Sagrada Familia

O M G I am in love with a column! 

This place was the most awesome architectural exhibit I have ever seen. It is not just another old church. First off it is not old it isn't even finished yet. Secondly, the detail and the math and geometry of this place blows my mind. 

Jeff I wish you were here to see this. You brother are the only one who would be able to understand my perception of this place. You have got to come to Spain. The engineering and creativity of Gaudi the architect is unspeakably awesome. The guy is an epic genius. 

I walked the 1.5 miles from the hostel to la Sagrada Familia in the coolness of morning. The park in front of it has a dog park area. Nixie would love that.  The line for admission wrapped all the way down the block around the corner and down the next block. But it wasn't hot out yet and it moved fast. Waited like 30 minutes and purchased my ticket, an audio guide and a ticket to go up in the tours. 

You enter on the side with the scenes of the Passion of Christ. The sculptures are stark with hard angles mirroring the tragicness of the events they portray. The entry doors are big and brass with raised letters of scripture. 

Entering the cathedral takes my breath away. The columns grow out of the floor, spreading skyward like trees. Stain glass fills the room with watercolor light. Everywhere I look there are details carved and embellished daringly into the walls, staircases, and ceiling. 

Ok back to being in love with a column... The giant treelike columns are towering in the room. Through the audio guide and posted display I learn about there design and geometry. The cross section geometry at the bottom is duplicated and rotated. Then merges seamlessly to the intersection of the two shapes. As the column gets taller the sides get more and more facetted till the facets blur and blend. At this point the column knots like a tree and  splits onto branches. Which divide again as they reach for the ceiling. Non of the splittings are random but precisely designed to support the ceiling like a buttress and create arches and coves to harmonize the music of a thousand voice choir. Where the branches touch the ceiling light pours in through skylights that illuminate the the mosaic inlaid green glass that sparkles like leaves on the ceiling. I am fascinated. I could spend weeks/months studying the geometry and design of just the columns.