Barcelona!!

La Sagrada Familia

This past weekend was one of the most special and exciting experiences I have had this summer with Duke in Spain. A small group of us went to Barcelona for the long weekend. I absolutely loved every minute of it. Barcelona is so goregous. It was really a special treat to see the famous sites we learned about in class. Although it is very touristy, you can tell there is a lot of history to the city as well.

We took a Barcelona bus tour for 2 days that took us around to all of the famous and important sites, and allowed us to get off and explore each site individually. The bus was similar to “Madrid Vision,” as it explained each site, the history and other interesting facts. We definitely took advantage of the bus and rode three lines (red, blue and green) to the end. We stopped off at the 2 Gaudi Houses, La Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, Botanical Gardens and the 1992 Olympic area, just to name a few. It was definitely worth it and also served as transportation for 2 days–you can hop on and off the bus at any stop, and the next one comes in 5 minutes.

One of the most awe-inspiring sites was “La Sagrada Familia” by Gaudi. It is so unique and completely unlike any cathedral or church I have ever been to. The magnitude of the cathedral alone is a spectacle, but the tiny details are also impeccable. No wonder Gaudi became so obsessed with it towards the end of his life. Gaudi used lots of letters and words around the cathedral– there is even a door that has carved  Biblical sayings at the entrance. The photos can’t even do it justice. The huge pointed towers represent the apostles, Mary Mother of Christ, among others saints (although all 18 have not yet been completed.) The figure of Jesus Christ on the cross on the outside of the building caught my eye. It looked very stiff and boxy, but at the same time had curved lines and a smooth finish.

We paid the entrance fee and wandered through the cathedral. Afterward, we walked through the museum and learned what the finished product is supposed to look like. A gigantic cross will sit atop the cathedral and shine light out through the sides. I wonder what it would have been like to go on a weekday when the construction workers are present. There were tons of people all around, admiring the unfinished work of Gaudi. I also found it interesting that is financed solely by individual contributions, ( i.e. ticket sales) It is still under construction as we learned and is supposed to be done in 2030. I hope I am able to return to see the finished product.

-Hanna