13. Antoni Gaudi and the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona
La Sagrada Familia, or The Holy Family Church, is the Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí's most famous and certainly his most ambitious work. It is a highlight of any visit to Barcelona. It's a giant Roman Catholic Basilica that has been under construction since 1882; its’ completion is scheduled for 2030. When Gaudi died in 1926 only the Nativity Facade, one tower, the apse and the crypt were finished; work has been on-going since then. Rippling contours of the stone façade and soaring towers, stain glass, enormous arches and a unique variety of colour forms and materials are Gaudi trademarks. This enormous church, as yet an unfinished masterpiece, is a summary of everything that Gaudí designed before. Christine explores the man, the design and the on-going construction with her well illustrated talk. |