{"id":17212,"date":"2014-06-18T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-06-18T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/?p=17212"},"modified":"2021-10-28T16:39:08","modified_gmt":"2021-10-28T16:39:08","slug":"glorious-gaudi-in-barcelona","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/glorious-gaudi-in-barcelona\/","title":{"rendered":"Glorious Gaudi, in Barcelona"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I was hardly aware of Antoni Gaudi before my first trip to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/Barcelona.d179992.Destination-Travel-Guides\">Barcelona<\/a>. But when I started reading up on the city, I quickly realized that no trip was even close to being complete without visiting at least a few of his architectural marvels. His architecture, or at least the influence of his architectural style, is everywhere in this Spanish city\u2014in the buildings, the souvenirs, and the fashion.<\/p>\n<p><span> <\/span><br \/>\n<span> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Here\u2019s a list of must-see Gaudi buildings in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/Barcelona-Hotels.d179992.Travel-Guide-Hotels\">Barcelona<\/a>; a beginner&#8217;s glimpse into his awesome other-worldliness.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span> <\/span><br \/>\n<span> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span>La Sagrada Familia<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>From street level, I was impressed (despite all the scaffolding) by Spain&#8217;s most-visited tourist attraction, a church known as La Sagrada Familia. Combining Gothic and Art Nouveau styles, the cathedral&#8217;s 560-foot-tall spires ascend overhead. Elaborate facades depict the life of Christ.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Once I entered this Roman Catholic church, I was astounded by the sheer beauty and size of the Basilica\u2014largely considered one of Gaudi&#8217;s most famous works. The vaults reach as high as 250 feet each, and the stained glass windows add color and light.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Expected to be finished in 2026 (the centennial of Gaudi\u2019s death), this masterpiece already has been 130 years in the making. When complete, it will hold 13,000 people.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span> <\/span><br \/>\n<span> <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span>Viewfinder Tip:\u00a0It&#8217;s difficult to photograph entire buildings well; instead, look to capture small, manageable features. <br \/> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span>La Pedrera<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Also known as Casa Mila (for the family who commissioned it), this Modernist building is actually two structures that come together around separate courtyards. Meant as a mixed-use building, the structure was erected as living space for the owners and their servants. Now, however, it mainly holds office space and serves as a tourist attraction.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The building is recognizable as a Gaudi by its wave-like stone exterior. But the most interesting part might be the apartment on the fourth floor, recreated and decorated as a typical bourgeois home from the first part of the 20th Century. Today the apartment features odd-sized, angled, and curved rooms. Oh, how I would love to live <em>there<\/em>!<\/span> <span> <\/span> <\/p>\n<p><span> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span>Casa Batllo<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>This building was a remodel of a previously built house, and is nestled between two newer buildings. It&#8217;s easy to pass if you&#8217;re not looking for it (I actually walked by it a half-dozen times before realizing its significance).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Like La Pedrera across the street, Gaudi created the facade of Casa Batllo with billowy curves. He also inset the exterior with broken mosaic tiles. The building truly is magical.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<div class=\"slideshow-container slideshow-408531a7-50ee-63e1-bbde-ff000073f150\">\n<div class=\"flexslider\">\n<ul class=\"slides\">\n<li><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/default-source\/beth-whitman\/barcelona-sagrada-pillars-[size_600x450].jpg\" id=\"slideshow-408531a7-50ee-63e1-bbde-ff000073f150\"\/>\n<p class=\"flex-caption\">Pillars inside La Sagrada Familia<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/default-source\/beth-whitman\/barcelona-sagrada-familia-windows-[size_600x450].jpg\" id=\"slideshow-2e8531a7-50ee-63e1-bbde-ff000073f150\"\/>\n<p class=\"flex-caption\">Stained glass in La Sagrada Familia<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/default-source\/beth-whitman\/barcelona-buildings-[size_600x450].jpg\" id=\"slideshow-768531a7-50ee-63e1-bbde-ff000073f150\"\/>\n<p class=\"flex-caption\">Casa Batllo in Barcelona<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/default-source\/beth-whitman\/barcelona-casa-batlo2-[size_600x450].jpg\" id=\"slideshow-648531a7-50ee-63e1-bbde-ff000073f150\"\/>\n<p class=\"flex-caption\">Casa Batllo facade<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/default-source\/beth-whitman\/barcelona-building2-[size_600x450].jpg\" id=\"slideshow-158531a7-50ee-63e1-bbde-ff000073f150\"\/>\n<p class=\"flex-caption\">La Pedrera in Barcelona<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/images\/default-source\/beth-whitman\/barcelona-la-pedrera-[size_600x450].jpg\" id=\"slideshow-528531a7-50ee-63e1-bbde-ff000073f150\"\/>\n<p class=\"flex-caption\">Interior courtyard at La Pedrera<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/span><strong><span\/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span>Park Guell<\/span><\/strong> <span> <\/span> <\/p>\n<p><span>You&#8217;ll think you&#8217;ve entered a fantasy land when you visit this public park that originally was developed as a gated playground for the rich. It now stands as a much-loved (and visited) park and garden for all.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>There are a number of ways to experience this gorgeous spot. Meander the grounds and marvel at all of the Gaudi eye candy. If you prefer, take a seat at one of the many undulating benches encrusted with colorful shards and simply take it all in.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Wherever you go in Barcelona, Gaudi is a part of the experience. Learning to appreciate the architect only will make your visit more memorable. <br \/> <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span>From which types of architecture do you draw inspiration while traveling?<\/span><\/strong> <br \/> <span\/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Appreciating the best of Gaudi&apos;s architecture in Barcelona<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":12390,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1830,1863,1814,1782,1875,1788,1792,1774,1843,1824,1818,1776],"tags":[132],"authors":[2225],"class_list":["post-17212","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-art","category-barcelona","category-city","category-destinations","category-history","category-interests","category-nature","category-occasions-and-seasons","category-solo","category-spain","category-summer","category-type-of-vacation","tag-photography","authors-beth-whitman","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Glorious Gaudi, in Barcelona | Expedia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, 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