his family came from a long line of coppersmiths. gaudi’s mother died when he was young. his...

His family came from a long line ofcoppersmiths. Gaudi’s mother died when he was young. His brother and married sister died young. Gaudi tookcare of his father and orphaned niece,both of whom lived with him in Barcelona.Gaudi studied at the then new Schoolof Architecture in Barcelona. He never married. He was an eccentric man. Gaudi suffered from rheumatism, kept a frugal, vegetarian diet, tookhomeopathic remedies, had variousbathing procedures and walked long distances.

Gaudi’s first work were designed in the style of gothic architectureand traditional Catalan architectural modes, but he soon developedhis own distinct sculptural style.Gaudi was a devout Catholic, to the point that in his later years, he abandoned secular work and devoted his life to Catholicism and hisSagrada Familia ( Holy Family Church ). He designed it to have 18 towers, 12 for the 12 apostles, 4 for the 4 evangelists, one for Mary and one for Jesus.Some of his greatest works, most notably La Sagrada Familia, havean almost hallucinatory power.Soon after, his closest family and friends began to die, his works slowed to a halt, and his attitude changed.Gaudi died in Barcelona rolled by a tramway the 10 June of 1926.