It’s time for another round of Cee’s Share Your World. Week 27. Year’s half over!
If you were the architect of one existing building, which building would you select?
In 1983 I enrolled in “Advertising Art”. I am absolutely convinced that the college accepted me strictly on the basis of my “mature student” status. That and my Ontario Scholar award from ten years prior. I had no portfolio to speak of. I hastily assembled a few samples of calligraphy and dashed off a still life – one green apple, water-colour, rendered on scrap computer paper . You know, the dot matrix printer paper. The 4 or 5 inches that is torn away to leave an 8 1/2 x 11″ sheet. In hindsight I cannot believe the nerve!
I did just fine in that course. While I lacked creativity, I was pleased to discover some technical skill. The academic work, which was minimal, was a cakewalk for me. Only one lecture/essay type course, and that was the History of Art.
Most of the class time was spent viewing slides of masterpieces through the ages. It was during one of these classes when I was introduced to architect Antoni Gaudí and his expiatory church of La Sagrada Família, in Barcelona.
The expiatory church of La Sagrada Família is a work on a grand scale which was begun on 19 March 1882 from a project by the diocesan architect Francisco de Paula del Villar (1828-1901). At the end of 1883 Gaudí was commissioned to carry on the works, a task which he did not abandon until his death in 1926. Since then different architects have continued the work after his original idea.
The building is in the centre of Barcelona, and over the years it has become one of the most universal signs of identity of the city and the country. It is visited by millions of people every year and many more study its architectural and religious content.
It has always been an expiatory church, which means that since the outset, 132 years ago now, it has been built from donations. Gaudí himself said: “The expiatory church of La Sagrada Família is made by the people and is mirrored in them. It is a work that is in the hands of God and the will of the people.” The building is still going on and could be finished some time in the first third of the 21st century.
The cathedral completely captivates me due to the organic and somewhat whimsical lines. I am further impressed that there is no rush to finish this project. It will be completed when it is completed. A labour of love.

View of the Passion Façade (Western side) in September 2009
(cranes digitally removed)
CC-BY-SA-3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0,
What is one of your favorite quotes?
Judge not. Compare not. Let go the need to understand. Bill Watson
What color do you feel most comfortable wearing?
Something that doesn’t show the dirt. So that leaves out whites and lights and blacks and darks. Which is mostly what I wear, because I’m not fussy about prints, stripes, plaids… So, I guess you could say, I’m comfortable wearing coffee-stained, cat hair-covered clothing.
What is something you learned in the last week?
Reiner and I went for a walk at the “Royal Bots” as my blogging buddy Elen calls ’em. We took the boardwalk along the Grindstone Marsh Trail and came to a viewing platform. There we enjoyed close encounters with Redwing Blackbirds, bullfrogs, and the Bullhead Catfish. A school of the fish were lazing just below the surface, completely at ease and apparently not at all concerned about predators.
“Huh,” I said. “Wouldn’t they make a nice easy target for herons or raptors!”
“Nope,” said Reiner. He went on to explain that this species comes equipped with very sharp spines on the dorsal and pectoral fins. When they are caught, the fins shoot out and effectively increase their overall girth, making them very difficult if not impossible to swallow. Not to mention pokey.
Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?
I’m grateful that my course work is done. School is out for summer!
I’m anxious that my course work is done. I want to avoid the pitfalls I experienced last year. So this week, I joined up with the Building Rome Challenge.
Categories: Continuing Education
Tags: Antoni Gaudí, bullhead catfish, Sagrada Família, Share Your World
I was lucky enough to visit the Sagrada Familia last year. I’d last been there in 1991 when it was still impressive but old, dark and a bit neglected (at least, that’s the memory I hold in my head). I couldn’t believe the transformation. I literally cried at the beauty of the new works.
Love the quote. 🙂
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Was it overwhelming? It’s so grand in terms of scale and scope, I can imagine that it would have a vibe unlike anything else.
Bill Watson was the chaplain that performed wedding ceremony number deux. I keep coming back to those words for comfort.
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Completely overwhelming. It’s so beautiful. The best thing we did was pay for an audio guide. Hearing the reasons behind what we were seeing, Gaudi’s vision, made it all the more impressive and moving. It was busy (we queued for an hour to get in) but I don’t remember crowds. I think because you spend much of your time looking up and the sheer scale of the place dwarfs any number of small humans.
