Stand in awe in front of the Sagrada Familia Basilica and stare, along with hundreds of other slack-jawed tourists up at Antoni Gaudi’s magnus opus. Look at the profusion of spires pointing to heaven, try to take in the myriad symbolic items, some profane, like the columns topped with fruit(??), others sacred (with a twist). Was Gaudi a genius? mad? was he on magic mushrooms when he was a youth, as some have suggested? What is known is that he spent his youth, like much youth, indulging in pleasure, dressing in stylish suits, gallivanting about town with his friends and just generally having funfunfun. He started his architectural career designing lamp-posts. – seen here and there in town, these ‘lampadaires’ were his first commission after graduating from Architectural School. His life changed in middle age when he became intensely religious. Towards the end of his life, he was shabbily dressed, a bit strange and poor. Perhaps engrossed deeply in thought, in the vicissitudes of life, on June 7, 1926, he was crossing a road and was hit by a tram. He was sent to a poor hospital, because, influenced by his appearance, bystanders thought he was a beggar. He died three days later… and on 12 June, he was laid to rest in the crypt of the Sagrada.
The Sagrada Familia was started in 1882 and is scheduled to be completed by 2026, ahhh, 145 years, but who’s counting... exactly one hundred years after his death. From the outside, your eyes are drawn to the strange symbolism: the towers, resembling giant corn cobs, the signs of the zodiac, pelicans, snakes, fruit, Apostles on Columns, the virgin, lizards, dragons, salamanders and a Crucified Christ with a square(!) head.
Was Gaudi’s architecture Modernism? Art Nouveau? Gothic Revivalist? Baroque? Gothic-Baroque? For me, it is none of the above. His style is….Guadiism, pure and simple. Phantasmagoric, playful, odd, skeletal, vibrant with color – very, very different. His work lives on – in the Basilica, in the Parc Güell (one house is now the Gaudi Museum), Casa Batllo, Casa Mila, Güell Palace, Casa Calvet, Casa Vicens and more.
The must sees:
Casa Vicens, a bit of a trek, but well worth it, as Gaudi’s most eye-popping house, full of colors.
Casa Mila, his last residential work, unique ironwork on the balconies… a roof-top terrace, a novelty for the times, currently hosting evening DO-wine tastings (20 Euros) in Saturday evenings.
Casa Battlo, close by…inlaid, colorful broken tiles (trencadis) are prominent. The building has a skeletal, organic, visceral quality, the balconies are like carnival masks – you love it or hate it. No straight lines, irregular oval windows, interior as unusual as the exterior, odd doorways, original paint schemes in the inner yard – so much to take in - a day.
Park Guell was originally devised to be a grouping of sixty high-quality homes on triangular (!!) lots with the latest mod-cons and finished with Gaudi’s artistic touch. The focus of the whole was the concrete roofed Market supported by slightly askew Doric columns, the topside of which was fashioned into a terrace for the enjoyment of the new community. There were walkways for strolling shaped like waves…and at the time, it was well outside the city, away from those nasty smells… except… nobody came. It was a monumental flop. For today’s tourists, from the topmost point (Calvary Hill), the entire city and harbour is spread out below.
But Barcelona has a lot more to offer than just Gaudiism. When you disembark from the airplane, in balmy September weather and take a taxi to your residence for a week or two, the first thought is to go out and sample the ambience, the vibe of this city, and settle in for some tapas and refreshments. Frequently the best tapas at the right price are right around the corner at a little place with some tables and chairs put out and a limited menu. It helps if you are on a tree-lined Avenida like Passeig de Gracia. We had Patatas Bravas (recipe found in the ‘Gastronomy” tab), some Jamon Iberico, a cheese plate (Manchego, Roncal, etc), a small bowl of olives, prawn croquettes, anchovies in olive oil and a few slices of Chorizo. Enjoy with a glass of Catalan sparkling Cava to celebrate your arrival and you are ready for a stroll and then bed.
The next day you can begin your exploration of this unique city. If you rented in the Gràcia Nova section, most everything is in walking distance. First stop: the Sagrada. On the way, take in the chopped off corners of these massive, typical European nineteen century apartment blocks, making them, really, eight-sided. Vila de Gracia beckons for a pleasant stroll. Terrace culture is everywhere on abundant squares, creative shops can be found practically cheek by jowl, organic grocers, artist studios, Indie shops dot the streets. For supper, you can take your pick of Pizza parlors, sushi shops, falafel joints, small tapas bars, Brazilian snack bars and high-end steakhouses…
Back at the Sagrada, after you take care of that crick in your neck staring up at the Basilica, stop at the Arlequino Gelato, pick up a sandwich and head over to one of the two parks on either side of the Basilica for lunch. Listen to the languages on display. (You can get some gelato for dessert). Wander around. Do a bit of shopping.
Then, of course, you must walk La Rambla in daytime, but even better in the evening when everyone is out, which connects to Passeig de Gracia through the Placa de Catalunya square… to see and be seen. Street artists are looking for a bit of change – the terrasses are full – it hums with electric energy. La Rambla slices neatly through the old Gothic quarter, a warren of twisty, narrow streets (do I need to say more?), and passes by the largest indoor market: La Boqueria. A couple of days can be spent here.
At the foot of La Rambla is the port with a nice boardwalk and the Christopher Columbus Monument, who was not a Catalan at all, and he did not set off from Barcelona on his voyage of discovery, but from Palos de la Frontera, hard by Portugal. Not quite a home-boy, but, hey, why not – he was financed by Spain after he was turned down by four other countries.
The Gothic quarter has one gem that must be mentioned: the legendary El Xampanyet, a little hole-in-the-wall tapas bar with a huge reputation. Beloved of Anthony Bourdain (poor man), we were there 40 minutes before the opening hour of 7 PM. By the time they opened the door the line snaked around the block. Then there was a mad rush to get on the (very) few tables, and in a few minutes the place was jammed – I don’t know how the standees managed to get served and eat.
All the food was good, the ambience was good, you chat to your neighbour from Poland or France or Croatia – it’s all good. After supper, head back to La Rambla, stay a while, sit. Enjoy!
¡¡VIVA Barcelona!!
(A few more pictures to complete the tale)
Comments