Sacred close-ups

Stained glass in (mostly) green

Ever since it was consecrated in late 2010, I’d been meaning to visit the  Sagrada Familia again to see the inside, and I finally did recently. It completely blew me away with its beauty and uniqueness, and I highly recommend a visit if you find yourself in Barcelona. Today I am sharing with you a selection of sacred close-ups to inspire you, and kick off the weekend…

Ceiling detail

Getting close-up and personal with a building of this magnitude offers the viewer a whole new dimension, for it permits to see in detail the different elements that have been used for its construction and embellishments, as well as offering an insight into how certain effects have been achieved. So, for example, pretty straight lines of bricks have been interspersed with widening (or narrowing, depending on one’s perspective) wedges of glazed mosaics. This is not only a beautiful decorative solution, but more so a very clever (yet simple) structural one.

Is that the snout of a dog?

Apart from being (very) impressed by the ways in which structural needs have been met in decorative and often very simple, straightforwards ways, I was delighted by some quirky details (above and below) that I spotted, and which I am not sure are intentional, or just a figment of my imaginative mind.

Fencing mask?

Circles and blocks

Although I tend to be a “less is more” kind of a person, I do love it when the construction of a building includes embellishments where possible. Examples of this can been seen all over the Sagrada Familia and in these two examples (above and below) where decorative elements are evident in the various building blocks: circles break up the lines of the vaulted ceiling (above)  and triangular facets create a kind of mountainous landscape amid the circular glass panes of the window below.

Clear window panes

Triangle for Trinity

I love how the humble brick plays such an important (if subtle) role in the various decorative elements of this gorgeous basilica, together with the glazed mosaics that were so fashionable in Gaudí’s time. Another of my favourites, are the barely stained stained windows (below) – such a subtle effect. But what blew me away most of all, and no sacred close-ups are needed to see it, is how very bright it is inside this wonderful building.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Barely stained stained glass