I experience the world, and especially architecture, by sketching and taking photographs. It’s how I slow things down and really see them, details and all. In Barcelona, I used these tools to observe and enjoy the spectacular architecture that gives the city its character.
In the heart of the old city, the Gothic Quarter, lies the remnant of what Barcelona once was. Before its expansion into the grid layout we see today, thanks to Ildefonso Cerdà, the Gothic Quarter was all people had. It was walled off, marking the city borders, until an unfortunate cholera epidemic led to the demolition of the walls and the expansion of the city. So the buildings we see today in that historic area are the same ones that stood there during medieval times. Such architecture is rich and deeply detailed. I was drawn to its quiet density and felt the weight of its history in every archway, courtyard, and weathered facade.
Likewise, immaculate details are also at the core of Antoni Gaudí’s works. The ones I found the most fascinating were the Basilica de la Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, and Casa Batlló. The stained glass in Casa Batlló and the Sagrada Familia rivals anything I’ve ever seen. The colors they allow into the buildings feel ethereal, adding to the grandeur of the spaces. These are a must-visit for anyone planning to come to Barcelona. Park Guell has a charm of its own, emphasized by its seclusion from the city. It offers beautiful scenery and serves as a vantage point from which you can see the entire city. I visited the park twice during my stay, and would gladly go again. It was named after Gaudí’s good friend Eusebi Güell, who funded its production. He was a wealthy man who believed in Gaudí’s visions, often funding his projects as Gaudí lacked the means to finance them on his own. Funnily enough, the park was designed as a neighborhood for the elite, but due to the extremely high costs and downsides of building a house there, people weren’t encouraged to do so, and only two houses got built, one of which was for Güell. It’s interesting to see how things change over time, as well as what parts of them are preserved.
Throughout my study abroad period, Barcelona became more than just a place I’ve visited; it became something I studied, questioned, and connected to. Through sketches and photographs, I feel like I got to capture small treasures of my time here, mementos I will continue to look back on in the future.
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