March 25 to 28 - Barcelona

Architectural highlight: Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia

Josep Bocabella was the founder of the "Association of Devotees of San Jose". It was his desire to build a temple dedicated to the Holy Family. This was in 1866. After successfully raising sufficient funds to acquire a huge plot of land, the temple's foundation was laid in 1882. When the project started, the architect was Francesc del Villar. So how did Gaudi get into the picture? Through Joan Martorell. 

Martorell was an an architect whom Gaudi was assistant to on other projects in the city (also churches). Martorell was also a member of the Temple Council. A disagreement ("creative differences" perhaps) between Martorell and Villar led the latter to resign in 1883. Upon Martorell's recommendation, Gaudi took over the project. Gaudi continued to devote 43 years of his life to constructing the temple, even going on the streets to raise building funds. Until he met his untimely death in June 1926, when he was run over by a streetcar. No one had recognized him at the time of the accident & his friends found him in a public hospital the next day. If it sounds strange for a supposedly high-flying architect, it is because Gaudi had experienced a drastic change in the last years of his life. The consecutive deaths of his family members and people he was close to professionally deeply affected him and he retreated from the public view. His body was buried in the crypt of the temple.

The bell towers.

Another view. The cranes are visible from everywhere.

The Nativity facade. Sculptures by various artists.

The Passion facade. More recently built (note the lighter tone of the stone, despite the lighting). "Angular" sculptures by Subirachs.

Lofty interior: Let in the light! Love the stained glass! (You'd realize as you read on that I have this thing for stained glass.) 

As you can see, the whole place was, or I should say is, still very much a work-in-progress.

These must be the most looked-at construction workers in the world. Last note: Proceeds from the entrance tickets help to pay for the construction.