Whole Day in Barcelona

 

Some friends recommended this tour and our guide, Juan de Carlo, couldn't have been better!

We had to take the metro to the La Rambla, the most famous street in Barcelona. Stretching for 3/4 of a mile, this tree-lined street connects the Placa de Catalunya with the Christopher Columbus Monument at Port Vell.  It forms the boundary between the neighborhoods of the Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter) to the east and the El Ravel to the west.
Our instructions were to wait at the Statue to Frederic Soler, except it didn't look like this when we were there.  There was construction, the statue was wrapped, and the whole area was fenced. So, we stood in the middle of the Rambla.  Thankfully, Juan found us.

We dodged the fences and headed north on the sidewalk.  We passed through a scrolled, iron gate and entered the Passatge Bacardi, a covered walkway built in 1854.  It connects La Rambla with Placa Reial.

This iron gallery bridge connects the buildings.

Closer to La Rambla, the buildings are solidly connected.  

Our guide showed us many photos on his tablet as the tour progressed.  This is a map of the Iberian Peninsula that shows how the land was divided from 1212 to the end of the Reconquista in 1492.

Next stop: Placa Reial in the Catalan language - Royal Square in English. In 1848 architect Francesc Daniel Milona was commissioned by the city of Barcelona to build this square.  In the middle of Plaça Reial is a fountain with two special lampposts. These lampposts were designed by Antoni Gaudí in 1879.
Each lamp post has a stone base with a cast iron column, six arms with gas lamps on each arm. Gaudi placed the Barcelona coat of arms in the center of each column.   

On the top is a Caduceus, a rod surrounded by two coiled ascending serpents and crowned with a helmet with two wings. This element, according to Greek mythology, was a gift from Apollo to Hermes and is recognized worldwide as a representation of trade.

Three Graces Fountain.

Built in 1876 by architect Antoni Rovira i Trias, this fountain is named after the three daughters of Zeus in Greek mythology who were known as goddesses of charm, beauty and creativity. Around the central sculpture are four smaller fountains each adorned with a medallion featuring the face of Neptune – Roman god for water and sea

Next stop on our twisting journey through the Gothic Quarter is Palau Guell. 

The Palau Güell was built between 1886 and 1890 by Antoni Gaudí for the wealthy industrialist and shipping magnate Eusebi Güell.  Guell was a lover of the works of Gaudi and financed several of Gaudi's projects. Palau Güell, Gaudi's first true commission, has one of Barcelona's most spectacular interiors, and was placed on the World Heritage List in 1999. 

 Guests entered the home in horse-drawn carriages through these front iron gates, which featured a parabolic arch and intricate patterns of forged ironwork resembling seaweed and in some parts a horsewhip. Animals could be taken down a ramp and kept in the livery stable in the basement where the servants resided, while the guests went up the stairs to the receiving room.
Between these two entrance arches, a small window is crowned by a 10-foot-high crest that represents the senyera, the four-striped Catalan flag that, in this case, are depicted with flat iron and metallic netting. 
A helmet crowns this representation of the senyera, signifies strength, one of the four cardinal virtues. At the very top stands a Phoenix, a mythical animal that is an emblem of the economic and cultural renaissance experienced by Catalan society.

Anton Gaudi and Eusebi Guell

It would take half a day just to notice all the little decorative flourishes on the exterior.   

Juan showed us several pictures of the interior on his tablet.  Gaudi designed furniture.

Basement horse stalls

The chimneys and ventilation shafts have all been tiled in different whimsical manners.

Next stop - the Hotel Oriente. This hotel was established on April 21, 1842, under the name of the Gran Fonda de Oriente. The opening was quite an event in Barcelona, as it was the first hotel to incorporate gaslight lighting. Until 1835 it had been the Franciscan school of San Buenaventura.  The photo is a plaque on the sidewalk.  Loosely translated - The Barcelona City Council is recognizing the establishment for its years of service to the city. 

In 1931 the Gran Fonda de Oriente changed its name to Hotel Oriente. During the Civil War it was used as a hospital, blood bank and to house journalists covering the conflict. 

Many a famous person has stayed here, from Hans Christian Andersen in 1862 to Errol Flynn in 1955. 

Carrer de Ferran with Christmas lighting strung between the buildings. 