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Maybe I’ll get there. If not this life, maybe the next. In the meantime, there are virtual tours on the cathedral’s website. They will have to do.
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Your cathedral is enchanting.
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Isn’t it? Glad you like.
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ANOTHER Gaudi ! Well, they are wonderful, no doubt about it.
But I’d choose something by Glenn Murcutt. Chacune son goût. 😀
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Yup, and goût makes the world go ’round. Or some such. 😉
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I love the Sagrada Familia, a man driven by love to create. Religion on acid, wonderful…
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You’ve seen it? Ah me, so jealous. It is astonishing, that someone or some ones are out there with the will to preserve and persevere with this masterpiece.
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Yup the gardens are beautiful too. Love Barcelona, one of my favourite cities in the world.
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I am looking at that Passion Facade and wondering how you plug that sucker in and turn it on?
Oh yeah, getting spiked by a bullhead is what psychologists call, “A one-time learning experience.” It don’t happen twice.
My pond is too shallow for crappies or bass, so on my way home from working in Twin Cities each week, I stop by PetSmart and pick up two dozen gold fish. I hope I’m dumping them in heaven when let them go in the pond…. but I have yet to see one swimming free.
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Isn’t the cathedral solar powered? 😉
Regarding a one-time learning event: that’s exactly what I said yesterday – if an eagle caught one, it would catch one only once.
I suppose, in a manner of speaking, your wee goldfish are getting to heaven… via some creature’s digestive system.
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That cathedral is quite unique. Very beautiful!
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You’ve been, too Judy? OOh, more jealous!
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Don’t mean to mislead anyone, Maggie. No I haven’t been there. Just admiring the gorgeous photo. 😉
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Ah. Admire away!
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Here’s 60 Minutes segment on this spectacular building – great video of the grand interior and exterior.
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THANK you, Karen. I watched it through. The height will be doubled by the time it is finished in 12 years. Apparently the church was specifically designed to be 3 feet shorter than the tallest mountain in the region – in deference to God.
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Have you been to Barcelona? The Sagrada is jaw-dropping, breath-takingly, indescribably beautiful. I’ve been (re)writing a draft post on Gaudi and the church for two months and can’t condense it enough to and still convey the enormity of the project. In my opinion, it will never be finished, which is fine because the work in progress is as mystical as the completed parts.
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I have not been, Sammy. I expect that the experience needs to be felt in person. Like taking a picture of a sunset or mountain range, photography and video captures images, but not the emotional and physic impact.
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We went to La Sagrada Familia in March and I blogged about it. Astonishing light and colour. Awe inspiring in the truest sense and yes, it will take a lot more time to complete but nobody seems worried. Well done for removing the cranes! We saw other Gaudi works and had mixed reactions but nothing could beat LSF.
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Ah, I cannot take credit for the photo editing. The image is as found on Wikipedia.
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In June we had a Daily Prompt that asked if we could move a building , street food or view to our home town what would it be. I opted for Gaudi’s beautiful Sagrada Familia for two reasons ; one it is beautiful and the second was, I had visited it with my husband and we just stared for ages at the soaring columns. I have seen it twice and the last was 2002. Oh, to have it transported down the road from me were I can gaze to my heart’s content bringing back memories of happier times.
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It seems to have an other-worldly impact on people. I am moved by your comment, thank you.
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I was in Barcelona a number of years ago and didn’t see the La Sagrada Família. The truth is, it poured rain the entire time we were there and I didn’t see much of anything. It appears I missed something quite spectacular. A good reason to go back some day! 😉
… and what is it about cat hair that gives it that velcro quality to stick relentlessly to everything?!
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I do hope you can make it back to Barcelona, Joanne.
Cat hair is one of the only reasons I regret opening windows on a breezy day. Tiny fuzzy tumbleweeds spontaneously appear.
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HAHAHAHA! Theo sneezed one day and a small explosion of hair poofed out from his body.
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That building is extremely interesting. I’d like to see it up close. Thanks for sharing.
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You are welcome, Cee!
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That cathedral is amazing. What a great shot. Thanks for the link, Maggie!
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Glad you like – and you’re welcome!
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Thank you for the story of the church; I had not heard it , and it was fascinating! So beautiful!
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Hi Dixie – I’m glad you found out something new. I hope you are having a good summer?
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Fascinating church. Thanks for sharing.
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You are welcome! Thanks for stopping by.
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