Gaudí – Genius or Gaudy?

Few architects can still spark controversy 100 years after their death. Antoni Gaudí manages it with ease. To millions, Barcelona’s Sagrada Família is one of the world’s greatest buildings. To others, it’s an overblown fantasy in stone. Love it or loathe it, nobody ignores it.

The basilica, now entering its final chapter after almost 150 years of construction, recently became the world’s tallest church. Pope Leo XIV marked the centenary of Gaudí’s death by celebrating a special Mass there, underlining its place as both a religious and architectural icon.

Gaudí reshaped Barcelona with landmarks including Parc Güell, Casa Batlló and a collection of extraordinary mansions. Rejecting straight lines, he borrowed freely from nature, filling his buildings with flowing curves, dazzling colour and sculpted forms inspired by trees, plants and animals. Behind the flamboyance was a brilliant engineer whose structural innovations remain admired today.

A devout Catholic and passionate Catalan, Gaudí devoted his final 12 years solely to the basilica. In 1926 he was struck by a tram and, mistaken for a beggar, died in a charity hospital.

His reputation has swung dramatically ever since. George Orwell dismissed the basilica as hideous, while later generations hailed its dreamlike originality. Today Gaudí’s influence stretches from Frank Gehry to Zaha Hadid. Saint or sinner? The jury’s still out.

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