Barca

OK quick…word association: Barcelona… Go!

No, I mean that literally; go, you will love it. If you are like me, you immediately thought of that melty church. You probably thought of the ’92 Olympics or Picasso. Tell the truth, did you know the name Antoni Gaudi? If not, one visit to this magnificent seaside city and you won’t be able to forget it.

Modernista

Touring the city neighborhoods is mildly reminiscent of most huge cities; they have one of everything and a bunch of most. Known as a leader in modernista architecture, Barcelona is a tourist’s dream destination. All over the city, all 1249 square miles of the metropolitan region, you can find building after building considered brilliant works of art, and many renowned for their modernista design.

The people of Barcelona are fiercely proud of their Catalan heritage, and they should be. Everywhere are symbols of their glorious culture and rich history. Much more Catalonian than Spanish, they identify with the region first and everything else a distant second.

Spanish royalty belongs to the House of Borbon, but the true kings of Barcelona wear scarlet and blue—the Futbol Club Barcelona. Known as Barca by the die-hards, the franchise is among the most successful sports teams ever and as genuine a symbol of Catalan culture as can be found.

Sagrada Familia

And Gaudi? Ah, yes, that melty church…even if you didn’t recognize his name, you have seen his masterwork, La Sagrada Familia. Work on the site of the cathedral was begun in 1882 as a project of the architect Francisco de Paula del Villar. Gaudi was commissioned in 1883 to assume the work, which he did until his death in 1926 (when he was hit by a tram.) Gaudi knew he would not live to see his dream completed. When asked to comment, he reportedly said, “It is OK. My client is patient. God has all the time in the world.”

The official website for Sagrada Familia calls the basilica “one of the most universal signs of identity of the city and the country”, something Gaudi himself foretold when he claimed, “Barcelona will be known for my church.”