Barcelona is a wonderful city with a new waterfront area to add to the perennial attractions of the Ramblas and magnificent architecture.
This trip we were concentrating on the magnificent architecture of Gaudi.
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Barcelona is a wonderful city with a new waterfront area to add to the perennial attractions of the Ramblas and magnificent architecture.
This trip we were concentrating on the magnificent architecture of Gaudi.
April 23rd is a particularly busy time in Barcelona as it is the feast of St George - the patron saint of the city. As a consequence, hotel rooms in the city are at a premium. We had to mov half way through our stay as we'd left it quite late to reserve!
The Ramblas is the focus of festival activities but at any time of year everyone comes to the long main street of Barcelona to browse the stalls, sit at a pavement café, watch the street entertainment, or just stroll. It is the main thoroughfare and stretches down to the shore, lined with hotels, shops and places to eat.
At the time of the festival the stalls along the Ramblas are devoted to books and red roses as the tradition is for men to give a red rose and women to give a book. One of our hotels gave us both which was nice.
With over a kilometer of stalls, cafés and street entertainers it is very popular with tourists and locals alike, though I understand you have to be careful on some stretches at night.
Antoni Gaudi was born on June 25, 1852 in Reus. At school he showed an early interest in architecture and at 17 he went to Barcelona to begin a course of formal study, also working in the offices of local architects to earn some money.
His first major building project was accommodation for factory workers. He exhibited at the Paris World fair in 1878 which led to Gaudi's friendship with Eusebi Güell, a wealthy brick manufacturer who shared Gaudi's social ideals. Gaudi became his favourite architect and completed several projects for him.
His early buildings exhibit Gothic and Moorish influences, with Art Nouveau features. Later his own distinctive style developed, characterised by fantastical shapes, sinuous curves, colourful tiling and broken mosaic. No-one had seen anything like it and he remains unique.
Casa Vicens was the recently qualified architect's first commission. He began work on it in 1883 though he had been commissioned in 1878, and it took five years to complete. Prior to this small house he had only worked on publicly- funded buildings.
It is quite exuberantly Spanish with Moorish influences. The tiling is especially striking, alternating between a simple chessboard pattern and the colourful orange tagetes blossoms.
Built for his friend Eusebio Güell and completed 1889. Güell had seen examples of Gaudi's work at the Paris World Fair and he became his favourite architect.
On a small site on a narrow passage Gaudi built this building with a fairytale roof.
The interior is very Art Nouveau using a lot of decorative ironwork. The hall is particularly impressive stretching three floors to a domed roof, a staircase winding around it, sometimes open to the hall, sometimes behind walls or glassed windows.
I'm not keen on the double entrance gates on the facade but the chimney pots and vents on the roof are fabulous.
Guell originally planned this area as an estate of homes but when only two plots sold, and the city showed no interest, the barren land that was once here was turned into a beautifully planted park adorned with Gaudi's distinctive creations.
Gaudi designed both the layout and landscaping as well as the fountains and other architectural features.
My favourite. Christened "La Pedrera" - the quarry - this is one of the most distinctive landmarks in the city. It was his last secular building to be completed before Gaudi devoted himself to La Sagrada Familia. It took four years from 1906 to 1910.
On the roof Gaudi displays his characteristic style in a series of chimney pots and air ducts, several resembling helmeted knights.
Gaudi's most incrdible creation is undoubtedly La Sagrada Familia to which he devoted his time exclusively in the final 43 years of his life. Work still continues to complete this monumental building which has already taken over a century to reach its current unfinished state.
The interior is a building site but - if it is ever completed - it will be large enough to hold thousands of choristers and even greater numbers in the congregation.
We climbed the interior of some of the spires to get a closer look at their ceramic mosaic detail. There are walkways between the spires which are not for the faint-hearted!
When floodlit at night it is even more atmospheric.
This colourful market - Mercat St. Josep, La Boqueria - is on the Ramblas.
Very lively and with all of the fresh fruit vegetables, meats and cheeses beautifully presented, it's a great place for local atmosphere and healthy snacks!
