I see Gaudi and think gaudy...

Exterior of Sagrada Familia

Sorry, I know it's totally cheesy, but I couldn't help myself, and it's very much what I think about his work too. If you're not familiar with Gaudi, he is a Catalan (Spanish) architect that practiced modernism and was influenced by architecture, nature, and religion in his works.

BK and Baby K at Casa Mila

Barcelona has so many modernist buildings, but the funny thing is that most architects that follow this style, insist they don't have a "style", which is maybe what unites the whole movement. But, Barcelona's wide open streets and numerous squares make a great atmosphere for some really different looking buildings. We saw lots of them, so I thought I would share.

Casa Batllo

Casa Batllo
Casa Batllo is probably one of the most recognizable buildings in Barcelona. I personally find the building interesting looking, but don't really like the design. It kind of looks like it was designed to resemble a skeleton, and reminds me of some of the crypts we've been to see in old churches that are built out of human bones (yes, it's as weird as it sounds). Supposedly it was designed with a dragon in mind, which also makes sense. We didn't go inside of this one, but as it is on the Block of Disagreement, we did stop to compare all three buildings.

Casa Milo

Casa Milo
We did go and visit Casa Milo (La Pedrera), as it was highly recommended by our tour guide. It is well worth the trip. I don't think it's as popular as Casa Batllo, so we were able to walk right in when they opened at 9:00. For me, all of Gaudi's buildings seem like they are flowing, as they all have very curvy features. For some reason, most of his buildings make me think of Alice in Wonderland, like you're in some kind of distorted world or something.

Casa Milo rooftop

Casa Milo was really interesting to see, and Gaudi and his family actually lived in this building and rented the other apartments out. I liked how there were windows everywhere, as the middle of the building is open. Baby K specifically liked climbing on all the stairs that are on the roof. She wasn't into letting BK and I listen to the audio guide, so hopefully we didn't miss anything too crucial.

In the Nature Square

Park Guell
Park Guell is interesting, but I say that mostly because it's a bit strange to me that we had to pay to get into the park, be there at a certain time, and there honestly wasn't all that much to see. We're not talking about an amusement park or anything, it's a park, with the non-paid park being a public park, as in green space.

Porter's Lodge Pavilion at entrance

I get it though, the area you pay to get into has a number of architectural and sculptural works by Gaudi. There are a few houses (our guide referred to them as Hansel and Gretel), the Dragon Stairway, Hypostyle Room (meant to be a market), and viaducts.

Hypostyle Room

The design is really remarkable and has the signature curvy, whimsical look of Gaudi. I will say, he was way before his time in repurposing items, as all of the tiles in the wall are made from broken dishes, champagne bottles, and other glassware. Even though it's not the best thing we saw, it's definitely worth a visit if you are in Barcelona.

Exterior of Sagrada Familia, still under construction

Sagrada Familia
I saved the best (in my opinion) for last: Sagrada Familia. This is seriously one of the most amazing buildings I have ever seen. I say that knowing it's pretty significant considering the number of places and things we've seen together while living abroad, and before. But, I would say this ranks up there with the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. It's that incredible.

Entrance into the temple

The one side that is completed almost looks like everything is dripping. I think it is inspired by gothic cathedrals, but has a completely different look. I don't really like the outside, because for me, it looks undone and sloppy, but I get that it's supposed to reflect nature, and nature doesn't have straight, proper lines.

Nave of the temple

But it's the inside of the temple that really blows you away, I mean, it took my breath away. It has clean lines and everything is so grand, but also so simple.

Baby K just wanted to wander around

And then there's the stained glass windows and light in the building. The stained glass windows project all kinds of beautiful colors on the walls. There is no artificial light to highlight the structure, it's all natural...and amazing. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

You absolutely have to see it, as my descriptions and pictures cannot describe what you see in person. Like many churches in Europe it's under construction and will supposedly be finished by 2026, 100 years after Gaudi's death. Right now you can only really see two of the exterior sides of the church, as the other two are still being built. The one opposite the dripping side is super modern with sharp, clean lines.

I loved this building and would love to go back if BK and I ever visit Barcelona again, hopefully after it's finished.

So there you have it, my short take and thoughts on the various Gaudi buildings we saw in Barcelona. One other strange thing, there are no Gaudi buildings outside of Spain, so you'll have to make a trip if you want to see one in person. Hopefully you will!