The towering church/cathedral that takes and gives Gaudi’s conception of combined nature and architecture to Barcelona is a growing experience.  Incomplete as yet, it gives grandeur and natural warmth to a city that basks in those values, and beauties.

It was begun as a commissioned work and continues through contributions.   As it is, the Familia Sagrada is wonderful.  Its official history is also wonderful (Catalan inserts of translation may be a tad distracting.)  . . .

The Temple of the Sagrada Familia church is a monument began on March 19, 1882 from diocesan project architect Francisco de Paula del Villar (1828-1901). A finals del 1883 es va encarregar a Gaudí la continuació de les obres, tasca que no va deixar fins a la seva mort, el 1926. In late 1883 he commissioned Gaudí continuation of the works, a task that did not stop until his death in 1926. A partir d’aleshores, diversos arquitectes han continuat l’obra seguint la idea original de Gaudí. Since then, several architects have continued to work following the original idea of Gaudí.

L’edifici està situat al centre de Barcelona, i amb els anys s’ha transformat en un dels signes d’identitat més universals de la ciutat i del país. The building is located in the city center, and over the years has become one of the most universal symbols of identity of the city and the country. Anualment és visitat per milions de persones i són moltes també les que n’estudien el seu contingut arquitectònic i religiós. Every year is visited by millions of people and many also study its architectural and religious content.

El temple sempre ha estat expiatori; és a dir que, des dels seus inicis es construeix a partir de donatius. The temple has always been atoning that is that, from its beginnings was built from donations. En aquest sentit, el mateix Gaudí va dir: «El Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família el fa el poble i s’hi emmiralla. In this sense, the Gaudi said: “The expiatory temple of the Holy Family and the people makes it reflects. És una obra que està a les mans de Déu i en la voluntat del poble». It is a work that is in the hands of God and the will of the people. ” La construcció continua i es podria acabar durant el primer terç del segle XXI .

My visit came on a day that was officially open to the public, so crowds were gathered throughout the day.   Fortunately since I had emailed with the staff previously and had a Letter of Assignment from FDL, I got a press pass from the date tenders and was able to wander through the amazing interior without a long wait.

What you can’t see in the pictures though are the many touches such as lizards slithering up the walls, snakes and doves and creatures of all sorts in the crannies and the brilliance of its very stones.   Gaudi never made a building that wasn’t part of the natural world, and this cathedral is never stone just sitting there waiting for the weather to take it back into the earth.   The church is intended for worship, and Gaudi threw in his own object of veneration, nature itself.