Antoni Gaudí | Casa Batlló Antoni Gaudí International Year of Gaudí 25/06/2002 Today Gaudí has become a world-famous architect, the top name in Catalan architecture. Over the years, his works have gone from being obscure or even criticised to achieving international renown and being symbols and icons of an increasingly global Barcelona. In fact, 2002 was declared the International Year of Gaudí in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of his birth.

[…] + Antoni Gaudí died 10/06/1926 Antoni Gaudí died on June 10th, three days after being hit by a tram, in the Hospital of the Holy Cross, between five and six in the afternoon, according to the newspapers of the time, which also echo the crowd of people who came to the hospital to say their last goodbye to the 74 […] + Was knocked down by tram 07/06/1926 Antoni Gaudí was hit by a tram from the 30th line on June 7 in the “Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes”, between the streets Girona and Bailen, as he was goingto the Sant Felip Neri Church. For his unkempt appearance was not recognised, it was even mistaken for a beggar and was not rescued […] + A major exhibition in Paris 1910 In 1910 a major exhibition of Gaudí’s work opened in the Gran Palais in Paris, and this was the only exhibition outside of Spain dedicated to the architect during his lifetime.

+ The Crypt in Güell´s Colony 1909 This church is part of an ambitious industrial complex, in the town of Santa Coloma de Cervello (Barcelona). A large textile factory that Eusebi Güell, the great patron of Gaudí, launched in 1890. Mr. Güell´s goal with Colonia Güell was he wanted to be away from the city, where trade union movement was growing and […] + Hotel Attraction: Gaudí’s unfinished project for New York 1908 Currently all of the works created by Gaudí are located in Spain. However, the Catalan architect was commissioned to work in the United States for a project that remained unfinished, Hotel Attraction, which was intended for Manhattan. + Casa Batlló Double Bench 1907 This double bench was designed by Gaudí for the dining room in Casa Batlló. Although it looks like a single piece, it is in fact composed of several different parts fitted together.

Its design, with a dividing armrest and two seats which face in different directions, gives it a rather unusual and unexpected appearance, as it breaks the […] + Casa Batlló sewing chair 1907 Sewing Chair, designed by Gaudí for Mrs. Batlló. It adapts to the body posture. Its line eludes straight shapes. + Casa Batlló Chair 1907 This elegant chair was designed by Gaudí for the dining room in Casa Batlló. It is one of the first items of furniture to be ergonomically adapted. Its design presents a reduction of the structure to the bare minimum and an adaptation of the shape to the human body, resulting in a high level of comfort. There is […] + Casa Milà (“La Pedrera”) 1906 This house is located on a vast plot on the corner of Passeig de Gràcia and Provença. Mr. and Mrs. Milà awarded the project to Gaudí, who at the age of 54 was at the height of his career.

As a result, the architect hoped to work with complete creative liberty; however, he found himself fettered […] + Biography | G Experiència Gaudi Biography Do you know Antoni Gaudí's personal history? You will find all the information about the life of the Catalan Architect in Gaudí Experiència's interactive walls. Antoni Gaudí i Cornet was born on 25 June 1852 in Camp de Tarragona. Some sources say in Reus, where he was baptised, and others at the house in Riudoms, the neighbouring village, where his family came from. His father and both his grandparents were boilermakers, and as Gaudí himself recounted, he learned his special skill in dealing with three-dimensional space by observing boilermakers at work. Another key fact in the architect's childhood was his delicate health which forced him to spend long periods convalescing at home in Riudoms. There he spent many hours contemplating nature, drawing lessons that he was to apply later in his architecture. After starting his secondary education at the Escolapian School in Reus, Antoni Gaudí moved to Barcelona in 1869 with his older brother.

In the Catalan capital he completed his schooling and after meeting the entrance requirements in 1873 enrolled in the Provincial School of Architecture. Although an indifferent student he showed early indications of genius, opening the way to collaboration with some of his lecturers. After gaining his architect's diploma in January 1878, Gaudí set up his own firm. Some months later an event occurred that was to be crucial to his career: he was introduced to industrialist Eusebi Güell i Bacigalupi, with whom he struck up a lifelong friendship and professional relationship. Many of Gaudí's works were commissioned by Güell, his most enthusiastic client. Gaudí's rise to be one of the most outstanding architects of the first Modernista generation was meteoric. In the final decades of the nineteenth century when he completed the Güell Palace he was already one of the most famous architects in Barcelona. This work saw the end of Gaudí’s first youthful phase, marked by a personal revision of Gothic and Muslim architecture and including buildings like Casa Vicens, El Capricho, the Güell Estate buildings, the crypt of the Sagrada Familia, the School of the Teresianas and the Episcopal Palace in Astorga.

From 1890 onwards Gaudí perfected his understanding of architectural space and the applied arts, giving his work unique and unsuspected qualities that stood out from the other Modernist architecture of his day. These were Gaudí's mature years in which a succession of master works appeared: Bellesguard Villa, Park Güell, the restoration of Mallorca Cathedral, the church of the Colònia Güell, Casa Batlló, La Pedrera, and the Nativity façade of the Sagrada Familia. However, the splendour of Gaudí's architecture coincided with a progressive withdrawal in personal matters. While he increasingly disengaged from social life his religious feelings deepened. In 1914 he abandoned all other work to concentrate on the Sagrada Familia. Aware that he would not live to see it completed, he did his best to leave it at an advanced stage for coming generations. In fact, Gaudí was only to see one of its towers in its final form. On 10 June 1926 the architect died from injuries suffered after being run over by a tram.

