“We hope that the political will that has to be there will be demonstrated in order to go forward with the bidding process, understanding that we have a tremendous historical and spiritual legacy from Antonio Gaudi in Chile and the Americas," Valenzuela said.
Antonio Gaudi i Conet was born in Reus in the Spanish region of Catalonia on June 25, 1852. Known as “the architect of God,” he was the creator of a new type of architecture based on curved lines. He constantly experimented with structures and new forms.
He was also known for his Christian devotion and ascetisim.
Construction on La Sagrada Familia Basilica began in the 1880s but due to various factors it is still under construction. It is Gaudi’s crowning work. To build it, he gave up his salary and his fees as an architect. He even went so far as to personally beg.
Gaudi died in Barcelona at the age of 73 on June 10, 1926, after injuries suffered when he was accidentally struck by a tram. His cause for canonization opened in 2003.
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Pope Benedict XVI dedicated the unfinished basilica in 2010, describing it as “a hymn of praise to God, carved in stone.” Planners hope to finish construction in 2026, the centenary of Gaudi's death.
The Gaudi de Triana Corporation along with the Chilean College of Architects and the Association of the Offices of Chilean Architects held an international conference March 25. The conference was based on the construction of La Sagrada Familia.
Conference participants included Jordi Faulí, who is the director of the Technical Office of the Expiatory Church of the Holy Family, and the office’s assistant architect, David Puig.