One of the definite highlights from my Europe trip last year was definitely the awesome La Sangrada Familia, the last work and arguably the most impressive of all Gaudi’s work. I didn’t knew it at that time, but the whole structure is like a giant chocolate cake dropped from heaven right onto Barcelona.
Consider this shot taken from a vantage point at Park Guell later that day:
The cathedral was so out of this world, you couldn’t possibly miss out that misshapen structure on the skyline of Barcelona.
(And yes, I know I look damn cool in this photo, thank you very much, hehe)
The cathedral is still currently under construction. When completed, the four towers will reach more than 500m into the sky.
The incredibly whimsical facade of La Sagrada. Just seeing the facade from the outside was already an amazing sight.
The inside was equally jaw-dropping but in very different ways. Towering columns, amazing use of natural light, intricate stained glass panels… everything was deliberately created the way they were, and for good reasons. There’s more than just vibes of Lord of the Rings being in the cathedral. The building motives and structural blocks are like nothing else I have seen in other churches… and I have seen quite a few in my lifetime.
A “floating” Jesus rising skywards surrounded by golden halo. It was an awe-inspiring sight.
In one of the museums, visitors get to learn the science behind its constructions. I discovered the many wondrous inspirations Gaudi used for the church. This honeycomb structure was used extensively throughout the cathedral.
Now if there is one type of architecture which I could truly admire and indulge in, it would be his.
The build of the cathedral was so imaginative, so out of this world, La Sagrada seems to defy every law known to mankind.
Certainly an icon of our time. Put this on your bucket list.
P.S. I ended the visit with a lunch of KFC right across the cathedral. It felt… surreal.
Oh i had some churros and hot chocolate instead across the road!
Churros! I had that in Madrid. Must dig out the info – it was recommended in Lonely Planet – and blog about it!