Two days later he was buried at the Sagrada Familia after a massive funeral in which most of Barcelona took to the streets to pay homage to the most brilliant and universal architect that the city had ever seen. Gaudi Barcelona Life | Barcelona Travel Guide | Barcelona Apartments Hotels Restaurants Nightlife Tours Shopping & Map Barcelona > Home Page Balmy Barcelona! There hasn't been a single article of "top city destinations" compiled in the travel press in the last decade that didn't include Barcelona somewhere near the top - and it's easy to see why! Thanks to the winding and picturesque narrow streets of its Gothic Quarter , the mind-boggling Modernista architecture of Gaudi and friends , and its enviable position wedged between forested mountains and a sweeping expanse of Mediterranean sea, Barcelona has long been beautiful... whilst the 1992 Olympic Games helped pay for a sparkling, revamped marina and a glut of artificial beaches and street sculptures, enabling the city to transform from provincial port into a glamorous and cosmopolitan coastal resort.

Whether you enjoy swanning around by the seafront sipping mojitos and sunbathing on the beach , or prefer to knock back a cerveza on one of the Old Town's scenic plazas before checking out world renowned sights such as La Sagrada Familia , Park Guell or the Picasso Museum you'll definitely find yourself falling in love with Barcelona. When the sun goes down things only get hotter as the city's life-giving arteries, Las Ramblas , throng with merry-makers keen to sample the legendary nightlife ! Did you know? Despite being universally admired in the 21st Century, Antoni Gaudi didn't always enjoy such widespread praise. Amongst his famous detractors were George Orwell who described La Sagrada Familia as "one of the most hideous buildings in the world", whilst Pablo Picasso also derided the architect and Salvador Dali's comment that he possessed "superbly creative bad taste," will hardly have warmed his soul. Even his patron Eusebi Guell is said to have quipped: "I don't like your work, I respect it".

Nonetheless thousands turned out to mourn for the controversial artist during his public funeral in 1926; he died after being hit by a tram. Perhaps you're heading here on holiday, or perhaps you already call this wonderful and beguiling city your home? Whatever the reason for you dropping by our (virtual) home, the knowledgeable team of travel experts and writers at Barcelona Life are here to help you make the most of the Catalan capital. We've got tonnes of great suggestions on luxury and value-for-money hotels , gorgeous apartments , top-notch restaurants (check out our article on local tapas dishes and traditions!), reviews of hip bars and happening nightclubs , as well as a full report on shops and shopping , some great ideas for entertainment , tours and things to do and a round-up of all the greatest cultural attractions in the city - from the grand Gothic Cathedral to the Chocolate Museum and everything in between. We also aim to keep things current on Barcelona Life and that's why we bring you the latest city news and a monthly events calendar - as well as a guide to the biggest festivals , such as Sonar and Primavera Sound. Is there anything we've forgotten?

Not once you factor in our practical information on arriving and getting around the city , our miscellaneous travel advice and tips (including how to avoid those pesky pick-pockets!), our reliable weather report and our fully interactive online map - plus a guide to the Catalan language (which is quite different to Spanish , so best brush up!). If after all that you can't find what you're looking for please do drop us a line , or post a message on our forum . Don't forget there's also a search box (top right) and an articles directory (left hand side) and you can keep up-to-date with the latest comments and quips about BCN by following us on Facebook and Twitter. Just click on the icons on the top right of the page to connect. Sick of balmy Barcelona? Impossible! But if for some reason you can't take any more of the sunshine, great food and non-stop fiestas, and instead you have an insatiable hankering for cold climes, a cheap bottle of vodka and a faint whiff of Communist nostalgia, then why not pay a call on some close friends of ours in Berlin , Krakow and Prague ? Just three great cities in the old Eastern bloc that we know and love.

For now though we suggest you pay homage to Catalonia ! CNN.com - Barcelona marks 150 years of Gaudi - March 18, 2002 set your edition Barcelona marks 150 years of Gaudi The chimneys of Casa Mila are among the Gaudi landmarks being visited by tourists during Gaudi Year 2002 By CNN Madrid Bureau Chief Al Goodman BARCELONA, Spain (CNN) -- Barcelona and Antoni Gaudi -- two names that are intimately linked, because Gaudi's unusual buildings are the very soul of the city. This year, on the 150th anniversary of Gaudi's birth, Barcelona is taking a fresh look at its best-known architect -- and finding that his work is still setting the tone for the city's future. Consider a set of chimneys, designed to represent knights, that stand guard over the inhabitants of Casa Mila, a landmark downtown building. Casa Mila was built between 1906 and 1912 for a wealthy family. On crystal clear days, their servants hung the laundry out to dry on the rooftop. VIDEO The architecture of Antonio Gaudi continues to influence the landscape of Barcelona, as CNN's Al Goodman reports.

(March 18). (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Now a local bank's cultural center is the main occupant of the fairytale structure, which almost seems allergic to straight lines. It was listed as a Unesco World Heritage site in 1984. The curious come from far and wide to get a closer look, especially in this anniversary year of Gaudi's birth. International architects, including American Frank Gehry, who designed Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum, and Brit Norman Foster, will gather on Wednesday to kick off celebrations. Across town, a group of first-year architectural students are learning the basics -- including the man who changed the way generations have thought about architecture. "I like how Gaudi mixes art, sculpture and architecture, and different forms, and even blends in some religion," says architecture student Carlos Bitrian. "He's kind of mystical." More than a century in the making, Gaudi's Sagrada Familia church is still under construction La Sagrada Familia, or Church of the Holy Family, is where that mysticism is most publicly expressed.