Interesting streetlights. 

Another one of the sidewalk plaques.  This one recognized the Camiseria Bonet.  At the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th, when fashion was influenced by the trends in London and Paris, members of the Bonet family travelled to those countries to buy products which they then imported back to Barcelona. And so was born the famous Camiseria Bonet haberdashers where locals were able to buy the most classic and elegant garb.

The Camiseria Xancó was a family business that was passed down from generation to generation for almost 200 years before closing at the end of 2019.

Casa Bruno Cuadros in Plaza de la Boqueria is better known as the Umbrella House due to the brightly colored umbrellas which decorate the façade. The building dates back to 1858 and was built by Bruno Cuadros, owner of the umbrella shop which originally occupied the entire ground floor.

But the building didn't have these flourishes until 1883 when Cuadros gave Catalan architect Josep Vilaseca I Casanovas the task of refurbishing the entire building incorporating Egyptian and Oriental design elements which were popular at the time.

Vilaseca´s eclectic design includes umbrellas, fans, a large Chinese dragon holding a bamboo lantern and enameled panels with images inspired by traditional Japanese paintings.

These two buildings, 

and the one across the street display the typical colors of buildings in Barcelona. 

La Rambla is a street with a walking area between the lanes.  This walkway has this wavy line design that makes it look as if the concrete is uneven.

Juan explained some of the different flags we saw hanging from balconies.  The top right one is the official flag of Spain and is called La Rojigualda. The one in the lower left is the "Estelada", the most famous and popular flag seen in Barcelona. It’s not an official flag but it is associated with the independence movement.

The official flag of Catalonia is known as la Senyera and has four parallel red stripes on a yellow background. By itself, it is neither pro- nor anti-independence, however it is often displayed unofficially in conjunction with the Spanish flag by those Catalans who assert a dual identity.  The legend behind it is well-known to Spainards. At the end of the 9th century, Guifré El Pilós, count of Barcelona, and the French Emperor fought against the Normans. When the battle was over, and as Guifré El Pilós lay injured, the Emperor stained his right hand with his blood and passed his four fingers over the gold shield, creating the flag.

The yellow Estelada groga is a Senyera with a yellow triangle and a red star, signifying a leftist independent Catalan Republic. It also symbolizes the idea of uniting the Països Catalans (areas in which Catalan is spoken): principally Andorra, Valencia and the Balearic Isles, but also the eastern strip of Aragon, Roussillon in southern France, and the city of Alghero on the island of Sardinia, Italy.

Another old business, this one a bakery called Escriba.  Over 120 years in business.

But Escriba didn't open this store on La Rambla until the 1980's. This beautifully adorned building is called "Antigua Casa Figueras". The building was originally a pasta factory and was re-decorated by architect Antoni Ros i Güell in 1902.  

Now we enter the second largest market in Barcelona, The Sant Josep market, better known as La Boquería.  It is considered one of the best in the world. It has more than 300 food vendors offering high-quality fresh products from all over the world. 

There have been markets on this site off and on since the 13th century.  We passed some meat vendors before we got to the entrance arch.   

First stall inside the door is candy.  What a colorful display!

Plenty of chocolate too!

Some fruit I am unfamiliar with.  The lady at this stall didn't want me taking photos. Don't know why.

Same fruit but it looks like it is peeled on one side. 

These look a lot like morel mushrooms. 

On to the seafood section. Looks like some sort of mollusk and some sea urchins.  They call urchins "Erizo", which means hedgehog. 

Church of Mare de Déu de Betlem - Our Lady of Bethlehem Church was built in the early 18th century in the baroque-style.  It was closed to worshippers following the expulsion of the Jesuits from Spain in 1767. The parish church of Mare de Déu de Betlem was founded in 1835 but, unfortunately, suffered a fire in 1936 during the Spanish Civil War. The roof and elaborate baroque interior were consumed by the flames.

Corner niche with the image of Saint Francis Xavier, also a Jesuit, created by Francesc Santacruz. 

Bonus - you also get to see what a Barcelona taxi looks like. The church's main façade, on Carrer del Carme, has a curved pediment that is framed by Solomonic columns. They are embellished by beautiful sculptures of Saint Ignatius of Loyola and the nobleman and Jesuit saint, Francisco Borja.    

