Sagrada Família

These are pictures of the Sagrada Família in Barcelona. This building was, by far, Gaudí's most ambitious project. This was his last project and was left incomplete after his death in 1926. I actually learned that he died from being run over by a tram on the Gran Vía. Gaudí was very proud of the region in which he lived and only built in Barcelona. His death was considered a Catalan national disaster. Construction ceased after his death, but restarted in the 1950's. Unfortunately, many of Gaudí's models were destroyed in the Civil War by anarchists, but construction continues today. The projected finishing date is 2017, but will probably take longer. The structure is such a weird site to see. It almost looks as if it is melting because of all of the detail and curves in the design. In the museum, I learned a lot about the inspiration behind Gaudí's work. Most of the forms and shapes in his architecture are taken straight from nature. Inside the Sagrada Família, the columns are meant to look like tree trunks, and the ceiling, a canopy of leaves. He also studied the crystallization of minerals, which can be seen in some of the wall structures. On the outside of one side of the building, he built a structure resembling a cave with the story of the Crucifixion of Christ carved in the walls.