Touring Barcelona

Gaudi's Sagrada Familia, also known as the "Unfinished Cathedral."


Sight-seeing in Barcelona! What a joy to see how far the city has come so fast. While Barcelona is rich in heritage, dating back to Roman times, it's only been in the last generation, that its become the tourist city that it is today. The city became the focus of the world in 1992 when it hosted the Olympic Games, and now it's a tourist "hot spot" attracting more than 7 million visitors each year. But more than a hundred years ago, it was decided that a new cathedral needed to be built. After much tumult and several years of wrangling, Antoni Gaudi was hired to take over the project in 1883, and it's been under construction ever since. While cranes hover over the spires, and there's a constant sound of workers drilling, it is still an impressive sight. The new date for its finish is 2026 which also will be the 100th year anniversary of Gaudi's death. What can be seen now are the tall spires along with a number of Christian images along the facade. When asked about the length of the construction, Gaudi remarked, "My client is not in a hurry." Prophetic words indeed.




Across town, the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia is in the gothic area of Barcelona. It is dedicated to Eulalia, a patron saint of Barcelona who, according to tradition, was a young virgin that was martyred during Roman times. One story says she was exposed naked in the public square and a miraculous snowfall in mid-spring covered her nudity. The enraged Romans put her into a barrel with knives stuck into it and rolled it down a street. The body of Saint Eulalia is entombed in the cathedral's crypt. There is a secluded Gothic cloister where 13 white geese are kept, the number explained by the assertion that Eulalia was 13 when she was martyred, and her job was the "keeper of the geese."

After lunch several members decided to take a walk back to the hotel and on their way discovered a posted flier promoting the Chancel Choir's concert tomorrow here in Barcelona. We are all looking forward to singing as we rehearse in the morning and then make our first performance at the Church of Santa Maria Del Pifor, in the evening.