Above the door is a bas-relief featuring a Nativity scene.

Side aisle

Organ above the door

Back outside the church you can see the buttresses.  The facade and sides were the only structures that survived the fire in 1936.

Drain spouts

Detail of roof between buttresses.  Green roofed structures are domes over the side chapels. 

The Font de la Portaferrissa (Fountain of Iron Gate) has an intriguing story dating back to medieval times. The fountain was built in 1604 on the site where once stood one of the main gates to the walled city. This gate was called ‘Porta Ferrica’, meaning ‘Iron Gate’ because it had iron bars for protection.  
The current design of this historic fountain dates back to 1959 when it was renovated by Catalan artist Joan Baptista Guivernau. It features a colorful ceramic panel illustrating various scenes from Barcelona’s history along with depictions of traditional Catalan crafts and industries. At its center stands Saint Joseph Oriol, a Barcelona native.

Juan asked us to locate some mistakes in the depictions.  I noticed a gun in an era that they didn't exist.  I don't remember the other anomalies. 

Walled Roman city of Barcino, the heart of what is now Barcelona.

Footprint of the walled city superimposed on the current street grids.  Some of the walls still exist. Most of our tour stayed within this outline.

Palau Moja on Portafermissa Street. Josep de Copons, Marquis of Moja, and his wife, Maria Lluïsa Descatllar, commissioned the construction of this palace to the architect Josep Mas. In 1784 the building was built combining elements of the Baroque with influences of French neoclassicism. 
In 1870, the Marquis of Comillas, Eusebi Güell's father-in-law, bought the palace and adapted it for his use.
After a fire in 1971, the palace was abandoned for eleven years. It is currently the headquarters of the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage of the Department of Culture of the Generalitat de Catalunya.

Carrer de Petritxol is one of Barcelona’s oldest streets. Its origins date back to the 14th century.  At 9' wide and 400' long, it's famous for being the first street in Barcelona to have electric lighting installed in 1881.  It is known for its "granjas" or milk bars that serve thick Spanish hot chocolate accompanied by ‘churros’ or ‘melindros’.

There are also a few chocolate shops.  This one gave us samples of fudge!

At least this graffiti isn't on the plaque. 

Ceramic plaques adorning some buildings along this historic lane. These plaques depict scenes from everyday life during different periods of Catalan history.

At the end of the street, we come to the Basílica de Santa Maria del Pi, a 15th century Gothic church.

The front façade has a large rose window, which is not the original.  The first was destroyed in an earthquake in the 15th century.  The second in 1936 during the Spanish Civil war when militants burnt the church's organ, which was just below the window.  The current copy was made in 1940.

The plexiglass cover on the outside obscures the beautiful window that you can see if you go inside the church. 

Across the square from the Basilica, the building at 15 Plaça del Pi is notable for its Baroque façade, which is one of the oldest remaining in Barcelona. The façade features intricate designs and a figure of the Archangel Saint Michael, who was revered by members of the Guild of Revenedors (tanners).

The hardware store on the ground floor had some creative window displays. 

We passed by a year-round Christmas decoration shop called Käthe Wohlfahrt.  Lots of hand-made items.  

This window display at the store introduced us to El Caganer, the 'Defecating' Catalan Christmas figurine.  We saw it in many places during our tour.  The caganer is a regular feature of nativity scenes in Catalunya, where he is believed to have started to appear in the early 18th century. Nativity scenes in Catalunya – known as pesebres – tend to represent pastoral scenes reminiscent of the local countryside, with large country houses and depictions of rural life. It is among these everyday scenes that the caganer tends to appear, crouched behind a building or a tree in the corner of the nativity.  Strange.

The Plaça Sant Felip Neri is home to a baroque church called Oratori de Sant Felip Neri built between 1721 and 1752. During the Spanish Civil War, on January 30, 1938, Francoist forces were aerial bombing the city when munitions fell in the square killing 42 people, mostly children, who were trying to reach the shelter in the basement of the church. The façade of the church still bears the pitted shrapnel scars to this day.

Approaching an entrance to the cloisters of the Barcelona Cathedral. 

The centerpiece of the cloister is the Well of Geese, a fountain home to 13 geese said to commemorate the fact that Saint Eulalia was 13 when she died.

