Sagrada Familia Part Three

The Interiors

After seeing the elaborate Passion facade, I was not prepared for what awaited me inside. Sure I was aware that the church wasn't finished. The cranes attest to the fact that construction is on-going. However, I did not equate unfinished to incomplete. Somehow I was expecting marble floors of high quality, pews made from the finest trees, and altar that would knock the socks out of everybody. Inside, there wasn't any of that. There were no floors of marble or tiles or anything, there was nothing but construction zone. Needless to say I was a bit disappointed.

However, after getting over my initial disappointment I focused on looking up and seeing what has been completed so far. My disappointment faded away and I was engrossed with all the details I could find. I only wish that I would be able to see the completed project someday.

Construction is going on, the interior is nothing but a construction zone.
Fellow visitors taking in the experience.
I wonder if this is all going to have stained glass later on.

Look up, it pays to crane your neck.

Stained glass here.

Gaudi has integrated organic, natural inspirations to his design with tree like pillars.


Some info from wiki about the interiors:


The church plan is that of a Latin cross with five aisles. The central nave vaults reach 45 meters while the side nave vaults reach 30 meters. The transept has 3 aisles. The columns are on a 7.5 meter grid however the columns of the apse, resting on del Villar's foundation, do not adhere to the grid, requiring a section of columns of the ambulatory to transition to the grid thus creating a horseshoe pattern to the layout of those columns. The crossing rests on the four central columns of porphyry supporting a great hyperboloid surrounded by two rings of 12 hyperboloids (currently under construction). The central vault reaches 60 meters. The apse will be capped by a hyperboloid vault reaching 75 meters. Gaudi intended that a visitor standing at the main entrance be able to see the vaults of the nave, crossing, and apse, thus the graduated increase in vault loftiness.
The columns of the interior are a unique Gaudi design. Besides branching to support their load, their ever-changing surfaces are the result of the intersection of various geometric forms. The simplest example is that of a square base evolving into an octagon as the column rises, then a 16-sided form, and eventually to a circle. This effect is the result of a three-dimensional intersection of helicoidal columns (for example a square cross-section column twisting clockwise and a similar one twisting counter-clockwise).

Comments

  1. Amazing! One day I hope to see for myself.

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  2. Very elaborate indeed! Amazing artwork from blueprint to construction.

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  3. lovely photos here. that looks like it is going to be an amazing structure when it is finished. its hard to imagine just how big it feels when you are inside.

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  4. beautiful! i hope to see that someday! :)

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  5. Long time no see :-) The Gaudi architecture is astounding, especially given it is from the late 1800's. The Sagrada is both classic, modern, art deco. The front towers remind me of dripped candles. Great stuff and very different.

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  6. Wow, I hope to go there when its completed!

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  7. I know what you mean about the surprise once you go inside, Maria. But once you look up, it all makes sense. Your images are wonderful. You've brought the splendor of that place back to me. It's a very modern take on an old cathedral!

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  8. This is the first time I saw it from the inside. Still wow!

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  9. The interior is so interesting too. The architecture is astonishing, the stained windows are really nice, I hope the empty ones will be completed. Wonderful photographs!

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  10. lovely blog and fantastic pictures, such intricate work temple created by Gaudi, I wonder how much hype it would create once finished and as he said it would be the new face of barcelona. Glad to know u have travelled a lot last year, Here is wishing u lot more travel this year :)

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  11. wow! i'm almost speechless looking at the interiors. glad you were able to capture them while in construction so you have something to look at and compare once it's completed. :)

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  12. Wow! Even if it's not finished yet, the details are astounding. What more if its complete :D

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  13. Wow. It's not finished and it's still amazing. I love stained glass. These shots are great!

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  14. P.S. I couldn't find your Watery Wednesday shot.
    :-(

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  15. These are some great perspectives! Well done!

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  16. very beautiful! where is this located?

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  17. Great architecture, and the stained glass windows was a plus!

    Your pictures are so vivid, almost like seeing the church in person.

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  18. Wow, this look like a magnificient building!

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  19. amazing that's it's still going through construction. i would like to see this again when it's totally finished =).

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  20. Beautiful snaps. When get completed this will be extraordinary.

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  21. very beautiful indeed especially the last photo. I wish they could construct like that too here in the Philippines :)

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  22. what can i say... todos son muy bonito! ^0^
    my only wish is i can get to visit this grand structure someday... even on its cconstruction period, you can see the vision they have and gaudi's artistry, ^0^

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