It's a work in progress that 120 years of toil has not yet brought to fruition -- an exuberant banquet of towering spires and Gaudi's trademark parabolic archways. "Gaudi is the result of these two forces, the earth and the heaven. The natural and the spiritual forces," says Gaudi Year director Daniel Giralt-Miracle. "And this conflict, the two energies, is the result of Gaudi. Gaudi is human but is so spiritual. But Gaudi's church is not yet serving its intended purpose as a house of prayer, 76 years after Gaudi died after being hit by a tram. Only a small part of it was finished in his lifetime. Many of the 18 steeples Gaudi envisioned have not yet been built. Much of the church is still exposed to the heavens. And no one is betting on the date of completion -- not even the current chief architect, whose father knew Gaudi himself. "In the time of Gaudi it was the same, the people like to know when it will be finished. And Gaudi's answer was, 'My client is not present.' I say the same," says architect Jordi Bonet.

Some 100 people work on the church site, but the commotion does not scare away visitors. The Church of the Holy Family is the most popular tourist attraction in Barcelona, with 1.5 million visitors every year, because they just can't see anything like it anywhere else. Park Guell is among the other Gaudi surprises in Barcelona And there are still lots of other Gaudi surprises in Barcelona, such as Casa Batllo, originally the residence of a wealthy industrialist in 1875. Gaudi, who was born in 1852, did not build the home, he just remodeled it between 1904 and 1906. This year, in honor of the 150th anniversary of Gaudi's birth, the public will be allowed inside for the first time. It's just another appetizing location on the Gaudi menu -- mammoth pieces of creativity, and daily reminders of how the once strange now seems reassuring. Stretching the boundaries of imagination, Gaudi's visions are an invitation for Barcelona to remember the past -- and dream of a limitless future.

Sagrada Familia gets final completion date – 2026 or 2028 | World news | The Guardian Sagrada Familia gets final completion date – 2026 or 2028 Barcelona's intricate temple to God to be ready for centenary of architect Antoni Gaudí's death … or thereabouts Thursday 22 September 2011 13.20 EDT First published on Thursday 22 September 2011 13.20 EDT Close This article is 5 years old Barcelona's emblematic Sagrada Familia church finally has a completion date — 2026 or 2028, more than 140 years after it was started. Joan Rigol, president of the committee charged with finishing the building by Antoni Gaudí , said it should be finished in time for the centenary for the architect's death – or, if not, two years later. Five huge towers are being added to the eccentric building, which is among Spain's most-visited tourist attractions. Gaudí died in 1926 after being runover by the city's No 30 tram.

He had been living on the Sagrada Familia building site and looked so impoverished that it took several hours for doctors to realise who he was. The tram driver thought he had hit a drunken tramp. Originally paid for by subscription, the church was always set to take a long time to build. "My client is in no hurry," Gaudí once said, referring to God. The building was at one stage popularly known as "the cathedral of the poor" and Gaudi himself was known to go begging for contributions – which currently amount to around €500,000 (£440,000) a year. An influx of tourists, along with modern masonry techniques, has seen work speed up considerably over the past two decades. Some three million fee-paying tourists are expected to visit this year alone, contributing €30m. With a roof finally in place, Pope Benedict was able to consecrate it as a basilica last year. But a setback came when a man set fire to the basilica's sacristy in April, with repair work still under way. "The damage is worse than we had thought," said the building's chief architect, Jordi Bonet.

Authorities are now considering installing metal detectors at the entrance. "Our new objective is to complete the six central towers, of which five have already been started," said Rigol. The sixth tower will measure 170 metres and contain a lift to carry tourists to the top. Rigol added that a high-speed rail tunnel to be built nearby, which has been approved by the courts, may still damage the buildings foundations. Bonet did not seem so sure about the finish date. "I'm not saying that it is wrong, I hope it is not, but it is not that simple. This is a very complex work and needs a lot of investigation," the architect told the RAC1 radio station. "Everyone has the best will, but I cannot give any assurances." How Gaudi's finished La Sagrada Familia cathedral will look on completion in 2026... 144 years after building started | Daily Mail Online comments Barcelona's world famous Sagrada Família will finally be finished by 2026, the architect in charge has vowed... nearly 150 years after work began.

That will make it ready in time for the centenary of the death of architect Antoni Gaudí, who famously joked that his client, God, was in no hurry to see it finished. Since then 65 per cent of the work has been completed and now, with new masonry techniques speeding up the work, builders say the Almighty will only have to wait another 13 years to see its final spires and main façade. Scroll down for video Gaudi's masterwork: This artist's impression shows how Barcelona's La Sagrada Familia will look when it's finished in 2026 - 144 years after work on it began and 100 years after the architect who designed it was killed Cops shoot down blind man in California convenience store 'If we continue at the pace we are now we will make it,' said Jordi Fauli, the architect currently in charge of the project, as the foundation funding the building released a video imagining how the finished building will look. Combining helicopter footage with computer animation, the YouTube clip shows La Sagrada Família's final stages take shape before your eyes. Its grand spires shoot up in succession, with its central cupola rising into view.

The Glory facade, which Gaudi envisioned as the church's main entrance, appears to materialise from nothing. RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share While often referred to as a cathedral, and originally intended as such, La Sagrada Família was consecrated in November 2010 as a basilica by Pope Benedict XVI. Cathedrals are the official seats of archbishops, but a basilica is a large and important church that has been given special ceremonial rights by the Pope. Under construction: The video starts with an aerial shot of La Sagrada Familia as it appears today Under construction: The video starts with an aerial shot of La Sagrada Familia as it appears today Architectural masterwork: Its grand spires shoot up in succession, with its central cupola rising into view But is it what he wanted: Critics warn that its final design will have little in common with Gaudí's original vision And does it matter?

