Sagrada Família- Story and Nature in Stone

Have you ever wished for something different in the architecture of sacred spaces - like cathedrals? Well here it is - ‘Sagrada Familia’ - the Temple of the Holy Family, designed by Antoni Gaudi.  

I walked there this morning and spent several hours in awe of the imagination, creativity, ingenuity and teamwork  of Gaudi and his colleagues and those that came after . . . Today’s technology guided me.

There is nothing ‘same old , same old’  about this work of genius- and while it was consecrated by Pope Benedict a while back - and therefore the unaware like me thought the job was done - it is still in construction.

This side of the temple has sculpture depicting the birth and early life of Jesus- very joyful and vibrant 

One of the first things you notice is that nearly all the sculptures (and the stories they depict) are on the outside. Having decluttered the inside, there’s more space to move and reflect.

Another striking characteristic is how nature is integral to the design. These  eastern windows allow the cool blue and green morning light to shine through. 

While these western windows allow the yellows and reds of the afternoon sun and sunset to flood the space.

Next - the columns are not just columns- they are shaped as trees, different trees in different places to create a forest in stone - using basalt, granite and other rock types to support the various towers.

From ground level, you can look up and be inspired- but you cannot normally see inside the towers - and this was a first for me. 

Listening on your phone via the audio tour app, the voice in the machine invites you to point your device upwards and observe - then all of a sudden things start swirling and changing (like in a Harry Potter movie) and strange images appear…like this 

Not your every day cathedral! There’s quirky riddles carved in the stone as well - check the number square below-what do the  numbers in the rows and columns and diagonals add up to? What might that mean? 

Maybe Judas worked it out!

The side of the temple depicting the suffering and death of Jesus is stark and bleak (compared with the Happy Christmas facade we looked at before) but none the less compelling.

Gaudi not only designed the walls and carvings and windows- he also put his head, heart and hands into designing artefacts for the liturgy. 

Here is a pulpit he designed.  ‘How much do you think it would be worth?. . . What do you mean - ‘priceless’! . . . You must be dreaming’ - like  Gaudi. 

And his dreams are becoming reality 

When it’s finished- it will look like this. The largest highest tower - the one representing Jesus is under construction and due for completion. . . When? Well does it matter? 

Sagrada Família is a triumph of the human spirit and intellect- for the world.