We left our shade open so we got a little bit of light entering our room (we are on the inside of the building facing another tall building so the amount of light is pretty small) – just enough to keep up from sleeping until Noon. Our neighbors helped out by providing a wake up call as well.
Today’s exploration plan involves walking to the Sagrada Familia, a spectacular Temple started by another architect but “finished” by Gaudi. From the hotel, we head north on Passeig Gracia
On the way, as a warm up , we passed the other Gaudi structures. First, the Casa Batllo
Casa Batllo and Casa Amatller
The street on which these buildings sit is called the “Block of Disagreement” due to the presence of such varied examples of architectural design.
A few blocks up and on the other side of the street sits La Pedrera. This time, we take advantage of the free look at the foyer and museum of this building
In La Pedrera – the staircase leading to the museum
The atrium of the building is also unique
From La Pedrera, we took the Ave Diagonal and another interesting structure, the Casa De Les Punxes
or the “House of Spikes” – look closely and you will see how the house got its name.
An unusual installation up the street – a “submarine” was worth taking a picture of
Maybe it’s a torpedo – there was no plaque explaining the work of art.
A few blocks away and through the trees, Gaudi’s masterwork became visible, the Sagrada Familia
This building is designed to contain 18 towers (it now has 8). It is also intended to incorporate a large number of religious symbols (12 apostles, 4 evangelists, the Virgin Mary, and Jesus Christ and have three facades. Some of these elements can be seen on the exterior walls of the temple
The cornerstone on the site
Sagrada Familia Cornerstone
carries a date of 1882.
The structure is now scheduled to be completed in the year 2040. Who knows?
One interesting thing I noticed when looking at the Sagrada Familia. Near the site are trees with little grape-like fruits on them. These fruits look just like the grape-like structures Gaudi placed on the towers
Grapes on the tree and the towers
We decided to do one more tour of the Gothic Quarter before leaving the city. The first time through, we did not see Placa Sant Jaume
Generalitat Autonomous Headquarters (16th century)
Barcelona Town Hall (19th century)
This square is the site of political demonstrations and sporting event celebrations.
A nice final place to visit in a wonderful city.
I think the 2040 family reunion should be in Barcelona!
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