Packed with symbolism, once finished La Sagrada Familia will have 18 spires - one for every evangelist, one for every apostle and two, towering above the rest, representing the Virgin Mary and Jesus La Sagrada Família attracts around 3million visitors a year, whose entrance fees pay for most of the €25million a year cost of continuing its construction, with gifts from private donors making up the rest. Construction began in 1882, with Gaudí's involvement commencing the following year when he took over the project and radically transformed it's design with his distinctive Gothic and curvilinear Art Nouveau style. Problems have long dogged work on Barcelona's second cathedral, with Gaudí neck-deep in the project when he was killed in 1926 when he was run over by a tram. The architect's body was not identified for several days after the impoverished 74-year-old was mistaken for a tramp. He lived long enough only to see a quarter of his masterwork completed.

God's work: La Sagrada Familia's estimated completion date will make it ready in time for the centenary of the death of architect Antoni Gaudí, who famously joked that his client, God, was in no hurry to see it finished A city tour bus stands before the site: La Sagrada Família attracts around 3million visitors a year, whose entrance fees pay for most of the 25million euro a year cost of continuing its construction Inside job: A look in detail at the astonishing work inside La Sagrada Familia A tourist walks on a new tower of La Sagrada Familia: While often referred to as a cathedral, and originally intended as such, La Sagrada Família was consecrated in November 2010 as a basilica by Pope Benedict XVI Gaudí's plans for the vast basilica, with its numerous towering spires, where then destroyed by anarchists opposed to the Catholic church during the Spanish Civil War. Much of its design since has been based largely on guesswork.

Packed with symbolism, La Sagrada Familia will eventually have 18 spires - one for every evangelist, one for every apostle and two, towering above the rest, representing the Virgin Mary and Jesus. Critics have warned that its final design will have little in common with Gaudí's original vision, a failing that the architect may not have had much trouble with. He once said: 'There is no reason to regret that I cannot finish the church. I will grow old but others will come after me. 'What must always be conserved is the spirit of the work, but its life has to depend on the generations it is handed down to and with whom it lives and is incarnated.' When did Antoni Gaudí died? | Casa Batlló Antoni Gaudí died 10/06/1926 Antoni Gaudí died on June 10th, three days after being hit by a tram, in the Hospital of the Holy Cross, between five and six in the afternoon, according to the newspapers of the time, which also echo the crowd of people who came to the hospital to say their last goodbye to the 74 year old architect.

It has gone down in the history of the city of Barcelona the great outpouring of grief that citizens surrendered to Gaudí, with numerous Masses and tributes. Although the burial had no official character, and responded to the desires of simplicity that Gaudí professed, is remembered for being the most massive, leaving the Hospital de la Santa Cruz, arriving at the cathedral for Mass burial and then addressing the Sagrada Familia to deposit the corpse in the chapel of Carmen in the crypt of the Sagrada Familia after the dirge. Throughout the journey the coffin was accompanied by many admirers, disciples and friends as well as black ribbons in various buildings and houses located on the route between the hospital and the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia. Antoni Gaudi Barcelona | Life, Works & Tours Barcelona > Antoni Gaudi Barcelona | Life, Works & Tours Antoni Gaudi the Great Rarely has a man become so synonymous with a city as Antoni Gaudi has with Barcelona. His incredibly expressive and individual style, part Modernisme (the regional Catalan take on art nouveau) part neo-Gothic and drawing on aspects of cubism and surrealism, has come to define the city's aesthetic.

It is intensely human, full of the imagery of nature and religion, and defiantly original - an apt reflection of the Catalan soul. Read on for a full biography and a list of Gaudi's major works in Barcelona, or scroll down to the bottom of the page for selected guided tours. Biography of Gaudi's Early Life The most famous architect of the 20th century was born in Reus (or just outside, depending on what account you believe) in the Tarragona province of Catalonia, 80km south of Barcelona . After enduring a childhood troubled by rheumatism, the son of two coppersmiths travelled to the Catalan capital to enrol as an student at the Escola Tecnica Superior d'Arquitectura where he duly studied from 1873 to 1877. Even then his professors did not quite know what to make of his work, and when he was awarded the title of architect in 1878, Elies Rogent, the director of the school, declared: "Who knows if we have given this diploma to a nut or to a genius?

Time will tell." That same year Gaudi won his first commission, via a competition, to design lampposts for Barcelona's Placa Reial . He also undertook a number of commissions for furniture and altarpieces and a showcase for gloves for the Comella firm for the Paris Exhibition of 1878 , and it was these works that got him a big break. Fellow Catalan Eusebi Guell was so enchanted by the work which he saw at the Paris fair that he tracked down the artist in Barcelona and became Gaudi's close friend and an important patron of his works - notably commissioning the architect to design the Palau Guell and Park Guell , amongst other projects. Above: Colourful detail showcasing the architect's beloved trencadis technique Major Works in Barcelona Although Gaudi's work was not far from unanimously praised at the time (fellow Barcelona-based genii Pablo Picasso and George Orwell were both rather unkind in their opinions!), the young Antoni had no difficulty finding projects to work on and as such Barcelona is rife with his handiwork.

