Upon arrival in Barcelona, we had a panoramic tour of the city with a local guide who pointed out places of interest. However, it was raining cats and dogs, so I wasn’t able to fully appreciate the beauty that this city has to offer. Nonetheless, allow me to paint a picturesque canvass of what this city is really all about.
Panoramic View of Barcelona
In a privileged position on the northeastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula and the shores of the Mediterranean, Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain in both size and population. It is also the capital of Catalonia, 1 of the 17 Autonomous Communities that make up Spain. There are two official languages spoken in Barcelona: Catalan, generally spoken in all of Catalonia, and Castilian Spanish.
Barcelona, a 2,000-year-old master of the art of perpetual novelty, has catapulted to the rank of Spain's most-visited city. Well known as a cultural centre, it boasts splendid architecture, monuments, historical sites, natural resources, beaches and much more. It is a very modern, multicultural, cosmopolitan city. Almost 4.5 million people call Barcelona home. The city enjoys a prime location, bathed by the sea and has excellent transport links with the rest of Europe. Some people say that Barcelona is Spain's most European city because it is always open to new ideas and trends.
On the other hand, Barcelona is unequivocally a Mediterranean city, not only because of its geographic location but also and above all because of its history, tradition and cultural influences. There are monuments of Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance periods, but most characteristic is what has been built during the last 100 years. The city continues to evolve as a centre of design, as a gastronomic powerhouse, as an educational and business centre, and potentially the coolest city in the world. And one the world never tires of visiting.
Our first stop was Montjuic to see the Estadi Olimpic or Olympic Stadium Spain, site of exciting sporting events. In 1929, Montjuic hosted the International Exposition and began a large-scale construction process on the hill, one of the results of which was the Estadi Olimpic. Several years ago, Estadi Olimpic was used as a paddock for racing teams participating in the Spanish Grand Prix. Now this amazing facility, a must-see stop for any sports enthusiast, serves as a practice ground for the Espanyol football team. The Olympics transformed Montjuic and Barcelona again in 1992. The Olympic Stadium Spain underwent a transformation and was remodeled to seat 65,000 people.
Thereafter, we continued our panoramic tour by passing through Passeig de Gràcia, a major avenue in Barcelona which is also one of its most important shopping and business areas, containing several of the city's most celebrated pieces of architecture. In terms of the cost of renting or buying property anywhere in this avenue, Passeig de Gràcia is nowadays regarded as the most expensive street in Barcelona and also in Spain.
Then on to Diagonal Avenue, the longest avenue in Barcelona that cuts the city in two, diagonally from west to east (by Barcelona's compass), hence the name. Cool, eh?
And finally, we got off the bus to gaze in awe and wonder at the most-awaited La Sagrada Familia. By this time, the rains have stopped and the sun came out. We were blessed to have mass inside the Basilica, after which the local guide explained in detail the meaning and importance of each facade, which I will explain in detail below.
In a nutshell, the landmark is one of the most popular attractions in Spain, though its construction has taken more than 100 years and is still underway today. La Sagrada Familia is constantly evolving into a more stunning masterpiece.
La Sagrada Familia is dedicated to the Holy Family. Construction began in 1881, and architect Antoni Gaudi dedicated several years of his life to making it the “last great sanctuary of Christendom.” It is one of Gaudi’s most famous works in Barcelona. La Sagrada Familia is filled with Christian symbolism, with detailed sculptures and majestic spires adorning the facility. Some of the original ideas of Gaudi have been modified with the passage of time. Wars and anarchists have delayed its construction; however, the builders committed to finishing this great work are determined to see it to the end.
The estimated completion date of the La Sagrada Familia is approximately 2026, which will mark the 100th anniversary of Gaudi’s death. That might seem like a long time, but Gaudi meant for La Sagrada Familia to be quite unique. Many of its stones are shaped differently than the next, and must be sent off-site to be shaped accurately. Based on building techniques available in the early 1900s, it was once thought that construction would take several hundred years!
This great masterpiece is truly awe-inspiring that I want to dig deep into its history.
La Sagrada Família was the inspiration of a Catalan bookseller, Josep Maria Bocabella, founder of Asociación Espiritual de Devotos de San José (Spiritual Association of Devotees of St. Joseph). After a visit to the Vatican in 1872, Bocabella returned from Italy with the intention of building a church inspired by that at Loreto. The crypt of the church, funded by donations, was begun on March 1882 to the design of the architect, Francisco de Paula del Villar, whose plan was for a Gothic revival church of a standard form. Antoni Gaudí began work on the project in 1883. On March 1883, Villar retired from the project, and Gaudí assumed responsibility for its design, which he changed radically.
