A truly unique city is Barcelona. Sights, photos of which adorn the pages of travel magazines, attract you to visit the land of Catalonia. And any person who turned out to be the fate of fate in this place has an irresistible desire to learn as much as possible about his story. And she, it should be noted, is the richest! Founded by the Romans, Barcelona (Spain, Catalonia) and now keeps traces of all eras of its development.
Places of worship
Many centuries of the existence of the culture of Christianity have left an indelible mark on the face of the city. Barcelona sights are very different, but the most interesting for tourists are the ancient churches and temples located in different areas of the city. In the Gothic quarter, there is the most significant church in Barcelona, from the point of view of religious life, - the Cathedral, whose visiting card is a herd of geese grazing near the entrance, symbolizing the integrity of St. Eulalia, the patroness of the temple. The unique interior attracts tourists with the Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar, built during the heyday of navigation. Another cult church is visible from anywhere in the city - the Sacred Heart Temple erected on top of Mount Tibidabo. Thanks to these buildings, Barcelona annually attracts thousands of architecture lovers, but the largest number of tourists from all over the world come here to see the main treasure of the city - the Sagrada Familia, whose construction began in the late 19th century and continues to this day. Millions of people over the years have been visiting Barcelona to enjoy the unrivaled style of Antonio Gaudi.
Sagrada Familia
The redeeming temple of the Holy Family, or the temple of Sagrada Familia, which is also sometimes mistakenly called the cathedral, although in fact it is a church, is a cultural attraction not only in Spain, but throughout the world. The recognizable silhouette of the building among tourists is no less admiring than the pyramid of Cheops. This work of art is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, despite the fact that the construction of the building has not yet been completed. Each year, Spain (Catalonia, Barcelona) receives more than three million people who want to personally enjoy the temple. The majestic Sagrada Familia against the background of the city really looks impressive. We will tell about the history of its construction below.
Construction of the Sagrada Familia
The idea of creating a church arose in 1874 very unexpectedly, as a result of the donation of a large amount of money. Already in 1881, land was bought for construction a few kilometers from Barcelona. Yes, the temple was originally built outside the city, it was later that Barcelona grew so much that the Sagrada Familia is now located in the most populated urban area. In March 1882, under the leadership of the architect F. del Villar, they began to lay the foundation of the building. Nevertheless, despite the large number of ideas and the availability of funds for construction, at the end of 1882 the architect refused to participate in the construction, due to the lack of agreement between him and the customer. Perhaps now Barcelona would not have the sights of such a magnitude if, after the removal from work on the project del Villar, the architect Antonio Gaudi, who was full of enthusiasm and strength, had not joined the case. According to his idea, the temple was supposed to be very openwork, outwardly resembling a web, in the Art Nouveau style. It was assumed that the structure would be strewn with many towers, rushing up, and the remaining interior and exterior decorations would reflect individual elements of the gospel, namely the birth, crucifixion, resurrection of Christ, or other rites of the Catholic Church. According to the project of Gaudi, the temple was supposed to be like a sand castle, similar to those that children like to sit on the shore of a pond. It was thought that the central spire of the church in the form of a cross would have a height of 170 meters, which is one meter lower than the height of Montjuic (mountains in the city of Barcelona) - the temple should not exceed the perfect creation of God.
Gaudi’s grand design
The history of Barcelona took place in parallel with how the Sagrada Familia was built, because only the facade of the building was erected for more than forty years. During this time, the city grew, confidently merged in the industrial era and began to develop rapidly. Antonio Gaudi paid close attention to the decor of each tower. He worked painstakingly and not sparing himself, and many did not understand why the architect spends so much money, time and effort on building, because the tops of the towers were not even visible from the ground. Gaudi replied: "If people do not see, then the angels will see."
