ANTONIO GAUDÍ

-Antonio Gaudí i Cornet  is the most representative architect of Catalan Art Nouveau . His name is closely linked to that of the catalan city .
-He was born in Reus (Tarragona) in 1852 , in a family of boilermakers . He studied architecture in Barcelona and as soon as he graduated , he was asked to replace Francesc de Pau Vilar y Lozano, then architect of the Sagrada Familia . At that time, he leads a life of Dandy and is not very focused on religion . First, he refuses but eventually accepts . The project he is proposing has nothing to do with that of his predecessor and he does not want to hear about deadlines or quotes . Finally, he will spend all his life on this site , while getting closer to religion . He will invest his own fortune in this venture and will even go on a quest to collect some donations . During all these years , he will work simultaneously on other projects that people can now  admire and even visit , the most famous ones being the Güell Park , the Casa Milá or the Casa Batlló . The vast majority of these works are located in the city of Barcelona . He died in the hospital of Sant Pau , Barcelona in 1926 , not far from the Sagrada Familia , after being overturned by a tram .
-Towards the end of the 19th century , the industrial revolution takes place in many European countries . Spain does not escape this phenomenon . It is the birth of a working class , with its social movements , unions, leftist ideas and revolutionary parties . In this context appears a conservative movemen t, led by Josep Bocabella, a librarian . Los Josefinos (nickname given to the members of this movement , for their devotion to St. Joseph) consider it necessary to bring Spain back to religion . For them , building a temple would be a great idea . They present their project to the religious authorities as well as to the civil authorities , hoping to receive money . As no one responds favorably , the church as well as the government having other priorities , they realize that they will have to find the money by themselves . They acquire land in the new district of Eixample , barely urbanized at that time . They begin to receive private donations and the construction of the temple can then start . Gaudi begins with the north-east facade , called the nativity façade , and the back part . He dies in 1926 . Despite the disappearance of some of Gaudí's plans and drawings during the civil war , the construction continues well after his death , with the facade of passion , then the main entrance . Until the 1970s , a nationwide fundraising day is held every year . The construction then continues at the rate of the money inflow . Nowadays , the project is progressing well , especially thanks to the cash inflow generated by the many visits to the building . The fact that concrete is used for the structure , much cheaper than stone , the computer for calculations and design , as well as modern equipment , such as construction cranes , helps to speed up the progress of the work . The temple could be finished in 2026 , for the centenary of Gaudí's death .
-We propose a tour of Gaudi monuments and the ones in wich he participated .

 

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