Gaudí's Barcelona - el Parc Güell and la Sagrada Familia

This post is a continuation of the last post about Gaudí. In here we will explore el Parc Güell and la Sagrada Familia. The first is a park fully immersed in Gaudí's designs and creativity. It is both beautiful and captivating, and a great place to kill a hangover ;). La Sagrada Familia is Gaudí's masterpiece and his final project.

It's difficult to choose somewhere to start when considering el Parc Güell, especially because we didn't enter from the main entrance but did eventually find our way there. So I suppose that's a logical starting point. But first a little history.
Parc Güell was designed by Gaudí at the behest of Count Eusebi Güell; hence the name of the park. It was intended as a housing site for 60 plots, but received no success. Only two houses were built, one of which Gaudí bought due to a lack of outside interest. This building is now the Gaudí Museum, which holds a number of his original works.
I don't believe there is a need for much commentary, partly because I don't know anything more about the park than Wikipedia does, and also because we basically just walked around for an afternoon taking pictures. We were fortunate to have beautiful weather, common to the whole trip, and I though the park was really amazing.

Entrance to Parc Güell. (Photo by Spencer Bridgers)

Mosaic Lizard on the steps of the entrance. (Photo by Nicholas Jewitt)

Building near the front entrance. (Photo by Nicholas Jewitt)

(Photo by Nicholas Jewitt)

(Photo by Spencer Bridgers)

My guess for Count Eusebi Güell's residence. (Photo by Nicholas Jewitt)

This platform can be seen from the entrance. Although not visible here, there are vendors selling all sorts of memorabilia.

A view of the Gaudí Museum in the distance. (Photo by Sveta Mardar)

Gaudí Museum (Photo by unknown)

Gaudí's residence from 1906 until his death in 1926.

Dining Room. (Photo by Spencer Bridgers)

Living Room. These couches look very uncomfortable. (Photo by Spencer Bridgers)

Very cool wooden table. (Photo by Spencer Bridgers)

Gaudí's study.

Wardrobe room.

Sculpture above the stairway.

Throughout the park were over and under passes exquisitely designed.

(Photo by Spencer Bridgers)

Sveta standing next to the columns. (Photo by unknown)

Outside view of the above picture (Photo by Sveta Mardar)

(Photo by Nicholas Jewitt)

Live music under the densely populated platform depicted above. (Photo by Spencer Bridgers)

Detail on the roof. (Photo by Nicholas Jewitt)

Overview of el Parc Güell. (Photo by Nicholas Jewitt)

Vegetation in el Parc Güell. (Photo by Sveta Mardar)

(Photo by Sveta Mardar)

Spencer, Nick, and Myself. (Photo by Sveta Mardar)

Basilica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia

This religious building is Gaudí's masterpiece and his final work. Construction began in 1882 and the Basilica is scheduled to be complete by 2026; that's almost one and a half centuries of development. At the time of Gaudí's death, la Sagrada Familia was around 20 percent complete. He left behind various inclusive models in his workshop, but these were destroyed by anarchists during the Spanish Civil War in 1936. Recreations of the models have since been made by a group of three architects and construction has continued accordingly. The first day we went to see la Sagrada Familia it had closed for the day, and the second day there was a waiting line that surrounded the 60 by 90 meter building. Needless to say, we didn't see the interior. Guess I'll have to make a return trip in 2026. We did capture some exterior pictures, which I'm sure are pale in comparison to the interior.

La Sagrada Familia Front. (Photo by Nicholas Jewitt)

La Sagrada Familia Back.

La Sagrada Familia Right Side

La Sagrada Familia Left Side.

Front Entrance.

La Sagrada Familia. (Photo by Sveta Mardar)

Right portion of the front.

Back spires. (Photo by Spencer Bridgers)

Back Entrance.

Close up of back entrance.

Me in front of la Sagrada Familia.

La Sagrada Familia, construction began in 1882.

Antoni Gaudí left behind a legacy for his extensive work in Barcelona and is a man who truly made himself remembered and known around the world. His body is kept in the crypt of la Sagrada Familia; which, when completed, would hopefully have made him proud.