Barcelona Day 2A: Hospital Sant Pao and Sagrada Familia

Today all about Gaudi. First a visit to a hospital (?!) he designed. Hospital Sant Pau was converted from a medieval warehouse home to a modern medical complex.



On the way to the next place, we found a cool chocolate shop. Notice the floor….

Then a tour of Sagrada Familia. SO much information:

  • Guide Rosa says: the original project in 1882 was a small family church based on funds from an anonymous donor. After 1 yr the original architect quit because he needed more money. In 1883 Gaudi started continuing the original plan but in 1890 a huge donation was provided and he  started drawing up the plan that morphed into today’s vision.
  • 18 towers, for the 12 disciples and the 4 apostles (Mike thought John, Paul, George and Ringo, but no: Mark, Matthew, Luke and John.) then one Jesus tower and one Virgin Mary tower.

  • The original models were made by hand. Today they have 3D printers. The paper plans as well as many models were destroyed in the Spanish civil war, but Gaudi and his team re-did them. They hope to complete the work in 2026, 100 years after Gaudi’s death in 1926. (Our guide is skeptical; she says maybe the last tower in 2026. This will then be the tallest Catholic Church in the world.)
  • There are over 100 sculptures yet to complete. Many of the original sculptures of angels were also destroyed in WWI. They were not replaced for many years, and at the time a Japanese artisan was hired  you can see his influence in the faces of these angels.
  • The stained glass absorbs 65% of the vibrations in the church, which makes the acoustics especially excellent. This allows for a 600-member choir, and many concerts are held here. The stained glass on the East is in shades of blue, representing the sunrise; the West is in shades of yellow and orange symbolizing the sunset.
  • There are only 3 statues in the Bascilica: Jesus, Mary and Joseph. No paintings—they wanted no distractions. 
  • They hold mass here. Approximately 7500 people attend on a first-come basis. 
  • 65% of the maintenance and on-going construction is funded by visitors, to the tune of over $150 million annually. 


Cool staircases:



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