Antonio Gaudi. The Creator of Parallel Worlds…I’ve read about Barcelona before going there and learned that the most famous name associated with the city is that of Gaudi. If you Google it, you’ll know that he was an architect…So I am never impressed with the builders. I mean – as long as the property has all the comfort features, I don’t care much if it’s got a “face” or “character”. Pre-viewing Gaudi’s works, I thought to myself: yet another “architect-by-fashion”…however, having done a reasonable amount of homework, little I was prepared to see what I saw. We dedicated to Gaudi one whole day and saw four of his famous works. I will never be able to describe or even show in the pictures this unreal world of real lines…
His houses are not some fancy custom build decorated with the broken fragments of colourful tiles. His creations were alive…living creatures, inside which one can live too…His houses breath, smile, tilt, embrace you and take the form of your body…they soft, light, warm and wavy…they grow from the ground and put the stars on the ceiling…they lean, curve and run ripples…they are like strangest fantasy coming true….you step inside and the house becomes your skin…I can go on forever…I never thought that something made of functional stone can create so many various emotions, almost tactile sensations. Never thought that it could take more then couple of words to describe…block of flats or a church or a bench in the park!
Sagrada Familia
Of course, the most famous creature of Gaudi’s genius is Sagrada Familia Cathedral. It is also the longest term construction site. They started to build it in 1882. Seems like they are quite relaxed about the whole business over there…famous comment made by the Gaudi himself about the longevity of the project – he said something like “my client is not in a hurry”…meaning the God, of course, since it is a cathedral that he was building… Interesting that the construction was and is paid entirely by voluntarily donations. The Cathedral is not completed yet, so it is half-scaffolded. It is also very different from different sides – obviously since Gaudi has been dead from 1926, although his followers tried to use his original designs and plans, no one ever achieved that special effect that the Gaudi-authentic Eastern façade has. It is a Nativity scene. But you might never notice it, simply because you will be totally overwhelmed by the sheer fantasy, by the effects those stones have, you will be questioning the craziness and what could possibly inspire such a wild vision… the details seemed as if they are melting right in front of your eyes…the figures being caught somewhere within this wild forest of stones looked like growing from it or into it… the more you look at the wall, the more it feels like she pulls you closer, charms to become part of it…you can see her breathing calmly…absolutely amazing experience!
From the other side the cathedral is not even closer to the delirium of the Eastern façade. The lines become too etchy and have lost their “meltiness”…still impressive, of course, but after the previous one it’s just not really from the other universe anymore…
Inside of Sagrada Familia there is nothing to see except of high columns and a ceiling full of stars…or flowers…depends on individual imagination…to me it looked as if I’m standing in the charmed forest where the trees reach out to the skies and hold the stars. Gaudi was also very good with the natural light. All his creations filled with the light to the full. And for the most times it is a natural light from the fairy tale windows, hidden recesses in the walls, holes in the ceilings, reflections from the stained glass…anything that might be used for the purpose, has been used.
We walked around the perimeter with our heads up until they spin…we also climbed the towers on the eastern side. You get up in elevator and then go down via one of the many narrow staircases, which reminded me of the descending deep into the sea snail’s shell…a travel well worthy of Alice in Wonderland kind of journey…
There are little balconies on top, from which you can catch nice views of Barcelona. All of the many towers of the cathedral decorated with the bright colourful fruits and flowers. Rather bizarre idea for a church, I’d say. But with the rest of the craziness of this place fruits are no longer the only wonder that tickles imagination…
Even more of Gaudi – next entry…
His houses are not some fancy custom build decorated with the broken fragments of colourful tiles. His creations were alive…living creatures, inside which one can live too…His houses breath, smile, tilt, embrace you and take the form of your body…they soft, light, warm and wavy…they grow from the ground and put the stars on the ceiling…they lean, curve and run ripples…they are like strangest fantasy coming true….you step inside and the house becomes your skin…I can go on forever…I never thought that something made of functional stone can create so many various emotions, almost tactile sensations. Never thought that it could take more then couple of words to describe…block of flats or a church or a bench in the park!
Sagrada Familia
Of course, the most famous creature of Gaudi’s genius is Sagrada Familia Cathedral. It is also the longest term construction site. They started to build it in 1882. Seems like they are quite relaxed about the whole business over there…famous comment made by the Gaudi himself about the longevity of the project – he said something like “my client is not in a hurry”…meaning the God, of course, since it is a cathedral that he was building… Interesting that the construction was and is paid entirely by voluntarily donations. The Cathedral is not completed yet, so it is half-scaffolded. It is also very different from different sides – obviously since Gaudi has been dead from 1926, although his followers tried to use his original designs and plans, no one ever achieved that special effect that the Gaudi-authentic Eastern façade has. It is a Nativity scene. But you might never notice it, simply because you will be totally overwhelmed by the sheer fantasy, by the effects those stones have, you will be questioning the craziness and what could possibly inspire such a wild vision… the details seemed as if they are melting right in front of your eyes…the figures being caught somewhere within this wild forest of stones looked like growing from it or into it… the more you look at the wall, the more it feels like she pulls you closer, charms to become part of it…you can see her breathing calmly…absolutely amazing experience!
From the other side the cathedral is not even closer to the delirium of the Eastern façade. The lines become too etchy and have lost their “meltiness”…still impressive, of course, but after the previous one it’s just not really from the other universe anymore…
Inside of Sagrada Familia there is nothing to see except of high columns and a ceiling full of stars…or flowers…depends on individual imagination…to me it looked as if I’m standing in the charmed forest where the trees reach out to the skies and hold the stars. Gaudi was also very good with the natural light. All his creations filled with the light to the full. And for the most times it is a natural light from the fairy tale windows, hidden recesses in the walls, holes in the ceilings, reflections from the stained glass…anything that might be used for the purpose, has been used.
We walked around the perimeter with our heads up until they spin…we also climbed the towers on the eastern side. You get up in elevator and then go down via one of the many narrow staircases, which reminded me of the descending deep into the sea snail’s shell…a travel well worthy of Alice in Wonderland kind of journey…
There are little balconies on top, from which you can catch nice views of Barcelona. All of the many towers of the cathedral decorated with the bright colourful fruits and flowers. Rather bizarre idea for a church, I’d say. But with the rest of the craziness of this place fruits are no longer the only wonder that tickles imagination…
Even more of Gaudi – next entry…