Nouveau lieu, nouvelle culture, un nouveau début, le même amour: Gaudi = Architecture God...More Barcelona

Day 29 First stop of the day is the famous Mies van der Rohe Barcelona Pavilion which was originally built for the Germans during the International Exposition in 1929. It was only used for one day although it was extravagant and very well thought out. Later on a group of architects did their best to reproduce the pavilion. The concept for the building was meant to be a representation of the new government in Germany so it was a free plan and very open. The building is well-known for being a symbol of modernist architecture and also its famous Barcelona chairs that are sleek and simple but very beautiful in shape and design.

Barcelona Chair

We were then exposed to first Gaudi building in Barcelona. Gaudi is like a icon to the people in Spain. He has transformed so many spaces into breathe-taking experiences that people will travel miles to see. The first Gaudi masterpiece that we experienced was a residence. From the outside you can tell their is something special and different compared to the neighboring buildings. His attention to detail and the careful decision of materials sparks the interest of any person walking by. From the outside to the basement, the main rooms, the servants corridors and to the roofs Gaudi does not slack on any part of his design. Every inch of the house was well thought out and relates to the environment that was existing and the one he tries to create.

Organ

Servant's Corridors

The most well-known element at this residence are the chimneys on the roof. He could have choose to make them brick and square like a typical chimney but he decided to continue the detail to the roof and ended up making a separate masterpiece on top of the building. The colors, shapes, and connections has lead these chimneys and the roof to be a main tourist attraction.

Chimneys

The rest of the day we had free time to explore Barcelona so we had to go to the beach of course. It was a little too cold for a bikini and shorts so we just walked the beach and ate right on the beach and enjoyed the water. Later on in the day we went shopping for gifts and souvenirs. We ate dinner as a group at an amazing tapas(appetizers) place and then for the 3rd night in a row got gelato.

While walking back to the hotel from dinner that night we came across another Gaudi building that is based off of a dragon. The balconies are in the shape of skull heads and the building screams color.

Day 30 In the morning before we met as a group a few of us went to see two more Gaudi buildings. We all had a taste of greatness the day before and wanted to see as much of his work in person as possible so we got up at 7am and headed to a building we had previously learned about in lecture. The apartments we saw only from the outside but we knew that on the inside was a massive structure that held up the whole building to create a parking garage underneath. From the outside the building looks almost like a sandcastle with the same ornamented balconies that Gaudi creates.

The second Gaudi building of the day was his most famous, La Sa Grada Familia. From a little ways away it looks like you are approaching a fairytale. The church from the inside and out is ornamented and is covered in sculptures, stained glass windows, and unique architectural elements. It is said to be the most romantic place in the world but later that day it would be topped by Gaudi's park at the highest point of Barcelona.

Gaudi's Park was a long journey to get to and then once you are their it turns into another journey of exploring every part of the park that twists and winds with the hills and mountains. The park is an experience you want to share with the people you love and can turn anyones frown upside down. It is a lively and happy place where you can enjoy music, people, and mostly the environment. From the central square you can travel up towards one side of the park and travel across a bridge through a long path to the other side but when you are there you do not see sides because you are too busy taking in all the views both man-made and natural along the way. Every inch of the space is worth experiencing and we were all glad we got a few hours to explore in beautiful sunny high 60s weather.