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An Architectural Gem - an International Spanish treasure - |
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London, Paris, Rome . . . the list is not complete without Barcelona - one of the most vibrant and historic cities in Europe. It is an amazing mixture of culture, art, fashion, architecture, museums of all types, football and greatest of all - the legacy of Antoni Gaudi. There's: La Marcha, shopping, the beach, restaurants, markets, squares, music, the Barri Gothic, bull rings, the grid layout, the Olympic Village, the Spanish Village, Picasso, Joan Miro, Las Ramblas, the Font Magica and much much more, but the greatest of all - the legacy of Antoni Gaudi!
So who is this Antoni Gaudi? Born in 1852 in Reus, Catalonia, he moved to Barcelona in the 1870's where he graduated at the University in 1878. He went on to become one of the most extraordinary architects of all time. His greatest work - the Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia - was started in 1884 and is still being constructed today, nearly 80 years after his sudden and tragic death. From 1908 until he was hit by a tram in 1926, he devoted all his energies and time to this masterpiece of design, construction, technology and imagination. At the current rate of progress it may be at least 35 years before the building is completed. It is also thought that the technology to build the central spire has yet to be developed! Between 1878 and 1908 Gaudi created some of the most remarkable buldings, facades, architectural artifacts and Parc Guell. Named after its Patron, this last is a park in the North-West of the city which was designed by Gaudi and was where he lived for a time. Barcelona has something for everyone. Since the Olympic games in 1992 it has come alive and opened its doors to become a truly International city. The new mixes with the old in complete harmony and it is easy to move around the town in the modern underground rail network. There is so much to see and do; there is a committed night life - charaterised by La Marcha; football is a passion; they speak Catalunyan and Spanish (Andalucian) if pushed!; they are most proud of their two modern tower blocks; the largest shop is El Corte Ingles - The English Cut!!; The Palau de la Musica Catalunya is phenomenal; there is a healthy bag-snatching community in places like Placa Reial and in the Barri Gothic at night; the Font Magica performs to music every half hour on Friday and Saturday evenings; there is more than enough culture for the most hungry vulture; and before he died Freddie Mercury wrote and sang a song with Montserrat Caballe about this City which went on to become the anthem for the Olympic Games.
THEN CLICK A THUMBNAIL TO SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE! |
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