La Sagrada Familia

By Christelle Hunt-Thomas and Tammy Martin

La Sagrada Familia was extremely overwhelming, but in a good way. When we first got there and were standing on the outside, I couldn't stop looking up at all of the details that were on the walls. It was truly art and something that I've never seen before in my life. The amount of detail and story that was on the outside alone was enough to blow me away, but then when I got inside I definitely wasn't expecting the beautiful sight that was right in front of me. I personally love anything that's colorful and vibrant and La Sagrada Familia was exactly that. I felt like I was in more of a fantasy rather than a church and if my church looked like that, I'd be the most religious person in the world. It was just amazingly built, especially with all of the very tall pillars that look like you're standing under trees. Something that stood out to me also was where they had all of the languages and it made me feel like it's really a place for everybody.

--CHT

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The first glimpse of the La Sagrada Familia leaves me with astonishment. This imposing, mile-high church bewildered me. As we got closer, I started to see so many designs and religious figures and animals sculpted into the design. You had to look carefully because everything was about the same color, a light shade of tan - except for the green in the evergreen tree halfway up. I definitely enjoyed the inside way better than the outside. We were lucky to visit on a sunny day to see this cathedral in its full glory with the use of natural light. Because of the creative ways Gaudi designed the windows the sun streamed through the stained-glass windows in colors from golden yellow to all the colors of the rainbow. It was like cracking open a geode and discovering the glowing brilliant crystals inside, or the reveal of a freshly tie-dyed shirt. It really does take one's breath away! Every snapshot I took on my phone looks like a postcard, it’s that ornate inside.

The body of Antonio Gaudi was buried on the lover level that we did not access, the guide pointed out a glimpse of the bottom with the candles, but I could see the whole thing when I spun the Pokestop of it (see pic). Another body was buried in the building he created. It’s becoming a theme on this trip! I loved it.

--TM