Here is a list of his most interesting works to explore: La Sagrada Familia Gaudi's association with the architect Martorell landed him what was to become his most important commission - designing La Sagrada Familia Cathedral. He began work on it soon after graduating in 1883, and dedicated the last 16 years of his life entirely to the project. The famously unfinished church is now the city's most visited attraction. Park Guell Eusebi Guell, Gaudi's principal patron, wanted to build a remarkable park for the Barcelona aristocracy - and no prizes for guessing who he turned to. Characterised by its pavilions and undulating mosaics (made from broken tiles), the Park has become one of Barcelona's must-see destinations. It was built between 1900 and 1914. Palau Guell This sumptuous palace was created as the Guell's family residence, on the Nou de la Rambla. Austere white stonework is offset by surreal chimneys of fantastic colours, and a central spire topped off by a bat-winged monster. Look out for the Catalan coat of arms on the entrance.

(Built 1886-89). Casa Batllo Another of the Modernista masterpieces on the Passeig de Gracia (not all of them, were created by Gaudi... read up on Barcelona's other top architects such as Puig y Cadafalch), the Casa Batllo was built in 1877 and remodelled by Gaudi between 1904 to 1906 for the aristocrat Josep Batllo. Fans of fantasy will love the dragon-crest roof and skeletal facade. Biography of Later Life: La Sagrada Familia & Death Gaudi's later years were hard on the architect. His father died in 1905, followed by his niece in 1912, two close friends in 1914 and 1916, and finally his patron Eusebi Guell in 1918.

Always an ardent Catholic, Antoni became more fervently religious and gave up all secular commissions (after completing the Casa Mila in 1910) to concentrate on his monumental life work, La Sagrada Familia - a project that occupied him for the final 16 years of his time on earth and which he never finished (and still isn't finished now - there is hope that the church will be complete by 2026). Taken over by a Captain Ahab-style monomania, Gaudi even moved his studio into the crypt of La Sagrada Familia in 1925 so that he could devote every waking moment to executing his plans. The one-time dandy allowed his appearance and clothes to deteriorate and he became yet more isolated from society. When the architect was hit by a tram in 1926 he was so ragged and conspicuously poor, that nobody recognized him and no cab driver would take him to a hospital (the uncharitable offenders were later fined by the police). Gaudi was eventually taken to a hospital for the poor, where he wasn't recognized until his friends found him there the following day.

They wanted to move him but Gaudi refused, insisting that, "I belong here amongst the poor." He died three days after being hit by the tram. Despite shunning publicity Gaudi's popularity and fame had exploded by that time, as many people began to acknowledge the unique genius of his work. Half of Barcelona dressed in black to honour his death, and his body was, fittingly enough, interred in the crypt of La Sagrada Familia. If you're still thirsty for more knowledge on Antoni then check out the excellent Gaudi Club website. And if you're keen to experience the genius of Gaudi first hand, illuminated by a knowledgeable guide, then just hold your breath a little while we rummage around for some amazing Gaudi tours for you to experience... et voila: Guided Tours Barcelona Guide Bureau One of the city's most established tour companies, naturally BGB know their eggs when it comes to Gaudi. They offer two coach tours focused on his life and works. The first is a more in-depth tour that takes you inside both the amazing Casa Batllo and La Sagrada Familia (plus the exterior of Casa Mila) and takes 3.5 hours.

The second, lasting 2.5 hours, is focused on La Sagrada Familia, although you will also take a stroll down the iconic Passeig de Gracia and admire the facades of the two famous Casa as well. Shopaholics can take advantage of a new tour, that includes both Gaudi's cathedral and also a trip to La Roca Village shopping complex. Barcelona eBikes The best way to round up ALL of the Catalan architect's best works is by bike... unfortunately Park Guell is something of an uphill climb and so not catered for on usual bike tours, but that's where the people at Barcelona eBikes come in. Their power-assisted cycles make zipping up the Passeig de Gracia, swinging by La Sagrada Familia and nipping up to "Gaudi's garden" a breeze. Plus riding an ebike is also a unique and cool thing to do in itself! Check their website for more details.

Gaudi Tours If you want to know everything about Barcelona's main man, including details about his difficult childhood, his dandy years, his relationship with his two most important clients - Guell and God - and much more, then it's well worth spending the day in the company of an expert tour guide. Take a private tour of the architect's major works in Barcelona and uncover the inspiration behind the imagery, and a well of fascinating political and personal details about Gaudi and his role in the Catalan Modernista renaissance. With Gaudi Tours you'll see both man and city in a new light! Email for prices and availability. More Info Antoni Gaudi Biography on Wikipedia Other Art Nouveau Gaudi was both part of, and separate to, the prevalent Modernista movement of the time . In fact he was born just one year after Domenech i Montaner, who was the leading protagonist of the movement and one of young Antoni's teachers. Gaudi of course went his own way, but undoubtedly he was massively influenced by what was going on all around him as the city developed at a rapid pace, fuelled by the wealth of the industrial revolution. What's our point?

It's that, when in BCN, don't be so obsessed with one man's work that you miss a whole host of amazing architecture by his peers that is sure to enthral those who pay enough attention. For example, be certain to at least wonder past the wonderful Palace of Catalan Music designed by Domenech i Montaner , if not see a concert , and do as well pop your head in the legendary "Four Cats" cafe , one of the centres of intellectual thinking - and drinking - at the time. Polishing Gaudi's Unfinished Jewel - The New York Times The New York Times Arts |Polishing Gaudi's Unfinished Jewel Search Continue reading the main story BARCELONA — On Sunday, Pope Benedict XVI will consecrate as a basilica the most famous monument in Barcelona, the Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família. Beside the religious importance of the event, the pope’s visit will showcase the latest architectural and artistic features of the Sagrada Família, which has remained a work in progress ever since its brilliant Catalan architect, Antoni Gaudí, died after being hit by a tram in 1926.

