Gaudi's Whimsical Masterpieces

To talk about Barcelona is to talk about Antoni Gaudi.  Born 1852 into a family of coppersmiths, Gaudi spent much of his childhood exploring nature.  He attended architecture school in Barcelona, where he was reputedly a mediocre student, and began the most famous project of his career, La Sagrada Familia in 1884.  With its gothic spires and ambitious engineering, the cathedral remained an obsession for Gaudi until his death in 1926, and its construction continues today.

In addition to his religious, civic and residential structures, Antoni Gaudi also designed furniture and other objects.  In his designs, there are few straight line...Gaudi preferred the sensual curves and twisting, intricate forms of the organic world.  His tilework is colorful and humorous.  His town plans and landscaping designs are filled with meandering paths and roadways. 

The designer's whims are most appealingly on display in Barcelona's Park Guell, where pathways lead to spectacular vistas.  Within the park, the home where Gaudi lived for the last 20 years of his life has been turned into a museum exhibiting drawings, furniture and displays related to the architect's major projects.