Sunday, February 16, 2014

Travelogue - La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

Before I went to Spain, I had never even heard of Gaudi. I must admit that I did not have much exposure to the world of art. Sure, I knew who all the famous people where, and I'd heard of all the famous paintings. But I just didn't get it. And it did take effort and a lot of understanding on my part, before I was able to appreciate the beauty behind an art piece. Sometimes I still struggle, but I'm slowly learning. 

If you venture into the city of Barcelona, his structures are everywhere. Buildings have been designed to reflect nature. When I first saw Sagrada Familia, I was in awe. I stopped in my tracks, the admire the size and grandeur of it. 
The building itself is still under construction, but its main areas are open to the public. I was already in awe from faraway, where I stood. I was humbled by the delicate carvings on each facade. The detailing and the thought that went into designing this building, is astounding. It's almost impossible to wrap my mind around.
The building is a blend of so many elements. 
Once you pay close attention to everything in Sagrada Familia, it's easy to see why its completion is taking such a long time. Of course there are other factors other than the design that's involved. Floored by the outside, I fell in love with the interior. While the facade is full of elaborate sculptures, the inside is strangely elegant, and simple. And yet, if you pay close attention to the guide, you'll realise that careful thought has been put into the entire building. Light flows in from specific places, to add to the atmosphere and so on. Close your eyes and imagine a service going on in here. 

More pictures of the other parts of the building. Photos don't do this work of art justice in my opinion. 


Last but no least, my favourite part of the building. I love the doors. Spent minutes examining it. It's filled with bible verses in different languages if my memory serves well. 

Upon leaving, I made a promise to return when the building is complete - to fully soak in this piece of art. 

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