First Time to Spain

Matt and I flew to Barcelona for a week and I don’t think we’ve ever loved or laughed or walked so much (just 52 miles in 5 days 🚶‍♀️)! And I have to say, I am really starting to feel way more comfortable planning a trip and finding the best tours and tickets. Everything we did was so worth our time and went seamlessly.

We caught a super early flight, dropped our bags to the hotel, and immediately went out to explore the Gothic Quarter and Cathedral. This area of Barcelona is the oldest part and contains several medieval landmarks and remains of the Roman wall.

The Cathedral felt the same, but also very different from the many others we have visited while living in Europe from 2013-2016 and since moving to Germany this year. This is really because the more northern parts of Europe embraced the reformation and mostly erased the Catholic iconography and traditions from their churches. The Barcelona Cathedral remains Catholic so we saw and learned some things that we hadn’t known before. This Cathedral is going through and needing many restorations as it was constructed between the 13th and 15th centuries. Tickets include an audio tour, access to the chamber room, and access to the roof for some beautiful views over the city. The many side chapels were each closed by iron gates with a sign indicating the saint to whom the chapel is dedicated and a donation box with electric candles for those wishing to pray to that saint for specific blessings they are seeking. We learned more about these at a later tour of the Sagrada Familia later, but I will get to that.

My knees were shaking up on the rooftops as we walked shaky scaffolding over the vaulted ceilings of the cathedral beneath our feet. I am totally afraid of heights but can mostly manage on my own. I couldn’t have done this with my kids 😆.

Matt and I explored some more, ate at a French restaurant, and then headed to the Sagrada Familia for a tour.

This place draws a huge amount of tourists and it can be confusing and meaningless without a guide. Honestly, Matt and I weren’t super interested, but we figured we should check it out. The design and architecture is so unique and, after our tour I really feel it is something you have to experience if you go to Barcelona. It ended up being our favorite part of the whole trip!

The Sagrada Familia was originally designed as a Gothic Cathedral in 1872 to be built to honor Saint Joseph who, for Catholics, is the patron saint of families, fathers, expectant mothers, sellers and buyers, and immigrants. Antoni Gaudí was brought on to help with the design and the original architect quit, which meant Gaudí could adjust the design to his inspiration and vision. It is the most iconic representation of Gaudí’s unique style combing Art Nouveau, Catalan Modernism, and Spanish Late Gothic design with nature as a main source of inspiration.

This was the original architect’s design.

Our tour group was so personal with just six people and a guide that was not only an expert but so deeply loved the Sagrada and work of Gaudí. The east side of the Sagrada is all about new life, the annunciation and birth of Jesus and his life. I loved the sculptures that Gaudí designed for this. Gaudí believed that angels did not have wings and I love how he portrayed them as men and women announcing the birth of Jesus.

The two rows of fruits are bright mosaics. The top row are the “holy” fruits of the Sacrament— grains for bread and grapes for wine. The bottom row are fruits of spring and summer to match this side of the basilica that represents new life. The opposite side of the basilica also has these two rows of fruits but the bottom row are winter fruits that match the representation of the end of life on this side.

Moving into the temple as they call it, the supporting pillars branch out like a tree and as you look up it is like you are under the canopy of trees. The windows on the east side are all the colors of morning — rich blues and greens and yellows. On the west side they are colors of the sunset and represent the end of mortal life — reds and oranges. An organist began playing Bach BWV 645 “Awake, The Voice Is Calling Us,” right as we rounded the corner as the light was pouring in through the west windows and it looking like fire, so full of red and orange light. Looking over to the east windows they looked purple as the red light changed the colors of the blue glass. It was so beautiful and a moment I will never forget.

The west facade shows the end of Jesus’ mortal life, his conviction, crucifixion, burial and His resurrection. This was designed by a different sculptor and some people hate it but we really loved the contrast of the two sides representing life and death. This west side was plain, with sharp angles and edges but so fitting of the scenes and message.

It is anticipated that they will finish the construction around the year 2030. It has all been funded by private donations and the tourism to see it, which is why it has taken so long to complete. when the Pope officially recognized it as a Basilica, more donations flooded in. Our guide shared with us that for Catholics making a pilgrimage to a site and/or donating to a building gives you an official pardon for your sins in life and assured us that our ticket money was also considered a donation so it would surely be good for us, too. This is the reason for the different chapels in the Cathedral we saw earlier in the day as well. Individuals and families were given the option to “buy” a chapel so that they could be pardoned and then they chose the saint that the chapel would honor and would commission the art and alters to go inside.

This is a model of what the Sagrada will look like when it is finished.

Matt and I took extra time to see the museum and walk through the temple again. It was really so beautiful and I felt a huge appreciation for Gaudí and the way that he used symbolism to create such a unique and powerful place.

This was just day one! I’ll share about our day at Montserrat, a visit to Girona and learning about the most unique Christmas tradition I’ve ever heard of that we cannot stop laughing about, and a life-changing concert at the Palau de la Musíca in coming posts.