The pope’s arrival has been preceded by frenetic building activity, with some 300 workers scrambling to ensure that the Sagrada Família — particularly its nave and high altar — would be ready to allow the pope to lead a Mass in front of about 7,000 people. That construction work, however, is taking place amid a debate that has been waged for decades over whether the Sagrada Família is drifting too far from its creator’s artistic vision. Some also argue that the Sagrada Família’s tourism appeal — it draws an estimated 2.5 million visitors a year — lies precisely in the fact that it is one of the world’s greatest unfinished works of art. Continue reading the main story “We are running the risk of doing a pastiche of the Gaudí concept,” said Narcís Serra, a former mayor of Barcelona. “To try to finish this temple nowadays is no longer about following his exact plans. From the point of view of respecting his work, it would have been much better to stop at the point when we were no longer sure that this was exactly what he wanted.” Photo A view of the Sagrada Familia.

Credit Albert Gea/Reuters But Jordi Bonet, the 85-year-old architect who has been in charge of constructing the Sagrada Família for almost three decades, leads an even stronger chorus that insists that Gaudí never yearned for such a monumental project to be completed just as he had foreseen. Mr. Bonet stressed that Gaudí himself left a certain degree of artistic freedom to those working alongside him. “Almost every cathedral has been the work of many people and over many centuries,” Mr. Bonet said. “Even when he was in charge, there were 40 different sculptors working for Gaudí, and of course he inspired them, intervened and commented on their work — but it remained the work of several different sculptors.” Gaudí’s own comments also give credence to the idea that he was neither a control freak nor determined to stick to a timetable. For example, he planned 18 bell towers for the Sagrada Família, according to records made by his assistants, but said: “I have decided to leave it only scheduled so that another generation will collaborate on the Temple, as is repeatedly seen in the history of cathedrals.

The work of the Sagrada Família progresses slowly because the master of this work is in no great hurry.” Advertisement Continue reading the main story Gaudí was an ardent Catholic and in recent years has even been considered a candidate for sainthood. “Man without religion is a man with spiritual failings, a mutilated man,” he said. Mr. Bonet, who is also deeply versed in Catholic liturgy, is the son of an architect who assisted Gaudí. His father and Gaudí developed what Mr. Bonet calls “a good friendship.” Mr. Bonet’s introduction to the Sagrada Família was as a 7-year-old, when he attended a Communion Mass in its crypt. Gaudí was more concerned with artistic representations of nature than of religion, and wanted the Sagrada Família’s interior to be “like a forest,” he said. His interest in the natural world is what draws so many visitors to Barcelona.

“Forty years ago, people in this city used to ignore and sometimes even throw away Gaudí’s work,” said Pere Jordi Figuerola Rotger, curator of Barcelona’s Diocesan Museum, which houses about 1,000 documents signed by Gaudí. “Those who have really made the Sagrada Família famous are the Japanese tourists, not for any religious reason but because of their shared fascination for nature.” Photo Jordi Bonet, the Sagrada Familia’s chief architect, gestured as he talked about Gaudi’s architectonic shapes. Credit Stefano Buonamici for The International Herald Tribune At the time of his death, Gaudí had completed less than a quarter of his project. Work is now beyond the half-way mark, although some of the most challenging parts of the project lie ahead, including building the central, 170-meter, or 560-foot, tower. Recently, Mr. Bonet has concentrated on the altar area, which the pope will be using and where Gaudí’s otherwise detailed instructions — left in writings, drawings and several astonishing plaster models — are at their sketchiest. Among Mr.

Bonet’s contributions are an engraved lectern and an altar that was still under plastic wrapping last week. Mr. Bonet decided to have it made of porphyry, a purple-red stone. “All that I had from Gaudí for the altar was one drawing and measurements, but I do feel that is sufficient to call this a faithful interpretation,” Mr. Bonet said. Mr. Bonet’s artistic role in the Sagrada Familia’s completion, however, is far less controversial than the angular and abstract additions of Josep Maria Subirachs, a Catalan artist who started working on one of the Sagrada Família’s façades in the 1980s. Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up Privacy Policy Josep Ramoneda, a writer and director of the Center for Contemporary Culture of Barcelona, described the contribution made by Mr.

Subirachs to the Sagrada Família as “lamentable.” He added: “This has absolutely nothing to do with Gaudí.” Those who would halt work on the temple have not succeeded, in large part because the Sagrada Família depends only minimally on public subsidies. Instead, tourism (via an entrance fee of €12, or about $15) has allowed church authorities to invest about €1.5 million a month in the construction work — even in the midst of a worldwide financial crisis that has hit Spain severely. “We’ve recently been spending more because, with so many essential things to do, we would otherwise have been late for the pope,” said Mr. Bonet, who oversees a team of 20 architects. As to when the Sagrada Família might be completed, Mr. Bonet shares Gaudí’s patience. He did note that technological advances have eased the construction work, but said the end of the work was still difficult to foresee. “I don’t know,” he said, “but perhaps in less than a century.” A version of this article appears in print on November 4, 2010, in The International Herald Tribune.

