteen years. After his death in 1926 (at the age of 73), it also became his final resting place.

Construction first began in 1883 and today, it's still in progress, 134 years later. The basilica was consecrated in 2010 and its expected completion date is presently somewhere in the ballpark of 2026 - 2028. Both private and ticket donations help to fund its €25 million euro per year construction budget.

Visiting the Sagrada Família is like opening a portal to Barcelona's past, present and future...

Which reminds me of the important topic of how much of time you'll want to spend actually sightseeing vs. idly waiting in the basilica's llllooonnnnnngggggg ticketing lines.

No, seriously. The ticketing lines can absorb most of your time (possibly a couple of hours) if you DON'T PLAN AHEAD. Also, you'll be standing OUTSIDE and the Spanish sun can be hot during the warmer months and rain is always wet.

Tip 💡

Do yourself a favor. Buy tickets online in advance! If you're already in Barcelona and can't do it yourself, request assistance from your hotel's concierge desk.

Another time saving tip (if you're visiting as an "individual") is to NOT take a guided tour of the basilica. Instead, buy tickets that include the self-guided "audioguide". 🎧

Check the local weather and dress accordingly ☂️ and DO wear comfy walking/standing shoes! 👟

Okay, now that you're ready, we'll be viewing both the INTERIOR and the EXTERIOR of the basilica. We'll start with the latter...

This is probably the most "famous" façade of the church, known as the the Nativity façade. There are three façades; only two are complete.

This façade was finished in 1930 and is the most complete part of Gaudí's basilica and it was the only part built while he was alive. The four spires (to me, they look like inverted ice cream cones) are the Bell towers and they represent four apostles (or the gospels of four apostles... 🤔 hmmmm).

The stone used to construct the Nativity façade towers is sandstone from Montjuïc in Barcelona. This material has become scarce as the Montjuïc quarries have now closed.

Also seen in the Nativity façade is the portal of faith, the portal of hope and the portal of charity.

"The Nativity façade celebrates the birth of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God made man. It is also referred to as the façade of Life, of Joy, or of Christmas. It is inspired by the gospels about the childhood of Jesus: Lk 1:5-2:51; Mt 1-2."

The Nativity façade and the Crypt of the Basilica of the Sagrada Família have been declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites (as well as another six works by Gaudí).

Above is a glimpse of the austere Passion façade by artist Josep Maria Subirachs. It was completed between the years of 1986 and 2000.

It may also be a side view of the flagellation scene but I'm not totally sure. What I am certain of is that's one helluva stone-cold expression! Yikes!

Now, we've entered the INTERIOR of the basilica and are exploring its nave.

The awe-inspiring nave was just recently inaugurated in 2010.

Gaudí designed and engineered the nave to feature a forest of fluted pillars with supportive branching columns. It's as beautiful as it is functional.

To Gaudí, sunlight was a symbol of God. Skylights allow natural light to penetrate the tree-like columns and pillars below...

See the rounded capitals of the main columns with the bubbly, elliptical lights in the photo above? This unique architectural form is called an ellipsoid.

Above is Gaudí's altar canopy. Admittedly, I had very mixed emotions when I was viewing this....

Another form unique to Gaudí's "new architecture" is the helicoid. According to the iconography of the architect "they represent the rising movement that links the earth with heaven."

Helicoids can be seen in the spiral staircases.

Gaudí said that "color was the expression of life". I couldn't agree more, Mr. Gaudí...

Each and every surface has a sculptural relief....

The photo above is a view of the subterranean Neo-Gothic crypt below. This is where you'll find Gaudí's burial tomb..

"It also has a central altar with an altarpiece by the sculptor Josep Llimona, and four chapels dedicated to the Virgin of El Carmen (the site of Gaudí's tomb), Christ, the Virgin of Montserrat, and Christ on the cross (the site of the tomb of Josep María Bocabella, who was responsible for the idea of building La Sagrada Familia). The floor of the crypt is bordered by a Roman mosaic with images of wheat and vines."

Now, looking directly above, upwards to the heavens... it's not surprising to learn that Gaudí was nicknamed "God's architect"...

We've explored the nave of the interior but there's more to see. On the lower level of the Sagrada Família you'll find the museum.

It's certainly worth a walk through! The space was formerly Gaudí's studio workshop and his on-site home.

Here, you'll view Gaudí's original sketches, maquettes (remnants of models and the 3D printing of new ones) and much more.

You'll also find exhibits detailing the careers of both Antoni Gaudí and the original architect of the Sagrada Família, Francesc de Paula Villar i Lozano.

Now that we saw the sights of Barcelona... Next, how about a taste...

Tapas and cava anyone? 🥘🍷😋

Have you visited the Sagrada Família?

Thanks for commenting, upvoting and resteeming this post! I hope my post will inspire you to explore somewhere new. Until next time...

Cheers!

Michelle

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DISCOVER THE SAGRADA FAMILIA WITH ME IN BEAUTIFUL BARCELONA! 😎📷 (TRAVEL TOUR + PHOTOS)