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| Cathedral Spires |
La
Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain is Antoni Gaudi's masterpiece and
it is still being built. It is unique among cathedrals. On the
outside the style is hard to categorize, seemingly in disarray
because of the continuous construction, but what is immediately
apparent is that traditional cathedral expressions can't describe it
properly. At first glance it might look ugly. Further scrutiny
reveals a flow reminiscent of sand castles dreamed by a precocious
child and poured from buckets of wet sand into fantastical shapes.
New Testament scenes dot the facade like three dimensional dioramas:
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| Angel Gabriel Appears to Mary |
Angel Gabriel's annunciation to Mary,
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| Killing Innocents |
the Killing of Innocents,
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| Jesus - The Last Day |
Jesus bound, and
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| Jesus is Crucified |
the Crucifixion, to name a few.
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| Spiral Staircase Descending |
One
of the spires is accessible via an elevator and descending down the
spiral stair case reveals
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| Gargoyle |
Barcelona is heavily guarded by gargoyles.
The
cathedral's organic nature is inviting and it's interior inspiring. A kaleidoscope of colors illuminates all and a
hushed sense of awe permeates the space:
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| Blue Stained-glass Window |
stained-glass windows cast
filtered light onto new sandstone and the immensity of the space modulates
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| Organ Pipes |
quiet expressions of worship.
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| Layered Balconies |
Platonic shapes and simple
geometries help to create an understandable, user-friendly place
conducive to childlike wonder.
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| Nave and Apse |
The
Nave and Apse is a promenade of otherworldly columns evoking images
of space, both alien and familiar. The colonnade leading to the altar
seemingly expands and grows in magnitude halfway there with four
columns taking up the bulk of the ornate ceiling. Yet each column is
impossibly thin looking more like palm trees than stone.
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| Gospel Supported Ceiling |
The four
columns representing each of the Gospels are discretely named
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, while the ceiling hints of a heavenly
host and a multitude of chambers.
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| The Ascension |
The
Altar represents the Ascension. Gaudi
re-imagined the iconography of the Crucifixion as a vehicle for
Heavenly Ascension with Christ appearing to use the Cross while
rising to the light above, focusing on a destination, real and divine; slender columns culminate in a brilliant apex on high: on
Earth, as it is in Heaven. If a work of Art is to transcend the
profane and usher in the sacred, this accomplishes it, however
briefly.
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| Jesus Rising |
