May 15, 2014


Barcelona is home to 1.6 million people and is located on the coast of the Mediterranean sea in northern Spain.  We stayed in an apartment near the Gothic Quarter (center of the old city).  Many buildings there date back to medieval times and are recognized as world heritage sites.



We saw apartments that Antoni Goudi designed (Casa Mila), which were extremely cool.  They were built in the late 1800's and were unlike anything people had ever seen back then.  He was thought to be mad because of the crazy designs and shapes the buildings had.  He looked at architecture as a form of art and usually incorporated nature into his designs, giving them swirling balconies and a wave-like exteriors.  He was a brilliant engineer as well, so used unique ways to support his buildings.




He also designed the Sagrada Familia (Sacred or Holy Family) basilica.  Goudi was put in charge of the Sagrada Familia's building process in 1883, a couple years after it was started.  He changed the original designers'  plans for the church completely, but, sadly, he died before it could be completed. 



For the future architects, though, Goudi left clever mathematical patterns that can be deciphered using computers and graphic design, to complete the unfinished project to his desire.  A little while later, we took an elevator up to one of the church's spires. They are all about 100 meters high so we got amazing views of Barcelona.  The outside of the church is all carved in various scenes.



The Sagrada Familia is still being built, though they hope to have it done in time for the 100th anniversary of his death in 2026.  I think it was as equally amazing, if not better, as St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.  The church holds 13,000 people, including room for a 1000 person choir. 







The next day we just hung out at the beach in the hot weather.   Barcelona is a very nice city.