The renowned architect Antoni Gaudi is remembered for his unique architectural designs famous during the Catalan Modernism movement. He pioneered great architectural works in Barcelona, evidenced by the magnificent buildings that stand strong today almost 150 years later.
If you are planning a family vacation in Barcelona, visiting the famous Sagrada Familia should be a priority. The building’s unique design has continually astonished modern architects and visitors. Surprisingly, the building is continually under construction since 1882 and there are no signs of its completion soon.
The great architect Antoni Gaudi
Antoni Gaudi was an architect from Spain greatly recognized as the father of Catalan architecture. He loved nature and most of his architectural designs were inspired by nature. Surprisingly, he was not fond of drawing architectural designs on paper. Instead, he would create the design in his mind and build 3D structures to accurately portray what he had envisioned in his mind.
As various paper writers on travel put it, the most outstanding piece of his architectural work is Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia. There are many other iconic buildings designed by Antoni Gaudi and they are worth seeing during your visit to Barcelona.
Sagrada Familia
The building is massive in size and its architectural design stands out uniquely. It was designed as a church, although today, it serves also as a national monument. The basilica, known as the temple of the sacred family, was in its early stages built under the supervision of another famous architect named Francisco De Paula in 1882. Francisco’s plan was to construct three central chapels with high pyramidal towers.
Maria Claire, a travel blogger and a professional lab report writer, throws more light on this. She says that a year later, Francisco handed over the design and supervision work to the then 31-year-old Antonio Gaudi. Antonio was not comfortable with Francisco’s design and he came up with his unique design of the building, which made him known as the father of modern architecture.
Antonio intended to build a magnificent building that would display every aspect of Christian symbols. The temple was built to serve as a place of remembering and turning away from sins against God the creator and the laws of the Christian faith.
In respect to the will of Antoni, the building is exclusively built using church donations and money collected from visitors. 2026 will mark Antonio’s 200th birthday and as a gesture of honor to him, the Sagrada Familia builders are set to complete the work the same year.
Why is it important to visit Sagrada Familia?
Along with other trends in travel, 2020 was historical to the iconic Sagrada Familia as it was voted as one of the top tourist attractions in Europe. On your tour to Barcelona, you should consider visiting this old building that has not stopped being built for about 140 years.
The interiors are magnificent and the building is amazingly huge. The building uses natural light during the day thanks to Antoni’s wisdom. He used lead stained- glass to allow natural light. The temple has 5 naves, with the central nave reaching 60 meters high and the walls reaching 30 meters high. The highest point of the building reaches 75 meters.
From the outside, the building is visible from different points in Barcelona. If you come closer, you will see 3 distinct facades. On the Eastern side is the Nativity Façade representing Jesus and his birth, and its decorations represent life. On the Western side, you will see the Passion Façade representing the suffering and death of Jesus and is made of rough stones.
Glory Facade is on the Southern side representing resurrection, and glory. This is the façade that is still under construction. In total, the temple has 18 towers, representing the 12 apostles, Mary, the mother of Jesus, the four Gospel authors and Jesus Himself. The last one being the tallest tower. You can have a clear view of the Mediterranean Sea from the building of the church.
Casa Mila
Located in Passeig Gracia, this is another iconic building designed by Antoni Gaudi and it is worth visiting. Construction works begun in 1906 and was completed in 1912. It is famously known as the quarry house in Barcelona because it’s built using roughly hewn stones. It was used as a private residence.
Casa Vicens
Casa Vicens is one of the oldest architectural designs built by Antoni Gaudi between 1883 to 1889. Located in Gracia district, the building is one of UNESCO’s World Heritage sites and is currently a museum. Its walls are made of colorful ceramic tiles.
Casa Batllo
Located at 43 Paseo de Gracia street, Casa Batllo is another historic building designed by Antonio Gaudi. The building was owned by a rich aristocrat called Joseph Batllo and contains a lot of rooms. It was a residential building and wealthy people rented the upper floors while Joseph lived on the lower floors. The building is a must-see for anyone visiting Barcelona and attracts over one million visitors annually.
Conclusion
Antoni Gaudi will forever be remembered for his lasting architectural designs that were envisioned in mind and brought to life in the form of strong, artistic buildings. There are many eye-catching structures that Antoni designed and built, but the most magnificent is the Sagrada Familia, which attracts over 3 million visitors every year. The building is set to be complete in 2026, opening the Southern Façade to visitors. Anyone visiting Sagrada Familia lives to tell an unforgettable story.