Order Reprints | Today's Paper | Subscribe Top 10 restaurants in Barcelona for great value set lunches | Travel | The Guardian Barcelona holidays Top 10 restaurants in Barcelona for great value set lunches Pick the menú del día and lunch in Barcelona will become a tasty adventure in the best of Catalan cooking in the city’s most interesting quarters – and a more affordable experience too Style and substance … La Polpa, Barcelona Monday 15 June 2015 01.00 EDT Last modified on Thursday 22 December 2016 07.18 EST Share on Messenger Close Everyone loves tapas but sometimes you can’t face another plate of patatas bravas. Forget standing in a crowded bar trying to avoid being stabbed in the eye by a tourist wielding a cocktail stick loaded with chorizo: it’s time for a proper meal, with chairs, and tables. But restaurants in a place such as Barcelona can empty your wallet quickly; the answer is a menú del día, the ubiquitous set lunch. The best offer good value and quality and they’ll see you through to the evening and back on the tapas trail.

All menús here include three courses, a drink and bread unless stated La Polpa, Eixample A wander up Passeig de Gràcia is pretty much a must-do, whether you’re gawping at Gaudí buildings or heading for the shops. But the Eixample is proper moneyed Barcelona. The shops, the people, and the restaurants are expensive. That’s why La Polpa, a couple of blocks off the Passeig, is such a find. It’s got linen napkins, smartly dressed staff and a patina of posh, but the menú is still only €10.30. That really is astonishingly good value for this part of town. The food is modern and expertly turned out. A standout was an exceptionally tasty loin of tuna in teriyaki sauce. Even the house wine, a muscat, was a cut above the usual menú offerings. • €10.30 for the menú. Carrer d’Enric Granados 69, +34 933 238 308, grupandilana.com .

Open daily 1pm-3.45pm and 8.30pm-11.30pm El Jardi, Raval Pinterest The Raval, just off the Ramblas, is, despite everyone’s best efforts to talk it up, still rough and ready in parts. Carrer de l’Hospital, all phone shops and dive bars, is fascinating and when you want a break you can duck into the courtyard of the 15th-century Hospital de la Santa Creu. It’s a lovely quiet space and there’s a little open-air restaurant, El Jardi, which puts out great food from its tiny kitchen. It’s not fancy stuff but delicious. I had a thick leek and potato soup packed with flavour and a hearty lentil and sausage casserole. Handily, this place ticks another spot off the Gaudí trail: the old hospital is where the architect died after being knocked down by a tram in 1926. • €9.90 for the menú. Carrer de l’Hospital 56, +34 933 291 550, eljardibarcelona.es .

Open daily 10am-midnight Top 10 budget hotels, hostels and B&Bs in Barcelona Read more Pinterest Walk north from l’Hospital and Raval gets more salubrious and positively trendy. There will probably be plenty of time here to watch the world go by because this vegetarian restaurant is very popular and at the busiest times diners have to wait for a table. The staff are rushed off their feet but still stay friendly and the decor – bare brick walls and tartan upholstery – doesn’t try too hard. For €13 you get to choose from a starter of soup or salad, mains (divided into cereals, rice, vegetable or pasta) and a fruit salad to finish. Drinks, bread and fancier deserts are extra. It’s all wholesome stuff but far from worthy. • Carrer de Jovellanos 2, +34 933 171 829, teresacarles.com . Open daily 9am-11.30pm Petra, Born Chef Sergi Blanco on Can Vallés, Barcelona Read more The Born district is a great place for hunting down a menú.

Its narrow alleys are packed with interesting, independent shops and new places to eat and drink open at a bewilderingly pace. Beautiful Santa Maria del Mar church is the heart of the barrio and Petra restaurant is tucked away on a lane on its flank. Behind its stained-glass windows lie tiled walls (don’t worry, it’s not as cliched as it sounds: the chandeliers are made of spoons and knives) and a dozen or so tables. I had pumpkin gnocchi, spicy chicken in a moscatel sauce and crema catalana with baked apple. All good. Cheery chef and co-owner Joan Pluvinet somehow finds time to work the tables. • €12.25 for the menú. Carrer dels Sombrerers 13, +34 933 199 999, restaurantpetra.com . Open MonSat 1pm-4pm and 8.30pm-11pm, closed Sundays NAP, Born Ah, pizza, the go-to food for all weary tourists. But Barcelona (and Pisa, Rome, Naples and more) has committed its fair share of crimes against this simple dish.

That probably explains why NAP (the owners are from Naples) is such a success: it takes pizza back to its delicious basics. The list of pizzas is refreshingly short, just a dozen; €7.50 gets you bruschetta to start, a margherita and a soft drink. Fancier pizzas are a few euros more. Tiramisu, panna cotta and cheesecake add another €3 or so. No piped music and fishing nets here, just a simple, clean design. There is also a new, very popular branch in Barceloneta, near the beach. • Pizzas from €4.90. Avinguda Francesc Cambó 30, +34 686 192 690, Facebook page . Open daily 1.30pm-4.30pm and 8pm-midnight. Carrer de Baluard, 69, Barceloneta, +34 930 073 639.

Open Mon-Fri 1pm-4.30pm and 7.30pm-11.30pm, Sat 1pm-midnight, Sun 1pm-11pm Luki, Poble Sec The foodie traveller … on knowing your calçots (onions) in Catalonia Read more Poble Sec, a few minutes from Raval and in the shadow of Montjuïc hill, is a bit off most tourists’ itineraries but its quiet streets, pretty squares and friendly locals make it worth the detour. It’s being billed as the “new Born” but thankfully has some way to go yet. The standout spot for tapas is tiny Quimet i Quimet (Carrer del Poeta Cabanyes, 25, +34 934 423 142) but a friend took me to Luki, in the corner of Plaça del Sortidor. The decor is exuberant, but in a good way. The aubergine ravioli were fantastic, followed by slices of rolled chicken in a brandy sauce. For once, I skipped desert, except for a spoon or two of my friend’s chocolate tart.