Back outside the cloister, I saw this interesting drain spout.

We continued our walk around the back side of the Cathedral. Apparently, there are more than a hundred and fifty gargoyles adorning the walls of Barcelona Cathedral, carved into the forms of mythical and real creatures. The best-known gargoyles are the unicorn and the bull, but I didn't know to look for them at the time.  You can see at least 9 gargoyles projecting from the buttresses in this photo. 

Juan pointed out that most balconies like this have interesting tiles.

So I started looking up at the underside of the balconies and found it to be true. 

Archivo de la Corona de Aragon - General Archive of the Crown of Aragon.  The crowd was thin, so we were able to enter to see the Capitulations of Santa Fe.  Never heard of it, right?

This is the agreement that was signed by the Catholic Kings in April 1492 accepting Christopher Columbus’ terms to undertake the trip to find the Americas. The document granted Columbus the titles of Admiral, Viceroy and Governor-General of all the lands he would discover and set that he would keep a tenth of all future profits. The actual document is rarely on display.  This is an enlarged copy. 

You might have to click to enlarge these photos to be able to read the English translation. 

I don't think the pigeon appreciates the gargoyle.    

Still going around the cathedral.  Officially the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, it is dedicated to Eulalia of Barcelona, co-patron saint of Barcelona, a young virgin martyr who, according to Catholic tradition, suffered martyrdom during Roman times in the city. One story says that she was exposed naked in the public square and a miraculous snowfall in mid-spring covered her nudity. The enraged Romans put her into a barrel with knives stuck into it and rolled it down a street. The relics of Saint Eulalia are entombed in the cathedral's crypt.

This side entrance to the Cathedral is called the Portal de Sant Iu. The doorway is built of marble and stone from Montjuïc and features carvings of knights fighting dragons and other mythical beasts. One of the figures is said to represent Wilfred the Hairy, who is often credited with being the founder of Catalonia. It was the main entrance for almost five hundred years from the construction of the cathedral in 1448 to the completion of the facade that is our next stop. 

The ornate Neo-Gothic façade and the 70m tall central tower were designed during the fifteenth century but weren't built until the end of the nineteenth century. 

Another one of those places you could spend 1/2 a day looking at in order to see all the details, and that's just the outside!  A stone sculpture of Christ keeps watch over the entrance while the 12 apostles occupy either side of the doors. 

Each apostle is holding something in his hands that represents the way he was martyred.  These must be Peter (crucified upside down) and Thomas (stabbed with a spear). 

El Cap Llarg’ (Long Head), a mythical dragon can be seen in the left center of this photo.  The dragon is a symbol of protection for the cathedral, warding off evil spirits.

The mermaid with two tails can be seen in the upper part of this photo.  In the Middle Ages, she was a warning against the temptations of luxury.  

Another one of the fantastic gargoyles.

Lucky us, we see another side of El Caganer

Looks like a giant kindergartener got loose with a black crayon.  Actually, this frieze was created by Pablo Picasso and adorns the Architect's College.  Picasso wasn’t born in Barcelona but moved there with his family when he was 13 years old.

English translation: "This photo-mosaic mural has been made thanks to the voluntary contributions of thousands of citizens who have donated photos that describe the maxim "moments of freedom".  The project is part of the Tercentenary celebrations commemorating the events of 1714 in Barcelona."  I had to look that up.  
The siege of Barcelona was a thirteen-month battle at the end of the War of Spanish Succession, which pitted Archduke Charles of Austria (backed by Great Britain and the Netherlands, i.e. the Grand Alliance) against Philip V of Spain, backed by France in a contest for the Spanish crown. 

Little blurry in the middle as I had to erase a couple gals that just didn't seem to be moving out of the way for others to see this wall.

Section of the wall.

From Wikipedia: "Els Quatre Gats (Catalan for 'The Four Cats'); is a café in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, that famously became a popular meeting place for famous artists throughout the modernist period in Catalonia, known as Modernisme. The café opened on 12 June 1897 in the famous Casa Martí, and served as a hostel, bar and cabaret until it eventually became a central meeting point for Barcelona's most prominent modernist figures, such as Pablo Picasso and Ramon Casas i Carbó. The bar closed due to financial difficulties in June 1903, but was reopened and eventually restored to its original condition in 1989."

