When I first saw
Barcelona I knew I would love to come back there again, and again. Barcelona is an amazing city and it's difficult to describe it just using words: you have to see it, feel the atmosphere of the city, see the people strolling, hear how they speak, watch how they dress and behave. Even showing you pictures will never let you feel all the rest. Let me try at least share my strongest memories.
Kiedy pierwszy raz zobaczyłam Barcelonę, już wiedziałam, że będę chciała tam wracać i wracać. Barcelona jest zadziwiającym miastem i trudno ją opisać zwykłymi słowami: trzeba ją zobaczyć, poczuć atmosferę miasta, poobserwować przechadzających się tam ludzi, posłuchać jak mówią, zobaczyć jak są ubrani i jak się zachowują. Niestety oglądając zdjęcia nie można w pełni poczuć panującej tam atmosfery. Spróbuję podzielić się z Wami moimi najsilniejszymi wspomnieniami.
Walking the streets of Barcelona I simply didn't know what I should be looking at as I liked absolutely everything! Architecture surrounding me was so astonishing and I could only compare it to the impression I had when I visited
Paris for the first time. So I decided to look... above and not to miss anything of what I can see.
Przechadzając się ulicami Barcelony nie wiedziałam, w którą stronę mam patrzeć. Podobało mi się wszystko. Absolutnie wszystko! Architektura dookoła przyprawiała mnie o prawdziwy zawrót głowy i mogłabym to wrażenie porównać jedynie z tym, które odniosłam będąc pierwszy raz w Paryżu. Postanowiłam więc patrzeć... w górę i podziwiać wszystko w zasięgu wzroku.
Then suddenly I saw it:
La Sagrada Familia. I heard and read a lot about this amazing building but I never realized this was something that will remain in my memory probably forever. This is the most visited tourist attraction in Barcelona and every year over 3,000,000 visitors come to see it. The church is considered one of the most original and ambitious modern buildings in the world. And I absolutely agree!!
Wtem nagle ją zobaczyłam:
La Sagrada Familia. Czytałam i słyszałam sporo o tej wspaniałej budowli, ale nigdy nie zdawałam sobie sprawy z tego, że po tym jak ją zobaczę - zostanie w mojej pamięci prawdopodobnie na zawsze. To najczęściej odwiedzana przez turystów atrakcja Barcelony, rocznie widzi ją ponad 3 mln osób. Kościół jest uważany za jeden z najbardziej oryginalnych i ambitnych budynków na świecie. I zgadzam się z tym!
Building of La Sagrada Família started in 1882 and it has been built from donations.
Gaudí himself said: "The expiatory church of La Sagrada Família is made by the people and is mirrored in them. It is a work that is in the hands of God and the will of the people." The building is still going on and could be finished some time in our century.
Budowanie kościoła rozpoczęło się w 1882 roku z datków ludzi. Sam Gaudi powiedział, że "kościół ekspiacyjny La Sagrada Familia jest tworzony przez ludzi i w ludziach ma swoje odbicie. Jest to dzieło w rękach Boga i powstaje z woli ludzi." Budowanie kościoła nadal trwa i zostanie zakończone kiedyś w przyszłości.
The church was designed by
Antoni Gaudi - one of the outstanding world architecturers. He studied, worked and lived with his family in Barcelona. It is also in the city that we find most of his work. He was first and foremost an architect, but he also designed furniture and objects and worked in town planning and landscaping, amongst other disciplines. This is amazing how the language of his art speaks directly to our senses.
Antoni Gaudí was aware that he would not complete the project for the whole church, and so he programmed the construction and explained the project to his associates and various young architects so that they can finish the construction.
After I saw it I was overwhelmed. And had some other places to visit! I started walking then to see some other nice streets and buildings.
Po tym jak ją zobaczyłam byłam oszołomiona. A miałam jeszcze zobaczyć inne miejsca! Poszłam więc oglądać inne piękne ulice i miejsca.
So you're walking the streets of Barcelona and you never know when you're going to see another incredible piece of Gaudi's architecture (unless you live there).
La Pedrera is another astonishing building I could see next.
Idąc ulicami Barcelony nigdy nie wiadomo, kiedy człowiek natknie się na kolejne dzieło architektury Gaudiego (chyba że mieszka w Barcelonie). La Padrera to kolejny wspaniały budynek który zobaczyłam.
The word "Pedrera" means "quarry" but the original name of the house was Casa Milà. This is another masterpiece by Antoni Gaudí and was designed as a fashionable home for wealthy Milà family. The name Pedrera was used locally to describe the building because of its shape and the name stuck.
La Pedrera was built as house of apartments and offices however the owner had difficulty renting the apartments because the rooms were irregularly shaped.
Look at the details of the balconies - arent they wonderful?
Then I strolled again and admired streets and buildings around. One of the most famous streets in Barcelona are
Avenida Diagonal and
La Rambla.
La Rambla is the most famous street in Barcelona. It is the wide boulevard which connects the Plaça de Catalunya with the Columbus Monument and the city's waterfront.
It is popular with tourists and locals too. The middle part of the Rambla is bordered by trees and designed for pedestrians.
Even though it is one continuous street, the Rambla actually consists of five 'ramblas'. That's why the street is also called Las Ramblas.
After walking, having some coffee and observing people I finally got to another place I wanted to see:
Casa Batlló, also designed by Gaudi.
Casa Batlló is often overlooked by many people because it's on the same road as La Pedrera and it is La Pedrera that tends to draw more people's attention. For mi Casa Batlló is more interesting and beautiful and I highly recommend to see it.
Gaudí' s work has an incredible characteristic of activating your imagination. His work first astonishes you, then challenges to ask questions, so be prepared to be thinking about Gaudí's masterpieces long after you leave the city.
If you have a chance - go to Barcelona and spend there a couple of days so that you can admire its beauty and feel the atmosphere.
