Tag Archives: Antoni Gaudí

Sagrada Familía

Antoni Gaudí’s creation gets more impressive the closer you look.  As if the cubist-style statuary adorning the exterior and the forest of columns dominating the interior weren’t already enough, other details start jumping out at you as you redirect your attention from the macro to the micro.

Sagrada Familía

For instance the organ boasts an astounding 1,492 pipes spread out of 26 stops (groups).

Organ Pipes

Cast into the bronze door you’ll find a massive array of biblical words and names in several languages.  Two items however stick out as gold accents in a sea of darkened bronze — Jesus and a Magic Square.  The number ruling the Magic Square of the Sagrada Familía is 33, the age at which Jesus was crucified:

Doorway in the Passion Façade with Magic Square

And as I mentioned in the last installment, there are those incredible staircases:

Stairway to Heaven

Stairway

Don’t forget to look for the view of the apse crypt deep beneath the main structure:

Apse Crypt

Another surprising touch is a massive rendition of The Lord’s Prayer in over 50 languages:

Lord’s Prayer in 50+ Languages

Then there’s that fantastic play of colored light from the stained glass washing across the pillars:

Columns Awash in Color

Stained Glass Playing More Light Tricks

And finally there’s that incredible modernist interpretation above the altar of the crucified Jesus ascending into Heaven beneath a golden parachute-like structure:

Ascension of Christ

But enough on the details.  Here is today’s photo gallery of the interior of the Sagrada Familía:

Stained Glass

Sagrada Familía

Stained Glass

Sagrada Familía

A Forest of “Trees” and “Branches”

Sagrada Familía

Stained Glass

Sagrada Familía

Sagrada Familía Columns Colored by Light

Antoni Gaudí died in 1926 just fifteen days shy of what would have been his 74^th birthday.  What is arguably his greatest design may finally be completed on the 100^th anniversary of his passing, and some 144 years after construction began.  A completion date of 2026 is the hope, anyway, but that may unfortunately slip by as much as two years.

Sagrada Familía “Trees”

Stepping into the Sagrada Familía is a bit like walking through a forest.  This is not by chance, as the columns reaching high overhead were specifically designed as a modernist interpretation of trees with outstretched branches.

Sagrada Familía Vaulted Ceiling

Even the stained glass serve multiple purposes.  Not only do these magnificent windows let in light, they also splash a cacophony of color against the otherwise monotone “trees” supporting the vaulted ceiling above.  Joan Vila-Grau has been designing, piecing together, and installing windows for the Sagrada Familía since 1999, and some fourteen years later he still has quite a ways to go before completing this project.

Sagrada Familía Stained Glass

Stained Glass Light Playing on Column

In fact, there is absolutely nothing about this structure that fails to impress.  Even the stairways are remarkable in both their design and aesthetics.

Sagrada Familía Staircase

We’ll continue our tour of this incredible design in Part 2 on Wednesday  Meanwhile, here is today’s photo gallery of the interior of the Sagrada Familía:

Sagrada Familía

Sagrada Familía Staircase

Sagrada Familía

Sagrada Familía

Sagrada Familía

Sagrada Familía “Forest”

Sagrada Familía

Sagrada Familía

Sagrada Familía

Sagrada Familía

Sagrada Familía Stairs

Sagrada Familía “Branches”

Sagrada Familía