Barcelona - what a city for art and architecture Barcelona. We arrived around noon and our private tour went as soon as we got in. The weather was cool but we just bundled up in layers. Like Singapore, our heads were turning every minute trying to take in the buildings and public art. Here though the head turners were the older buildings and statues, like the one of Christopher Columbus which we were told has an small elevator in it to take you to the top. I never knew how much I could love metal Juliette balconies, which were in every conceivable design and color imaginable, on buildings of every colour. As with most of the places we have visited, each balcony has either an arrangement of flowers or the day's laundry. Driers are not common in most of the world's cities.
Sunday in Spain, the stores are closed, and people are out with their families enjoying the many public spaces. Here too, everyone lives in apartments, which are small in size, so there is an appeal to being out of the apartment when everyone is home for the day. The city's major streets seems to be organized in roundabouts. Our guide, who would be with us for 2 days, took us up to the top of the city to begin, to Gaudi's Parc Guell, so that we could see the vista, and take advantage of the sunny weather. Antoni Gaudi is the most famous architect here. We didn't see everything he designed in Barcelona, but we did see 3 major works: his apartment building which is side by side with 2 other famous architects, and then up to the Parc Guell, then to the Sangrada Familia, the basilica that is still under construction and will not be completed till 2026. Gaudi is not everyone's taste- as his designs are the opposite of clean and simple - imitating nature. He imagined the Parc Guell as a community of about 60 homes, with a community area for music and meetings. He lived there in a pink home not designed by him, for quite a few years, while the community was built. It never took off, but today it is a public park which is very very crowded even in the off season.
What I found most interesting, was the large piazza like structure, with columns and covered walkways underneath. On one side are the Gaudi style columns that look like trees, which gradually turn into Greek Ionic columns as if showing the inspiration used by the Egyptians, Greek and Rome. He also made use of broken pottery to do mosaics, both in the ceilings, and the benches.
More of Gaudi's work around the city!
We descended down into the city to the basilica. This is not a cathedral, but since blessed by a pope, it is now a basilica. The original architect designed a typical Gothic cathedral, and Gaudi worked for 5 years as his assistant. When the architect died, Gaudi took over and he started to alter the design dramatically. It was not even possible for him to finish it in his lifetime, but he did leave very detailed drawings and plans which will have been worked on for 100 years when it is finished. It is really like nothing else you have ever seen, as it is so organic in appearance. There are many different facades, each depicting part of the life of Christ in a different style.
We circled around the waterfront that had been remodelled for the Olympics which included a bronze fish by Frank Gehry, the Canadian architect. Stunning piece.
From here we went to another hilltop where sits the Art Museum, which overlooks the Olympic Centre area and an amazing view of the city at the base of the mountains surrounding the city. Our final destination was the Olympic stadium -so similar in size to the original one we had just seen in Katakolon, Greece.
Other sights, statues and interesting sculptures around Barcelona!
Another day in Spain awaits us tomorrow, as we visit the inland city of Girona and the Costa Brava resort beach area.
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