• €10.90 for the menú. Plaça del Sortidor 3, +34 933 293 545, luki.com.es . Open Tue midday-4pm, Wed-Thurs midday-4pm and 8pm-midnight, Fri-Sat midday-midnight, closed Mondays Can Culleretes, Barri Gòtic Pinterest Photograph: Stefano Politi Markovina/JAI/Corbis OK, you’re trapped in the old town, tapas to the left, touts to the right. There’s no escape – time to go old school at the “House of Spoons”. It claims to be the oldest restaurant in Barcelona and the menú doesn’t feel like it has changed in a couple of hundred years. It’s always packed with Spanish families, gossiping abuelas and tourists. And they all look like they are having a very good time. Individual dishes are such good value (goose with apples is lovely, filling and only €9.50) that they almost make the €17.50 menú look expensive, but three courses give plenty of time to enjoy the atmosphere.

The fish soup is not too heavy, which was a good job because I followed it with pig’s trotter cooked in cava and the inevitable crema catalana. • €17.50 for the menú. Carrer d’en Quintana 5, +34 933 173 022, culleretes.com . Open Tues-Sat 1.30pm-4pm and 9pm-11pm, Sun 1.30pm-4pm, closed Mondays La Mar Salada, Barceloneta Pinterest Tourists stream to the beach along Passeig de Joan de Borbó, the main drag of the old fishermen’s quarter of Barceloneta. The unfortunate ones get hooked in by one of the many desperately poor restaurants here. The only good one I knew was Suquet de l’Almirall , but it’s expensive. Thankfully, a friend introduced me to La Mar Salada a few doors along. Take a table in the sunlit white interior or sit outside and people-watch. I had cream of artichoke soup, topped with a poached egg, my friend spinach and mushroom cannelloni in almond sauce.

Then we had langoustines sautéed with vegetables and served in a lime sauce and confit of duck with oranges and turnips. Desserts – carrot cake with Greek yoghurt, and white chocolate cake with a strawberry centre, were absolutely wonderful. The same family own nearby Can Ros , which is more traditional and a few euros cheaper. • €17 for the menú. Passeig Joan de Borbó 59, +34 932 212 127, lamarsalada.cat . Open Mon-Fri 12.30pm-4.30pm and 8pm-11.30pm, Sat-Sun 12.30pm-11.30pm, closed Tuesdays La Singular, Gràcia EatWith: how to find a supper club around the world Read more There are many bars and restaurants to choose from in Gràcia’s charming streets but you’ll struggle to do better than here. Gràcia was a village until the city gobbled it up in the 19th century but the barrio retains a sense of community.

La Singular fits in perfectly: it only has 10 tables and is a cosy locals’ favourite. It’s been going for years but still feels fresh and innovative. The food is classic Catalan with a bit of a twist. The €10 menú lists, for example, a salad of baby lettuce hearts in anchovy sauce, veal with endives, red peppers and brie, and mousse of mató (a Catalan soft white cheese) with a fruit coulis. • €10 for the menú. Carrer de Francisco Giner 50, +34 932 375 098, lasingularbarcelona.com . Open Mon-Thurs 1pm-4pm and 8.30pm-11.30pm, Fri 1pm-4pm and 8.30pm-12.30am, Sat only open 8.30pm-12.30am El Clandestino, Sarrià Sarrià is another village subsumed by the city, but it pretends that never happened. Little old ladies wander around with little dogs in their handbags and people greet each other on the street.

It’s one of the city’s most desirable districts and there are lots of great, but expensive, places to eat. I wanted to recommend Vivanda on Carrer Major de Sarrià but it doesn’t have a menú to make it affordable, and Tram-Tram , also on Carrer Major de Sarrià, has just put its menú up to €28. Never mind, El Clandestino in the heart of the barrio is very good and very sensibly priced. Unusually, there are half a dozen choices for each course. Nothing too fancy, but very well done – I’ll be trying to cook their beans with clams at home. Butt cheek of cow was delicious – and sounds better in Spanish. And if you’re still hungry and ready to get back to tapas, Barcelona’s best patatas bravas are served just round the corner at Bar Tomás (Carrer Major de Sarrià, 49). • €11.80 for the menú. Carrer de Jaume Piquet 1, +34 932 041 036, elclandestinorestaurant.es .

Open daily 1pm-4pm and 9pm-11pm, closed Monday and Sunday evenings • This article was amended on 15 June. An incorrect photo of Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau has been removed. Josep Maria Jujol’s contribution to Gaudí’s Barcelona masterpieces, and those he created himself in Catalonia, have been overlooked. A new documentary seeks to give him the recognition he deserves Published: 9 Sep 2016 A tour of the Ramblas and Gothic Quarter highlights a dark part of Barcelona’s past, including how many of its famous sights were built with fortunes made from slavery Published: 13 Apr 2016 Gaze at graffiti, try the city’s best food or take a tour led by architects, photographers or even the homeless … Barcelona has a guided walk for everyone Published: 31 Mar 2016 There’s much more to Catalonia than busy Barcelona; we pick top sights and activities – and, of course, great tapas Published: 26 Sep 2015

Question: Which architect died after being hit by a tram in the streets of Barcelona?
Answer: Antoni Gaudi