A Gaudi Day
Trip Start
Jun 15, 2006
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Trip End
Jul 09, 2006
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Barcelona,
Spain
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
The room is pitch black but our neighbors seem to be stumbling around with the shower and other morning activities. I hit around the table for my watch. "What?", I wonder, not recalling hearing the alarm. As Kara continues to mumble about it being the middle of the night, I hesitantly pull back the wooden shutter of our window and am blinded by the sun of an early afternoon.
We quickly wash up and get dressed, trying our best to save lost time. We had a full day of touring Gaudiīs Barcelona ahead and so soon were out the door and on the metro train.
Gaudi is famous for his influence over the 19th and early 20th century modernista architectural movement and over his design of Barcelona. His structures often reflect his devout Catholicism and Catalan nationalism (the autonomous region of Catalan, which has its own language and includes Barcelona, has just voted for even more independence. It now has its own government, education system and tax collection. It seems the only connection to Spain is with soccer). Gaudiīs playful and fun design dominates the Barcelona cityscape and gives the city a character to identify with. Ironically, Gaudi was killed by a city tram outside the construction of the Sagrada Familia in 1926 and no one knew who he was.
Our first stop was La Pedrera apartment building. What makes this building stand out is its rooftop terrace-sculpture park. Besides providing the visitor with an impressive 360 degree view of Barcelona, all of the typical rooftop residents are sculptures.
Casa Batllo
For example, the chimneys resemble medieval warriors and the ducts are twisted forms of the abstract. Down the street sits the Casa Batllo, a home which shows the essence of Gaudiīs nationalist sentiments. The building actually tells the story of the allegory of Sant Jordi, the patron saint of Catalonia. As St. George was the dragon slayer, the roof of the building is the dragons back.
Nothing can prepare you for the Sagrada Familia, the project that consumed the later part of Gaudiīs life. When completed, many predict that the church will be the worldīs eighth wonder. However, the question is, "when will it be completed?" Construction began in 1882 and currently the predicted date of completion is 2030. Itīs not too often one is able to tour a construction site, but climbing the 300 odd claustrophobic stone stairs to the top of one of the actually completed towers is unbelievable. The detail that exists in every square inch of the structure, from the door handles, to the carvings and gargoyles, is indescribable.
To end the day we decided to go natural, to the Parc Guell, a city park designed by Gaudi. The park itself sits on a tree-filled hill and provides the visitor with spectacular vistas of the city and the Mediterranean Sea. Sitting at the cafe on the natural balcony, amongst a grotto of mosaic benches, whimsical lizards, and Candy Land houses, was the perfect way to end this Gaudi day. We sat enjoying a Spanish beer and the view of the city that provided the inspiration to the artist, who in turn has and continues to inspire the city.
Klenske, Ink.
