In 2018, I went on a training tour to Madrid, Spain. The most stunning attraction I saw was the Sagrada Familia.
The basilica tour was planned for later in the afternoon when the light could best be seen streaming through the stained glass windows. The soaring towers, which represent the twelve apostles, the Virgin Mary, and Jesus Christ, are the most interesting visual on the outside.
Walking into a basilica, a church, or a cathedral calms me. I give myself permission to release life’s stresses. Unlike any basilica I had seen before, the curious shapes, curves, and figures lining the façade became more apparent as I approached.
Later, I wrote down some thoughts and researched Antoni Gaudi and other historical events.
America. 1882.
The Nickel Plate Railroad rolled on track,
As Jessie James rode through a wild, brave land.
Antoni Gaudi carved his vision in stone,
Beginning the Sagrada Familia.
The Sagrada Familia Basilica has never ceased,
Eighteen towers soar toward heaven,
the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ, and the twelve apostles.
Barcelona, Spain. 2018.
Thousands visit to see the light or the doors
Made by Subirachs. A math cube totaling thirty-three
Jesus’s age of death
But what took my breath away was the light
Filtering in through the stained glass windows
Joan Vila-Grau studied the path of the sun’s rays
Throughout the year.
Natural shapes, such as trees and animals
Infused with spiritual significance.
Light, color, beauty. Calmness.
One of the world’s largest places of worship.
Stone columns rise to the vaults, dividing into branches.
As the sun filters in through the leaves,
looks like the stone is in flames.
Magnificent.
The beetles, flies, wasps, bees, grasshoppers, ladybirds, ants, spiders, and dragonflies symbolize life and joy.
I love this door!
The magic square.
What are some beautiful places you’ve visited that left a lasting impression on you, and what emotions did you feel?
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