Els Quatre Gats, opened by Pere Romeu, was inspired by the cabaret Le Chat Noir ("the black cat") in Paris. By including the word cats in the name, he paid homage to the Parisian establishment and added the meaning of the expression four cats; that is, few people. 

The building was created by the famous Catalan architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch in 1896 for the Marti brothers, industrialists of silk fabrics.

Corner of the building housing The Four Cats sports a statue of Saint Joseph by Josep Llimona. The existing one is a reproduction of the original, which was destroyed during the Civil War and replaced by the City Council in 2000. 

Juan pointed out some of the sculptures and explained their meaning.

What the heck is on that building?

Eyes, a thousand of them.  Now a hotel, this building with neo-classical flourishes once housed the very first department store in the city. Today, the hotel’s exterior is decorated with a collection of eyeballs created by the Catalan artist Frederic Amat.

‘La Casa de la Seda’ (The House of Silk) is the only guild house in Barcelona open to the public.  What you see on the facade is sgraffito. Sgraffito is a technique of scratching through a coating on a hard surface to reveal another color. Each of the figures is 12' high. The moldings that frame the windows and balconies are Baroque.

On the balcony of the corner, we can see Our Lady of the Angels, patroness and protector of all veil weavers. At her feet, angels are located in a crescent shape. The work was created by Joan Enrich in 1760.

Oh no, not the El Caganer again!

This cast iron sculpture of a woman's face is called Carmela.

Approaching La Palau de la Musica Catalana

Straight from Wikipedia, "Palau de la Música Catalana, (English: Palace of Catalan Music) is a concert hall in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Designed in the Catalan modernista style by the architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, it was built between 1905 and 1908 for Orfeó Català, a choral society founded in 1891 that was a leading force in the Catalan cultural movement that came to be known as the Renaixença (Catalan Rebirth). It was inaugurated on 9 February 1908."

Old ticket window

The narrow street makes it hard to see the details, but it is beautiful. 

This sculpture on the corner of the building is called "The Catalan Song"

In 1997, the Palau de la Música Catalana was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site 

We passed through the doors for a quick look. 

We didn't tour the building, but Juan did show us some photos of the interior.  

Once outside we saw this interesting base to a tower.  Sorry it's blurry but I had to erase some kids. 

From here we got on the subway to get to the Sagrada Familia.

This is the end of our tour with Juan before we enter the Sagrada Familia for an audio tour.  The Sagrada Familia, architect Antoni Gaudi's most famous creation, is Barcelona's most visited site, attracting 3 million visitors a year.

This is a map of what the area looks like.  With the Sagrada Familia in the center, there are buildings to the NW and SE with parks on the NE and the SW.  There is debate as to whether or not Gaudi's design called for all blocks surrounding the Sagrada Familia to be free of buildings or not.  Particularly the one to the SE as the design might have dedicated this area to a grand staircase to the Glory facade, the main entrance.  Supposedly, two entire blocks housing over 3,000 homes could be demolished - and up to 15,000 local residents evicted from their homes.

Buildings to the NW of the Sagrada Familia.

This information is in 4 separate photos so you might have to click on each to enlarge for reading.  They will give you some idea about the floorplan with the Nativity Facade being the one facing downward.  This will be the portal where we will enter the basilica. 

This shows the Nativity Facade on the right, the Glory Facade at the bottom and the Passion Facade to the left. 

Information about the Nativity Facade. The Sagrada Familia has three major views, each dedicated to a different aspect of the life of Jesus.
 The Nativity Facade, facing east, is the oldest among the three.
The Passion Facade, facing west, is dedicated to Christ's Passion/death/resurrection.
The third is the Glory Facade, facing south, which will act as the main facade of the basilica and is dedicated to the glorious nature of Jesus even after his death.  This facade is not complete.

Identification of major sculptures

 The towers of the Nativity Façade are dedicated to 4 of the 12 Apostles. From left to right: Barnabas, Simon, Jude and Mathew. In the center we have the Tree of Life: A mighty cypress, symbolizing eternal life and Christ's connection to nature.  Doves of peace can be seen nesting in its branches.

