• The Episcopal Palace of Astorga was designed by Antoni Gaudí for his friend, Bishop Grau.

• The Bishop's Palace is now a museum.

• Interior of the Palace/Museum

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• The Museum contains a collection of polychrome wooden medieval sculptures

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• The basement of the museum contained some Roman artifacts.

• Casa Botines was designed by Antoni Gaudí for a textile manufacturing family in León. It was designed with retail space on the ground floor, warehouse space in the basement, and residential space on the upper floors. It is now a bank.

• A statue of Gaudí sketching the design for Casa Botines across the square

• Watercolor by Eric Meglasson (1996)

• Park Güell was designed by Antoni Gaudí in 1900 for developer Eusebi Güell as a utopian residential community. It became a park when its distance from Barcelona's urban center discouraged potential home buyers.

• Gaudí lived in this home in Park Güell from 1906-1925. It is now a museum focussed on his personal life.

• Gaudí used columns inspired by tree forms to support terraces and other structures.

• The terrace provides a wonderful view over the city.

• A panorama of Barcelona from Park Güell

• The Casa Güell School next to the terrace

• The terrace is bordered by a sinuous bench decorated with trencadis.

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• A view from the terrace with the Gaudí designed bookstore on the right

• Armand is showing how Gaudí's designs are inspired by natural forms such as this cone.

• A Gaudí designed building that is now a museum

• The Pathway of Columns - Gaudí intended for cars to travel along the top with pedestrians in the arcade below.

• The Hall of 100 Columns (there are actually only 86) was intended to be the produce market for the housing development.

• There are four large sun-like medallions in the ceiling, each representing one of the four seasons.

• Most of Gaudí's trendcadis was executed by Josep Maria Jujol.

• The Dragon Fountain of St. George

• Dragon Drool, great name for a craft beer!

• Looking up the entrance staircase toward the Hall of 100 Columns with the terrace above

• Leaving Park Güell

• Gaudí's Casa Batlló

• Casa Batlló is Gaudí's remodel of a previously built design (1877) purchased by Josep Batlló, a textile industrialist, in 1900 for its prestigious location. In 1904, Batlló hired Gaudí to remodel the building.

• The arched roof is likened by some to the back of a dragon, with the roof window representing the eye of the dragon.

• The façade is decorated with Gaudí's characteristic trendcadis.

• Gaudí's Casa Milà (1906-1912) was commissioned by a wealthy industrialist, Pere Milà. It is called La Pedrera (The Quarry) because of its rocky façade. It was designed to be a multi-family dwelling. Milà and his family lived on the main floor (one floor above street level) while the upper floors were rented to other families.

• The wrought iron balconies and windows were designed by Josep Maria Jujol.

• The main entrance gate into Casa Milà

• The main gate from inside the entrance Courtyard

• The entrance Courtyard

• Antoni Gaudí i Cornet (1852-1926) - Architect of La Pedrera

• A model of La Pedrera displayed in the entrance Courtyard. There are two Courtyards open to the sky. The Courtyard on the left is the entrance Courtyard. Note the six towers/chimneys and the walkways and stairs on the roof terrace.

• A view skyward from the entrance Courtyard.

• This Frederic Amat sculpture was on temporary exhibition in the Casa Milà Courtyard during our visit.

• A view skyward in the second, larger, Courtyard

• A view down the Passeig de Gracia from Casa Milà's rooftop terrace

• The white spire in the upper right is the Montjuïc Communications Tower designed by Santiago Calatrava - 1989

• Palau Nacional - The National Art Museum of Catalonia

• The rooftop terrace sits on the attic (marked by the small eyebrow windows) created with 270 catenary arches of different heights.

• Catenary arches form the attic

• The attic, currently an exhibition space, was designed by Gaudí as laundry facilities for the apartments.

• A typical bourgeoisie apartment of the times has been recreated on the 4th floor.

• Door hardware and decoration detail

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• Pocket door, trim, and ceiling detail

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• Watercolor by Eric Meglasson (1996)

• Photo of La Sagrada Familia taken from the roof of our hotel, La Avenida Palace.

• The Glory (Southern) Façade of La Sagrada Familia is planned to be the main entrance when construction is complete. Construction could be complete by 2026, the centenary of Gaudí's death.

• The spires on the right are part of the Nativity (Eastern) Façade of La Sagrada Familia. Only one spire was completed before Gaudí's death.

• The Nativity (Eastern) Façade of La Sagrada Familia. Much of this façade was completed with supervision by Gaudí. There are three portals on the Nativity Façade, representing Faith, Hope, and Charity. The Portal of Charity is shown here. The Portal of Hope is partly visible to the left, and the Portal of Faith is partly visible to the right.

• The twelve spires Gaudí planned for La Sagrada Familia represent the twelve apostles. Eight of the twelve spires are complete, four each on the Nativity and Passion façades. The name and a statue of each apostle will ultimately adorn one of the spires.

• The coronation of Mary on the Portal of Charity

• The Portal of Charity with the annunciation of the Virgin Mary (top center) and the Nativity (bottom center) with the Star of Bethlehem rising high above it.

• The Nativity

• Detail of the Portal of Charity

• The Portal of Faith with the presentation in the Temple (above), Joseph and Mary looking at the twelve year old Jesus (below left), and Jesus working in the carpenter shop (below right)

• The Portal of Faith with the presentation of Jesus in the temple. The priest Simon is holding the baby Jesus.

• The Portal of Hope with Flight to Egypt (left) and The Massacre of the Innocents (right)

• Approaching the Passion (Western) Façade, completed after Gaudí's death

• The Passion (Western) Façade of La Sagrada Familia

• The crucifixtion with Mary Magdalene kneeling and John comforting the Virgin Mary (top center)

• The path to the crucifixtion showing Veronica in the center with a vail upon which Jesus' face appears

• Christ presented to the people wearing a crown of thorns (bottom center)

• The kiss of Judas

• The flagellation in front of the Gospel Doors

• The columns in the sanctuary represent trees with branches near the top.

• The altar canopy

• The red columns of a hard volcanic rock mark the transept crossing.

• The west-facing stained glass windows are composed of warm colors.

• The east-facing stained glass windows are composed of cool colors.

• The interior of the south-facing Glory Façade. This will be the main entrance when construction is completed.

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• Slowly changing colored lights bathe the interior.

• Detail of a bronze door designed by Etsuro Sotoo

• Detail of a bronze door designed by Etsuro Sotoo

• Detail of a bronze door designed by Etsuro Sotoo

• Detail of the bronze door on the Passion Façade - A Josep Maria Subirachs, sculptor

• Gaudí designed and constructed a school next to the La Sagrada Familia construction site for the workers' children. This is a detail that shows his vertical arrangement of Catalan brick.

• Gaudí used a room in the school as his office.

• This monument outside La Sagrada Familia commemorates the beginning of construction in 1882, and it's still not done.