Barcelona has grown. The temple grew with her. It was thought to build three facades: Passion, Christmas and the Glory of Christ. The architect knew that such a short period of time as human life would not be enough to translate into reality a grandiose idea. He had to decide which of the three architectural elements to erect first. And he made a choice in favor of the facade of the Nativity, because some scenes of the crucifixion of Christ could scare the inhabitants, and their opinion was extremely important, because the construction was carried out only on donations. During the years 1909-1910 a parish school was built at the temple, again according to the idea of Gaudi. Initially, it was erected as a temporary building, so there were no load-bearing walls in it, and internal partitions were easily removed, due to which it was possible to easily change the layout of the space. To our days, unfortunately, the exact image of the school has not been preserved.
The death of an architect
November 30, 1925 the construction of the facade of the Nativity was completed, Gaudi was about to begin the construction of the remaining parts of the building. Over the years of the architect's work, Barcelona acquired a unique attraction - the church was decorated with church Catholic sculptures and symbols, texts from liturgies and the Gospel. Everything turned upside down on the ill-fated day of June 7, 1926. 73-year-old Antonio Gaudi was hit by a tram when he was going to church for service. The architect was dressed very poorly, they took him for a tramp and did not even bother to take him to the hospital. On June 10, 1926, Gaudi died a little before his 74th birthday. Great man lost Barcelona! Sights created by his hands, today seek to visit millions of people, without them it is simply impossible to imagine the city. And this is not only the Sagrada Familia, although, of course, it is the main creation of the architect. Here he was buried - Gaudi was buried in the yet unfinished building of the Sagrada Familia.
Continuing the business of Antonio
The construction of the church after the death of the master did not stop, it was continued by a talented student of the architect - Domenech Sugranies, who worked with Gaudi since 1902. By 1930, the other two facades had been erected; they, like the first, were decorated with murals, scripture texts and sculptures. However, difficult times followed. The lack of financial donations, the impending world and civil wars led to the fact that the construction of the temple was practically stopped, until 1952. Then the construction of the building was resumed, but despite the fact that for several decades now the work has been ongoing, Antonio Gaudi is still very far from the final completion of the plan. Four 120-meter towers dedicated to the evangelists Mark, John, Matthew and Luke need to be completed. On the 170-meter tower of Christ, according to the architect’s idea, a cross should be installed, and on the remaining four - grapes as a symbol of Communion. If no unforeseen circumstances arise, and the construction will be carried out according to plan, by 2026 the largest building, which began its existence in the century before last, will finally be completed. Not only Barcelona is waiting for the completion of the grandiose construction. The temple is being helped by people from all over the world; donations are made both by Christians and representatives of other faiths. So, recently there has been a significant influx of cash from Japan.
Church of the Sacred Heart
Barcelona has some truly unique attractions. World famous photographers come here to capture this ancient and modern city with outstanding architecture. However, it will not be possible to make a complete picture of the capital of Catalonia if you do not climb Mount Tibidabo and from the observation deck do not enjoy stunning views of the city. It is here that the Church of the Sacred Heart was built, and above it stands the figure of Christ, with his hands embracing the whole world.
History and decoration of the church
Translated from Latin, the name of Mount Tibidabo sounds like "I give you." According to tradition, it was from the top of this mountain of Jesus Christ that the devil tempted, showing all the earthly beauties. The redemptive temple of the Heart of Christ is located at the very top of Tibidabo, therefore it is visible from any corner of Barcelona. The church was designed and built in 1902 by the architect Enric Sagnier. The construction of the temple in 1961 was completed by his son, Joseph.
The Temple of the Sacred Heart is decorated in Romanesque and Gothic styles. The decoration contains all the attributes of these architectural directions - and triangular elongated porticoes of the facade, and roses above the entrances, and peculiar windows and arches. The lower crypt is composed of five naves with ellipsoidal apses; they also serve as a platform for the upper room, where two solid stairs lead. The real decoration of the interior of the church is a multi-colored mosaic - a kind of tribute to the traditions of the art of the Byzantine period. In the icons of the temple, plot lines from the recent history of Spain are traced, on them all people are represented in modern clothes. Gothic elements - narrow windows, turrets directed to the sky, pointed arches, carved thin details of decoration - give the church weightlessness and grace, but at the same time sculptural compositions create a mood of majestic solemnity. The facade of the building is decorated with the creations of the hands of the Catalan master Eusebi Arnau - statues of saints Jacob and George, as well as the Mother of God, and the upper part of the temple is represented by compositions of another skilled sculptor, Josep Miret. The central spire of the church is crowned with a golden statue of Christ, similar to the world famous Redeemer monument in Rio de Janeiro. At the base of the sculpture is the highest observation deck in Barcelona, offering breathtaking views of the endless Mediterranean Sea and the capital of Catalonia washed by its gentle waves.