The Coronation of Mary

The Annunciation. The scene of the Annunciation is represented by these statues.  It is surrounded by Rosary beads and what appears as medals of the Stations of the Cross – foretelling the crucifixion of Christ. The Star of Bethlehem is below this scene and further down is the Nativity.

From top to bottom, the Annunciation, the Star of Bethlehem.  To the left are musicians over the 3 Magi. On the right, angels sing above while the shepherds look on from below. 

One of the musicians plays a bassoon.  Local people were used as models for the sculptures. It had been Gaudí’s intention to have all of the sculpted figures of the façade painted.

The Nativity scene. Words appear in the rock-type formation. One example is the word "Jesus" below the Nativity.  On either side of the statues are the tops of the doors reflecting the sky. 

The façade is divided into three porticoes separated by two columns. At the base of one column is a stone sculpture of a tortoise (pictured above), on the other a turtle: one to symbolize land and one sea, both representative of that which is set in stone and thus unchangeable. In contrast, chameleons are carved on either side of the façade to represent change.

Doors of Charity.  You can see their foliage design.  The column separating the doors are inscribed with the genealogy of Jesus all the way from Joseph to Adam, including David, Abraham, Solomon... and ending with the head of the serpent biting the apple. This photo more clearly shows the sculpted poultry, roosters, pheasants, turkeys and the like, under the Magi and Shepherds.

To the left of the Charity Portal is the Hope Portal, dedicated to Joseph.  The portico dedicated to Hope and St Joseph contains the portrayal of the Flight into Egypt. Joseph has his arms out to the side with his hands facing upwards, appearing to question their flight. The opposing image is that of the Slaughter of the Innocents – the answer to Joseph’s question. On top of the door, you’ll see Jesus as a child showing his father Joseph an injured bird that he’s healed. They are flanked by St. Joachim and St. Anne, Jesus’s grandparents.  The sculptures at the top represent Joseph and Mary's wedding. 

The foliage and fauna beneath the Flight into Egypt are those found in Egypt -  Reeds found on riverbanks, ducks and geese. Above the scene, there is a lotus flower, a plant that flowers in the water and is also known as the rose of the Nile. The portal also features thalias, water lilies, calla lilies and papyrus. There are even dragonflies dotted in between.  I think I would have to sit in the park across the street from this facade and look at it all day through binoculars to see all the details, but I would need someone to tell me about the symbolism.

This pinnacle seems to contain a basket of vividly colored oranges, while the one next to it was left plain. 

The last portal of the Nativity Facade is Faith, dedicated to Mary.  Starting from the bottom to the left of the door you'll see the Visitation - Mary visiting her cousin Elizabeth, who is also pregnant with St. John. To the left of the door there's a young Jesus working in the carpentry workshop of his father.  Right above the door there’s a teenager Jesus preaching at the Temple, surrounded by Zachary and St. John the Baptist.   

And further up, there’s the presentation of baby Jesus at the Temple.  Vegetation on this portal are from the desert, the most arid area of Nazareth, where Jesus spent his childhood and teenage years.  Look closely on the left and you can see one of the trumpeter angels that are above the palm tree columns. 

Poultry under The Visitation

The Tower of the Virgin Mary, the second tallest tower of the complex, was inaugurated on December 8th, 2021.

Click to enlarge to see the layout of the Basilica

Now we are about to enter the Basilica.  We are going in the door of the Charity Portal, the top right door.

Before entering the main building, we are going to go to the Cloister of our Lady.

The entrance to the Cloister is through the Charity Portal then left to these beautiful doors. 

Once in the Cloister, we turned and looked above the doors.

Significance of each of the sculptures above the door. 

This floor plan indicates the name of each one of the columns in the interior. 

Upon entering the main portion of the building, we look straight across at the doors on the Passion Facade.  This is our first look at all the columns supporting the basilica.  Notice they are different colors.  They are made of different stone.

We look to the left, toward the Glory Facade and are dazzled by the light coming in the stained-glass windows. 

We walked down to stand in front of the windows.

Looking back toward the doors we entered on the Nativity Facade, we see more stained-glass windows

From this location we can also see the baldachin hanging over the alter and the height of the 246' tall ceiling. 

Looking up we see the columns branch out like trees.  This allowed the basilica to be constructed without buttresses. 