On the subject of the extremely long construction period, Gaudí is said to have remarked, "My client is not in a hurry." When Gaudí died in 1926, the basilica was between 15% and 25% complete. After Gaudí's death, work continued until interrupted by the Spanish Civil War in 1936. Parts of the unfinished basilica and Gaudí's models and workshop were destroyed during the war by Catalan anarchists. The present design is based on reconstructed versions of the lost plans as well as on modern adaptations. Since 1940 so many architects have carried on the work. The current director, Jordi Bonet i Armengol, has been introducing computers into the design and construction process since the 1980s.
One projection anticipates construction completion around 2026, the centennial of Gaudí's death, while the project's information leaflet estimates a completion date in 2017, accelerated by additional funding from visitors to Barcelona following the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Computer-aided design technology has been used to accelerate construction of the building, which had previously been expected to last for several hundred years, based on building techniques available in the early 20th century. Current technology allows stone to be shaped off-site by a CNC milling machine, whereas in the 20th century, the stone was carved by hand.
The main nave was covered and an organ installed in mid-2010, allowing the still unfinished building to be used for religious services. The church was consecrated by Pope Benedict XVI on November 7, 2010 in front of a congregation of 6,500 people, including King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia of Spain. A further 50,000 people followed the consecration Mass from outside the basilica, where more than 100 bishops and 300 priests were on hand to offer Holy Communion. No masses were allowed before its consecration. Therefore, we were really blessed to have come at such an opportune time because we have been allowed to have mass celebrated inside the Basilica.
Gaudí's original design calls for a total of 18 spires, representing in ascending order of height the 12 Apostles, the 4 Evangelists, the Virgin Mary and, tallest of all, Jesus Christ. Eight spires have been built as of 2010, corresponding to 4 apostles at the Nativity facade and 4 apostles at the Passion facade.
The Evangelists' spires will be surmounted by sculptures of their traditional symbols: a bull (St Luke), a winged man (St Matthew), an eagle (St John), and a lion (St Mark). The central spire of Jesus Christ is to be surmounted by a giant cross; the spire's total height (170m (560 ft)) will be one metre less than that of Montjuïc hill in Barcelona. The lower spires are surmounted by communion hosts with sheaves of wheat and chalices with bunches of grapes, representing the Eucharist. The completion of the spires will make Sagrada Família the tallest church building in the world.
The Church will have three grand façades: the Nativity façade to the East, the Passion façade to the West, and the Glory façade to the South (yet to be completed). The Nativity Façade was built before work was interrupted in 1935 and bears the most direct Gaudí influence. The Passion façade is especially striking for its spare, gaunt, tormented characters, including emaciated figures of Christ being scourged at the pillar; and Christ on the Cross. These controversial designs are the work of Josep Maria Subirachs. The Glory façade, on which construction began in 2002, will be the largest and most monumental of the three and will represent one's ascension to God. It will also depict various scenes such as Hell, Purgatory, and will include elements such as the Seven Deadly Sins and the Seven Heavenly Virtues.
Nativity Façade
Constructed between 1894 and 1930, the Nativity façade was the first façade to be completed. Dedicated to the birth of Jesus, it is decorated with scenes reminiscent of elements of life. Characteristic of Gaudí's naturalistic style, the sculptures are ornately arranged and decorated with scenes and images from nature, each a symbol in their own manner. For instance, the three porticos are separated by two large columns, and at the base of each lies a turtle or a tortoise (one to represent the land and the other the sea; each are symbols of time as something set in stone and unchangeable). In contrast to the figures of turtles and their symbolism, two chameleons can be found at either side of the façade, and are symbolic of change.
The façade faces the rising sun to the northeast, a symbol for the birth of Christ. It is divided into three porticos, each of which represents a theological virtue (Hope, Faith and Charity). The Tree of Life rises above the door of Jesus in the portico of Charity. Four towers complete the façade and are each dedicated to a Saint (Matthias the Apostle, Saint Barnabas, Jude the Apostle, and Simon the Zealot).
Gaudí chose this façade to embody the structure and decoration of the whole church. He was well aware that he would not finish the church and that he would need to set an artistic and architectural example for others to follow. He also chose for this façade to be the first on which to begin construction and for it to be, in his opinion, the most attractive and accessible to the public.
