The facade of Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia

Barcelona wouldn’t be as colorful without Antoni Gaudí. Hailed as a visionary by some and a madman by others, the innovative architect left his mark across the city, from lampposts in the Plaza Real–one of his earliest commissions–to his last, still-unfinished work, the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia.

Gaudí threw classic architectural rules out the window. At the forefront of the 19th-century Modernisme style, he drew inspiration from nature and organic forms. He combined vibrant colors, curved lines, and Moorish and Gothic elements with a healthy dose of creativity. Trees, flowers, fruit, and seashells fired his imagination and so did more dramatic images like dragons and skulls.