Last stop in Spain before returning home. To be honest, we are tired.
Barcelona has long been on our “must visit” list. We knew that, because of the Camino, we would not be able to give it all of our energy. As such, we chose to get an overview of the city and focus on one thing: the Sagrada Familia.
I’ll spare you the history of this famously unfinished church. The church itself is scheduled for completion in 2026, the centenary of Antoni Gaudí’s death. The last unfinished bit will the the stairway to the main entrance. The story goes that the mayor of Barcelona didn’t believe the Sagrada Familia would ever be finished, so he sold the land designated for the stairway. There is an apartment complex there now.
The architecture of the structure is Art Nouveau. Lines follow the curves of the natural world – such as plants; a contrast to the mechanical lines of Art Deco. While I love Art Nouveau pictures, some of the buildings in this style feel messy and pretentious. From a distance, the exterior of the Sagrada Familia looks tangled and confused. Getting closer, the organization of the sculptures in the facades are intentional but still feel jumbled. The colored fruits atop the spires seemed excessive.
I was not prepared for the interior. I cried. Honestly.
The chaos of the exterior gives way to clean lines. The massive pillars supporting the structure are designed to resemble trees. The stained glass windows do not tell biblical stories, but contain the names of saints and significant holy places. East facing windows are predominantly blue; west facing, red. The simple colors of the interior structure become a canvas when sunlight hits these windows. The skies did not disappoint and the resulting performance was breathtaking.
Symbolism infuses the entire structure. Spires for each of the Apostles and the four Evangelists. When the tallest spire (dedicated to Jesus) is complete, it will be intentionally shorter than the tallest hill in Barcelona since Gaudi thought man’s achievements should not surpass God’s. My favorite detail is the railings in the choir, designed to look like notes from hymns.
Pictures do not do this building justice.
Side Notes
When Columbus returned from his voyage to the New World, he sailed into the harbor in Barcelona. There is a statue of him atop a column commemorating this event. Curiously, we saw that statue on what once was Columbus Day in the US.
The Ramblas was undergoing major reconstruction, so it wasn’t the pedestrian haven it traditionally is. The work is due to be complete in 2026 in alignment with the Sagrada Familia celebrations.
Still in Camino mode, I went searching for a sello from the Sagrada Familia. After much hunting and misdirection, I earned it! For future reference to my fellow peregrinos, go to the Visitors Information stand on the Passion Facade side of the basilica.
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