Antoni Gaudi was born in rural Catalan, Spain in 1852. As a boy, he was fascinated by the shapes peculiar to the natural environment of his boyhood home--a lifelong inspiration taht would later take form in the irregular, fantastical designs of his buildings.
After studying architecture in Barcelona in the 1870's he began work on a series of commissions for private homes and commercial buildings, some of which stand as the most shockingly innovative architecture ever built.
In 1883, Gaudi, a devout Catholic, accepted a commission from a wealthy publisher to build a new church in the heart of Barcelona. Inspired by the strange mountains at nearby Montserrat, his design for the Temple of La Sagrada Familia called for 18 towers more than 300 feet tall, with a central tower that represented Jesus Christ and stood 580 feet tall. Incorporating his distinctive use of organic shapes and surfaces decorated with pieces of ceramic and mirror, his intitial towers soon swelled with offshoots of baroque sculpture.
As the years went on and backers balked at escalating expenses, Gaudi sank all of his own savings into continuing the cathedral project. Work nearly ceased as Barcelona's economy collapsed and Gaudi suffered the deep personal losses of a beloved neice and his long-time companion. He grew more reclusive and more devout, and his appearance became increasingly eccentric. In fact, Gaudi may have been deep in thought about his epic construction when he walked into the path of a tram in 1926. Thousands attended his interment at La Sagrada Familia.
Work resumed on the church in the 1950s and continues today, funded by private donations and admissions fares. During his life, Antoni Gaudi was often ridiculed by his peers, but in death he became known as "God's Architect."
To make a donation or just to learn more about La Sagrada Familia, you can visit the official site here.
Research courtesy of J.K. Kelley
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