Jennifer Noxon

Great food, art, architecture, smart urban planning, walkability, and intriguing would be my words to describe our recent urban holiday in Barcelona. Even in November? Yup. In fact, the weather was so perfect I can’t imagine it being better…except that perhaps in the spring there’d be more flowers and the trees would be greener.  The city is welcoming, accessible, loaded with things to do if you want museums and art galleries, fascinating for destination-less exploring, safe (except it does have a reputation for lots of pickpocket), and fun. The people we encountered were polite, gracious, and laid back for city dwellers.

Then, there’s architect/artist Antonio Gaudi, Gaudi, and more Gaudi if you choose. I was left totally speechless after visiting the church of La Sagrada Familia. The expiatory church of La Sagrada Família is a work on a grand scale which was begun on 19 March 1882 from a project by the diocesan architect Francisco de Paula del Villar (1828-1901). At the end of 1883, Gaudí was commissioned to carry on the works, a task which he did not abandon until his death in 1926. Since then different architects have continued the work after his original idea. Though I’m sure certain some buildings and works of art have suffered at the hands of too many generations of ‘cooks’, I think this is an exception. I would like to think Gaudi is smiling in his grave, and proud of the accomplishments of all those who have contributed to this massive construction project.

The church should be considered one of the great wonders of the world. La Sagrada Familia moved me more than any other cathedral, temple or church I have visited. I often feel a sense of foreboding, detachment, and sadness in these buildings, but the jaw-dropping blend of geometry, design, imagination, craftsmanship, and attention to detail in La Sagrada Familia left me inspired, uplifted, hopeful, and humbled. The web site is very informative in case you can’t get there to see it any time soon. It’ll take a few more years to complete – so there’s no rush. The elevator trip up into one of the towers is well worth the wait – and the walk back down the narrow staircase, complete with views of ongoing construction is a must – especially if you’re a sucker for seeing the guts of how things are put together.