Barcelona6 – Monday – Sagrada Familia

This is the day we’d been waiting for.  The Holy Grail of Barcelona, Sagrada Familia.  OH, did I mention that we learned that while Hitler was visting with Franco in Barcelona, Himmler was sneaking up to Montserrat on his personal quest unbeknownst to Hilter, trying to find the Holy Grail as he thought it would ensure Nazi victory, and a Wagner opera had cited the final resting place as a monastery that was similarly named.  How’s that for tying up some major portions of our trip into a single tidy ball?

I also forgot to mention that Napolean destroyed Montserrat too.  That darn Napolean.

Here’s a great segue shot to Sagrada Famila.  Maeve standing as we wait to enter, with her ‘camera’ in hand, a camera she’d bought at Montserrat.

  She spent the beginning of the audio tour taking pictures of many sights at Sagrada Familia.  It turned out to be a great purchase, if only for that purpose.  We enjoyed our status of first in line, as we’d worked so hard for it several days prior when the Belgians had to purchase our tix for us.  We also enjoyed knowing that as always, there was already a HUGE line around the corner and the place didn’t even open until 9 am, a few more minutes.

We entered on the Passion Facade end of the church.  This end was architected by Gaudi, but designed and sculpted by Subirachs.  I LOVED them.  Especially the stark figures and mournful faces.  This is Peter after he denied Jesus three times as the cock crowed.

No offense to Gaudi, but I enjoyed the Passion end more than his Nativity end.  Personal preference perhaps.  We learned that only in 2010 had the vaulted ceiling of the cathedral been finished to a point where the entire space was enclosed and could now (if they chose to stop the continual construction) could have a service.  I’d love to go back at some point and hear the 3000+ chair choir fill the room with song for a service.  And word is they will finish the final interior touches in 2010 and actually start having services by year end!!  Incredible.

We took the elevator up one of the bell towers.  Currently there are 6.  When done there will be one for each apostle.  Plus a major central tower for Christ and one for Mary and a few more totalling 18, I think.  The trip up the tower allowed us a great view over the other towers of the church and over the city…

It’s hard not to enjoy the natural curves nestled everywhere in the construction, including this stairwell we came down on the tower.  Notice Zeke’s face neatly framed by the spirals…

The museum later explained the mathematics behind many of the curves incorporated into the church.  Here’s a panoramic showing many of those curves.

Later we crossed over to the Nativity Facade.  Gaudi completed the Nativity facade himself.  His express wishes were for the Nativity Facade to be joyous and the Passion Facade to be bare and stark.  On the Nativity Facade he included many animals as signs of life.  Here’s the kids playing I-Spy as Kate and I enjoyed our audio guides. 

They found salamanders, turtles, bulls, geese, turkeys, and others.  We then worked our way down to the museum below the building.  Here’s Zeke studying a drawing of the completed building.  Note the massive central Jesus tower.  Which will have a lighthouse style light in its rotating cross!    (OK, maybe that’s a little gaudy).  In fact, I noticed what looked like neon signs built into the interior pillars of the church.  Only one was installed when we visited, but it looks like they had the electrical laid out for one in each pillar.  Also gaudy.

When we were leaving, Kate and I decided we must circle back and ensure we had some good photos of the Passion sculptures.  Especially Jesus tied to the post.  Just loved those faces.

Got this final photo at the schoolhouse on grounds after we’d spent too much at the gift shop.  Note the wave in the roof and walls.  A natural wave pattern neatly worked out by the architect to allow for max space with minimal materials.

We sat and had a little snack in the street outside.  The menu itself, said they were adding an 8% charge just to eat in its presence.  I kid you not.

We finished with a little shopping, including finally getting the Flamenco dress and shoes and hair piece Maeve had been wanting and headed for home.  It was embarassing even walking with Maeve as she was drawing so much attention.  She wore it out later after lunch when we went down La Rambla again.  Many people stopped and talked to her.  Muy Guapa.  Some asked to take her photo.  Suffice it to say she got her fill of attention,