This column supports the Tower of the Evangelist Mark.

Medallion on the column for the Tower of the Evangelist Matthew.

Looking toward the Glory Facade.

Stained glass windows on the SW side of the Basilica.

Medallion for the Evangelist Luke.

Standing in front of the Glory Doors and looking toward the Aspe.

The baldachin over the alter.  A Baldachin is a canopy, or cover, placed over kings’ thrones.  This was adopted by the Christian Church to ennoble and honor the altar.   From the baldachin hangs the cross of Christ and above, on the vault, there is a representation of the Eternal Father.  Therefore, the baldachin, between the two, takes on the symbolic role of representing the Holy Spirit, thus completing the representation of the Trinity: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The Aspe on the NW side of the Basilica

The crypt is under the alter and this window gives us a glimpse of what it looks like. 

Looking at the baldachin from a different angle, we can see it is a heptagonal.  Each side represents one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord. From the front, the names Mary and John can be seen on the sides, which with the INRI in the center and Jesus on the cross complete the scene of the calvary.  

The alter with the organ behind it. 

Now it's time for us to exit the basilica through the doors to the Passion Facade.  These are called the Gospel Doors.  They contain text from the New Testament depicting the Passion of Christ. 8,000 bronze characters were used to cast the doors.

Jesus's story is told in the shape of a "Z" from the bottom to the top. The Last Supper is on the bottom and the Crucifixion is on the top.

This off-angle photo shows the Passion Facade and the Glory Facade. Upon completion, the Sagrada Familia will have18 spires, each representing the most important figures in Christianity, including the 12 disciples, the four evangelists, and the Virgin Mary. The tallest spire, symbolizing Jesus Christ is expected to be fully erected in 2026  

This is an old photo of the Passion Facade. In stark contrast to the fanciful elements and uplifting message of the Nativity facade, Gaudi wanted the Passion facade to convey Jesus' suffering (The Passion) and the bleakness of his death. He wanted the facade to be cold and without ornamentation. The facade was completed by the sculpturer Josep Maria Subirachs in 1990 from Gaudi's drawings and notes.

The Crucifixion

To the left, under the cross, you will find a sculpture representing Pontious Pilate washing his hands, signifying that he will not overturn the verdict to put Jesus to death.

Further to the left is the Judgement of Jesus - Jesus is beaten and presented to the people wearing a crown of thorns.

There's a sculpture behind the cross at the top. 

More of the fruit is colorful on this side. 

The brick building on the left of the facade is a school that Gaudi designed for the local kids of the area and workers' kids.

Front of the school

Back to the front of the Passion Facade, the following photos will be to the left of the doors.  Except first let's look at something I completely missed while I was there, the sculpture of Jesus being whipped.  Yep, the post on the pedestal right between the doors. My excuse is that there were too many people.  I had to erase three of them to get this clear a shot.  Notice I didn't wipe out their shadows.

Closer shot of the sculpture.  Supposedly the face is Gaudi's

This is the Kiss of Judas. 33 is the age that Jesus was when he died. All rows and columns of the magic square on the left add up to 33.

The horse rider is Longinus, the man who stabbed his lance into Jesus' side and later converted to Christianity.

Looking toward the Aspe, you can see one of the sacristies.

Next we headed to the museum under the Basilica.

First is a timeline of events. 

The completion of the Jesus Christ spire will make Sagrada Família the tallest church building in the world—11 meters (36.1 ft) taller than the current record-holder, Germany's Ulm Minster, which is 161.5 meters (529.9 ft) at its highest point.  It will also be taller than the current tallest building in Barcelona, the Torre Glòries, you know, that building that looks like a suppository.

Double click to enlarge for reading.

The Glory facade is newest one, which, upon completion, will provide access to the Basilica's central nave. The Glory Facade represents Christ’s eternal glory and features scenes of Christ’s rise to heaven and eternal bliss. The construction of the facade began in 2002 and is still far from being completed. Although unfinished, it is already the tallest of all the Sagrada Familia facades. Gaudi was well aware that construction of the Glory facade would not be completed in his lifetime and hence drew just a few sketches with a general idea of what his vision and plan were, and this included representations of Death, Final Judgement, Hell, and Glory.