Artfully Ann's Adventures

Travel - May 15  - Wednesday – Barcelona, Spain It was an early rise for John and me because we had arranged for a tour package in Barcelona.  We knew Barcelona was too large for us to walk around on our own and reasonably see a respectable piece of the city in just a four or five hours visit.

Barcelona (English /bɑrsɨˈloʊnə/, Catalan: [bərsˈɫonə], Spanish: [barθeˈlona]) is the capital of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain, after Madrid, with a population of 1,620,943 within its administrative limits on a land area of 101.4 km² (39 sq mi). The greater urban area of Barcelona extends beyond the administrative city limits and includes a total population of around 4.5 million within an area of 803 km² (310 sq mi).  It is the sixth-most populous urban area in the European Union after Paris, London, the Ruhr, Madrid and Milan. It is also the largest metropolis on the Mediterranean seacoast, positioned between the mouths of the rivers Llobregat and Besòs.  See…I told you it was too big to see in just four or five hours. 

Our tour centered on Antonio Gaudi’s art work and architecture.  We drove around the port and the downtown commercial portion of the city.  Various styles of architecture from Gothic to Baroque and Modern were evident and share the skyline with the surreal – in John’s mind, bordering on infantile and grotesque - spectacles created by Antonio Gaudi. Gaudi’s influence was prominent in many areas. 

Barcelona has a rich cultural heritage and is today an important cultural center and a major tourist destination. Particularly renowned are the architectural works of Antoni Gaudí and Lluís Domènech i Montaner, which have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The headquarters of the Union for the Mediterranean is located in Barcelona.

Park Guell

I’m going to let the pictures tell you most of the story as Gaudi’s work is hard to describe.  Some call it beautiful and then there are others, like John, who, at best, ask, “Why?”, that think it is horrible.  If you like over the top color and over the top design then Gaudi might just be for you.  Gaudi didn’t know what a straight line was, but he loved geometric shapes.

 

We visited Gaudi’s whimsical Park Guell which was built for one of his benefactors, Eusebi Guell.  It is filled with waves of beautiful mosaics and whimsical tiled towers.  I’ve picked a few pictures to give you an idea.  It is said that some of the buildings here were used by the artist who drew the Smurfs’ cartoon houses.  I can see Papa Smurf coming out the front door.

Older portion of the Sagrada Familia

We also visited the Sagrada Familia, which is probably familiar to you, as this church is Gaudi’s signature work, and it has become the foremost icon of Barcelona.  It was started in 1883 and is still under construction today.  The best estimate for completion is now 2023.  But, who knows?  It could be 2123. 

Alter inside Sagrada Familia Church

Since Gaudi’s death in 1923, the church’s style has changes somewhat.  The newer side of the building is still surreal, but in a more modern style with harsh, plain figures and less complicated geometric lines.  I like the older style better.  The inside of the church is a huge open space with a unique column structure going down the sides. The colored glass windows are beautiful.  The church is of course a must see for anyone visiting Barcelona.

Newest side of Sagrade Famalia Church, still under construction

Barcelona is also home to Museo Picasso, which houses in five adjoining medieval palaces the most extensive Picasso collection in the world.  We did not go to this museum, but those that did spoke very highly of it.
 

 Barcelona was founded as a Roman city, and became the capital of the County of Barcelona. The city is known for hosting the 1992 Summer Olympics.  We could see buildings and features that remained from this event.  It was evident that the Olympics had a big impact on the redevelopment of Barcelona in the 1990’s

 Barcelona is a major transport hub.  Its International Airport, one of Europe's largest, handles over 35 million passengers per year.  Beyond its extensive motorway network, it is a major part of a high-speed rail network linking Spain with France and the rest of Europe.   

Thanks again to John for his assistance in editing this blog.  "Wikipedia" and the Holland America’s “Explorer” guide were also used for the interesting information they both provided.

Barcelona is definitely a place where you could spend a week or two and not even scratch the surface.  It’s on my list of “I want to go back” places. 

Next on Artfully Ann’s Adventures is Marseille, France.  Adios from Barcelona…Stay tuned for the next adventure.