Passion Façade
In contrast to the highly decorated Nativity Façade, the Passion Façade is austere, plain and simple, with ample bare stone, and is carved with harsh straight lines to resemble a skeleton if it were reduced to only bone. Dedicated to the Passion of Christ, the suffering of Jesus during his crucifixion, the façade was intended to portray the sins of man. Construction began in 1954, following the drawings and instructions left by Gaudí for future architects and sculptors. The towers were completed in 1976, and in 1987 a team of sculptors, headed by Josep Maria Subirachs, began work sculpting the various scenes and details of the façade. They aimed to give a rigid, angular form to provoke a dramatic effect. Gaudí intended for this façade to strike fear into the onlooker. He wanted to "break" arcs and "cut" columns, and to use the effect of chiaroscuro (dark angular shadows contrasted by harsh rigid light) to further show the severity and brutality of Christ's sacrifice.
Facing the setting sun, indicative and symbolic of the death of Christ, the Passion Façade is supported by 6 large and inclined columns, designed to resemble sequoia trunks. Above there is a pyramidal pediment, made up of 18 bone-shaped columns, which culminate in a large cross with a crown of thorns. Each of the four towers is dedicated to an apostle (James, Thomas, Philip, or Bartholomew) and, like the Nativity Façade, there are three porticos, each representing the theological virtues, though in a much different light.
Glory Façade
The largest and most striking of the facades will be the Glory Façade, on which construction began in 2002. It will be the principal façade and will offer access to the central nave. Dedicated to the Celestial Glory of Jesus, it represents the road to God: Death, Final Judgment, and Glory, while Hell is left for those who deviate from God's will. Aware that he would not live long enough to see this façade completed, Gaudí made only a general sketch of what the façade would look like. He intended for the church, like many cathedrals and facades throughout history, not only to be completed by other architects but also to incorporate other architectural and artistic styles.
To reach the Glory Portico, there will be a large staircase, which will create an underground passage beneath Carrer Mallorca, representing hell and vice. It will be decorated with demons, idols, false gods, heresy and schisms, etc. Purgatory and death will also be depicted, the latter using tombs along the ground. The portico will have 7 large columns dedicated to spiritual gifts. The base of the columns will be representations of the Seven Deadly Sins, and at the top, The Seven Heavenly Virtues.
If you will be amazed at the cathedral’s exterior, wait until you step inside when a sense of awe and wonder immediately cranks up by several magnitudes. The interior is like being in some ethereal forest where slender cream and polished granite clad columns soar upward to branch-like trees that support a forest canopy of giant downward-facing stars or flowers. And the streaming light and modern windows, some plain glass and some stained, complete the scene. And as your gaze continues to wander around, you will be continually drawn to those gorgeous fluted columns following them up to that amazing vaulted ceiling, and realizing at the same time the total inadequacy of words to describe the vision being experienced. Trying to capture it on film is well nigh impossible.
Above the main altar
At the center of the church, looking up at the ceiling
Today, cash receipts from tourist visitors and public donations mean the Sagrada project is self-supporting, which explains why the citizens of Barcelona have such a phlegmatic attitude toward the length of time the Cathedral is taking to build. But it was not always that way and in the early stage of construction (1909), dissatisfaction among Barcelona’s poor, coupled with perceptions of Church wealth, exploded into rioting, and many religious buildings in the city were attacked and destroyed. However, the name Antoni Gaudi carried sufficient respect to ensure that the Sagrada was free from the attention of rampaging mobs. Perhaps in the light of those upheavals, we can see the Sagrada Familia – in addition to its dedicatory name – standing as a symbol of the institution of the family: under attack by unholy things and yet still surviving basically intact. Maybe the building will never be finished but will stand instead as a symbol of our own lives, our own spiritual journeys; works in progress, largely unfinished until such time as life ends when at last our spiritual houses will be judged complete, one way or another.
Perhaps, La Sagrada Familia, even in its incomplete state, has to fall into the category of being one of the man-made wonders of the world. So, does it really matter if in another 200 years it still remains unfinished? I don’t think it does. After all, several hundred years is not outside the norm for completing many of Europe’s most famous cathedrals. Besides, whenever Antoni Gaudi was asked why he persisted with a project he would never live to see completed, he would invariably reply, "My Master is in no hurry."
Leaving the church and back on the bus, we checked in, and had dinner, at our hotel, Hotel Catalonia Suite, where Grace and I were blessed to have a suite, instead of a room. Blessings galore….. Yes, indeed!!!
To Be Continued....
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