Barcelona is renowned for its unique architecture, and, when we visited there for the first time, we couldn't help being amazed. The diversity of the architecture is everywhere. The centerpiece of Barcelona's architecture is Sagrada Família (a Roman Catholic Church) that is not even finished, despite the fact that the construction began in 1882. About a year after construction started, the famed architect Antoni Gaudi took over the project and design, combining Gothic and Art Nouveau design. Gaudi worked on the church until his death in 1926. Final completion of the church is estimated to be in 2028.
Seeing it for the first time from a few blocks away, my first thought was that this is the biggest church I have ever seen, by far. The outside spires had so many cranes around it that they outnumbered the eighteen spires (you read that right) by a large margin. As we got closer to it, there are so many statues, intricate designs and nuances that it is hard to take it in. The designs are quite unique and, pardon the pun, a bit gaudy. In fact, most of the structure looks that way. That is why I shot this particular photo of the ceiling right as we walked through the front doors. It was one of the few parts of the church that did not have that intricate and garish look to it. I will post another image later this week of Sagrada Família's ceiling that will better display the uniqueness of the building.