My Fourth Weekend

I am convinced Gaudí was a genius, and if he was not by the strict definition of the word, than at the very least, he was brilliant. Antoni Gaudí, the famous Catalan architect, who is renowned for his works in Barcelona, though with humble roots seeded in Reus, is perhaps the reason many flock to Barcelona. Though, some of his masterpieces are scattered in other Spanish cities, the majority – both finished and not – reside in Barcelona. For those that come to the city with intentions other than to view Gaudí’s masterpieces, surely they will be acquainted with Gaudí, along with other Modernist architects like Doménech i Montaner (responsible for the Modernist Trail in Reus) and Puig i Cadafalch (a successor of the previous two) before they leave. These three men transformed the face of the city into something uniquely fantastic but organic at the same time.

I visited Barcelona my fourth weekend in Spain and had an amazing though exhausting, but exhilarating time! My first stop in the two-day tour was the site on the top of my list of places to visit: Gaudí’s la Sagrada Familia. This is perhaps Gaudí’s most noteable work – a temple to the Holy Family, afforded by wealthy financiers, commenced in 1882, and still under construction today, long after Gaudí’s death. Some wonder if it will ever be completed, having broken ground in the countryside and now surrounded by city. In fact, the blueprints show that a city block will have to be demolished and a road made subterranean when that section of the structure is to be constructed. I learned these tidbits from my friend Jordi, a Barcelona native who is also staying at the residence hall, as work (as an architect, in fact) has brought him to Reus. It was great to have a native as a tour guide!

We entered la Sagrada Familia on the Nativity side, with its richly-ornate but tastefully-hopeful façade. This side was Gaudí’s brainchild – his design and work before his untimely death. Inside, the church is still a skeleton, but Gaudí’s fascination with nature shines through, literally. Unlike Gothic cathedrals, la Sagrada Familia is illuminated. By formulating a natural design for support – central columns constructed like trees – Gaudí was able to eliminate the need for flying buttresses on the outer walls, which thus allowed for larger windows. In my mind, it’s breathtaking and genius. I think cathedrals are beautiful, but they usually are dark and perhaps a little eerie. La Sagrada Familia is just the opposite, and if described by only one word - awesome. After perusing the floor, we climbed one of the towers for a view of the construction from above and of the surrounding city. We exited the temple on the side of the Passion, which is the design of a Gaudí successor. With stoic, almost robot-like figures, many have come to criticize this façade, saying it does not follow Gaudí’s original design. But, as Jordi argued, it could, perhaps, be just the intention of the architect to present the scene in such a way. Afterall, as the Nativity was for many a joyous miracle, the Passion was a miracle as a means to an end. It is an interesting point for reflection, if not spiritually, than at least artistically.

After la Sagrada Familia, Jordi and I also toured la Pedrera: another famous Gaudí work, named for its rock-like façade. Constructed as an apartment building, it is now office space for a bank, but one floor is preserved as an apartment for tourists to marvel at the central patios, well-lit spaces, and airy appeal. La Pedrera also has an oddly amazing rooftop with sculptures, and of course, great views.

The remainder of the day was spent seeing other fairytale-like Modernist buildings – like Puig i Cadafalch’s Casa Terrades and Gaudí’s Casa Batlló, learning my way through the city, and enjoying great paella!

Sunday morning, I went to mass at the cathedral, which unfortunately is covered in scaffolding. Also to my dismay, the mass was in Catalan, so I didn’t understand what was being said on that first Sunday of Advent. Nonetheless, and not surprising, the inside was beautiful, and just being in such a place instills a sense of calm and peace, even in a city like Barcelona. The rest of the day I spent with Núria and Davíd from IRTA, who had also come to Barcelona for the weekend to visit Núria’s family. In the morning, they took me to Barcelona’s mountain – Montjuïc. We first went to the Castle of Montjuïc to see the great views of the city and Mediterranean. The castle is now a military museum, depicting much of the Franco era (1936-1972). For this reason, Núria does not feel comfortable going inside. Though she was not alive at the time of Franco’s dictatorship, she has heard the stories of her parents. I will save a more detailed discussion of Franco for a future blog excerpt, but to bring some understanding to the situation here, I will just say that, during the time of Franco, Catalonian culture was suppressed, and in fact, people were sent to prison for speaking Catalan. It was a tumultuous era for all of Spain, but it was particularly difficult for the Catalonian people’s identity. We left the castle at the top of the mountain, and went on a walking tour of the rest of Montjuïc, seeing gardens, the National Palace (now housing the National Art Museum), Olympic stadiums, buildings for the 1929 World Fair, and the Plaza de España. After lunch with Núria’s family, we spent the afternoon in the Barrio Gotic. We saw the Palace of Catalan Music, with its gorgeous tile work, and the church of Santa Maria del Mar, which with its columns drawing the eyes toward the central statue of the Virgin behind the alter is, perhaps in its simplicity, more beautiful that the cathedral. We also walked through various quaint plazas and las Ramblas – the central pedestrian way to the sea. Even after sundown, these places were busy and illuminated with lights for Christmas. The lively atmosphere merely added to the enchanting ambiance which is Barcelona. And, without a doubt, it was an enchanting weekend.

To view pictures of Barcelona, see my Shutterfly website, and open the folder entitled "My Fourth Weekend - Barcelona".