Cathedral (Catedral de Barcelona)
The map of city sights necessarily includes Barcelona Cathedral, the second name of which is the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and St. Eulalia. Pilgrims from all over the world direct their feet to this magnificent temple, because it is in it that the relics of the holy martyr Eulalia of Barcelona, who died at the age of 13 in 304 from the Nativity of Christ, rest in it. In the 4th century, when Eulalia lived, paganism reigned in the land of Catalonia, but the girl revered faith in Jesus, for which she was burned. Before the death, a dove flew from the martyr's mouth, and at the same time snow fell on the executioners. Several centuries passed, and Eulalia was reckoned among the saints and was dubbed the patroness of Barcelona, in her honor the main cathedral of the city was erected in the center of the Gothic quarter.
Catedral de Barcelona (photo below) is filled with many relics of historical and religious values. Its territory began to take its present form from 1268, when the chapel was built. From the first half of the 15th century it is an undeniable decoration of the city. The construction of the temple lasted 122 years, the building was erected directly on the ruins of the Roman basilica. Individual elements, for example, a spire, were made much later. Today, tourists arriving in Barcelona can appreciate the grandeur of the structure and the thoroughness of the implementation of every detail. White geese walk along the courtyard adjacent to the cathedral - this is a symbol of the purity of Eulalia. Christian shrines are stored inside the building: the remains of the Holy, resting in the sarcophagus, and the image of Jesus from the ship, which participated in the battle of Lepanto. Barcelona Cathedral is a monument of art and history of national importance. Saint Eulalia is revered by both Catholics and Orthodox, therefore the temple is notable for representatives of both faiths. In addition, Catedral de Barcelona serves as the residence of the Archbishop of Barcelona.
Church of the Holy Virgin of the Sea
The second most important religious building after the Cathedral in the capital of Catalonia is the Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar. It is located in the historic port area, the Ribera quarter, where sailors, merchants and nobles lived in the heyday of trade. In their honor, a church was erected over a labyrinth of medieval narrow streets. The foundation of the creation of the architect Berenguer de Montagut was laid in 1329, and already in 1383 the construction was completed. Previously, when due to natural sediment the sea had not yet retreated so far, the basilica stood near the water itself. On the tympanum of the portico we distinguish the so-called Deesis - the figure of Christ seated on the throne, on the sides of which Mary and John are kneeling. The fire in 1936 destroyed many sculptural compositions, and, in addition to these figures, only statues of Paul and Peter survived. The curly images with which the stones of the arch are very interesting are very interesting. First of all, this is the statue of Mary (Madonna) above the main altar, at the feet of which there is a sculpture of a sailboat, which is an allegorical autograph of the architect of the basilica. A memorial in the form of an amphitheater was built to the right of the church in a small square. A dedication to the Catalans, who died during the battle with the army of Philip V in 1714, is carved on the walls.
Orthodox church in Barcelona
Since 2002, the Russian Orthodox Church has been operating in the capital of Catalonia. Initially, services were held in the chapel of Santa Maria Reina, and on certain days in the Montserrat Monastery and Barcelona Cathedral. However, the premises allocated to the parish were not enough for an ever-growing number of parishioners, which raised the question of finding a separate building with office space, where you could install an iconostasis and store church utensils. For these purposes, in 2011, the abandoned St. George Church, built in the neo-romantic style in the middle of the twentieth century, was leased to the Russian Orthodox Church. Now it is the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary - an Orthodox church in Barcelona, where every believer who, by the will of fate, finds himself on the land of Catalonia, can come.