Just another day in España

Day two in Barcelona was primarily dedicated to the Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí. But before seeing all of what Gaudí had to offer we started smaller by navigating the narrow market streets. This is where we came to the Mercat de Santa Caterina which was a fish market. It was built on the site of an old monastery where the foundation is still visible. The construction of the market was thought provoking. There were curved roofs and curved columns that all played to together. And each façade was different where one was modern and another was an old style arching system. It was a good first stop and made me want to buy some fish.

Mercat de Santa Caterina

We wandered around some more before coming back to the Pablo Picasso museum. It was weird in the way that the front entry was in one of the narrow alleyways. It was readily apparent where the museum was. It provided some old century architecture and catacomb like elements on the bottom floor but overall I wasn’t impressed. Nothing really special stood out to me but it was interesting to learn a little about Picasso. But I was ready to move onto Gaudí’s buildings.

Courtyard at Picasso Museum

The first building we went to explore was the Casa Batlló. It was like it was out of some dream. Its façade and even most of the interior appearance was curved. It was so intricately designed and the details are so painstakingly defined. It was beautiful in its eccentricity. It was a crazy building but seems like it would’ve been nice to live in. Moves that Gaudí used were on display here and it worked elegantly.

Casa Batlló

The final stop on the Gaudí tour was his masterpiece. It is the building I most anticipated to see. It is the Basilica de la Sagrada Família. After walking through a park to get to the building, its sheer size was just enormous. It hit me all at once. It towers over everything. This building commenced construction in 1882. Gaudí, its architect, died in 1926. And it still isn’t even finished yet! They hope to have it finished in 2026 in time for the 100 year anniversary of Gaudí’s death but I’ll believe when I see it. You can really tell the older sections from the newer ones. The older ones are generally darker. Upon entry into the church, I was in awe. And that feeling never left until I was gone. It was probably the most beautiful building I have ever seen. From the stain glass windows to the high central nave to the giant columns, there was nothing there that wasn’t absolutely gorgeous. I was so happy to have seen this building and hope to return when it is completed.

Passion Façade of Sagrada Família

Interior of Sagrada Família

Following the Sagrada Família, we made our way back to the hotel and to dinner. It was a long day that required a restful night of sleep and relaxation. The next day promises to be just as busy and walking intensive.