Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
8. 1987-1990
Artist Josep Maria Subirachs (b. 1927) takes to living in the Sagrada Família just as
hisfamouspredecessordid.SubirachscompletesthestatuaryofthePassionFaçade.
His angular, severe and striking sculptures draw both criticism and praise.
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9. 2000
On 31 December, the nave is at long last declared complete.
10. 2010-2026
The interior of the church is completed, and in November 2010 Pope Benedict XVI
consecrateditasabasilica.ThecompletionoftheentireSagradaFamíliaisforecast
for2026.ThebuildingoftheSagradaFamília-asGaudíintended-reliesondona-
tions. With so many paying visitors pouring in daily, construction work is gaining
momentum.
Antoni Gaudí
A flag bearer for the late 19th-century
Modernista
movement, Antoni Gaudí is
Barcelona's most famous architect. A devout Catholic and a strong Catalan na-
tionalist, he led an almost monastic existence, consumed by his architectural
vision and living in virtual poverty for most of his life. In 2003 the Vatican
opened the beatification process for Gaudí, which is the first step towards de-
claring his sainthood.
Gaudí'sextraordinarylegacydominatesthearchitecturalmapofBarcelona.His
name itself comes from the Catalan verb gaudir, “to enjoy”, and an enormous
senseofexuberanceandplayfulnesspervadeshiswork.Aswascharacteristicof
Modernisme
, nature prevails, not only in the decorative motifs, but also in the
verystructureofGaudí'sbuildings.Hishighlyinnovativestyleisalsocharacter-
ized by intricate wrought-iron gates and balconies and trencadís tiling.
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