Gaudi

In 1852 Antonio Gaudi I Cornet was born in Reus, a fair-sized provincial town in the Baix Camp west of Tarragona. His father Francisco Gaudi and mother Antonia Cornet, had five children altogether. Antonio was the youngest. Antonio came from an artisan family. Four generations of Gaudis had been metalworkers. He was the first Gaudi in generations to move outside their long standing craft tradition.

Little is known of Gaudi's early childhood, except that he suffered from arthritis since the age of six. Rheumatic attacks often interrupted his education at the school of Francisco Berenguer. Between 1863 and 1868 Gaudi attended the secondary school run by the Escolapius Fathers in order to study for his 'Bachillerato.' Gaudi was a fair student. Nevertheless he gained the high marks in geometry, poetry, and Greek.

In 1873 Gaudi left his home for Barcelona and enrolled in the Provincial School of Architecture. At all events, Gaudi's interest in School of Architecture was of a secondary importance in comparison with the apprenticeship he served throughout his student years as an assistant in different architectural practices in Barcelona. He finished school in 1878. Gaudi remained a bachelor until his death, living with his family until he remained alone late in his life. On June 7th, 1926, he got caught by a streetcar while passing a street. Because of his old clothing he was brought to a hospital for the poor, the Hospital de la Santa Creu, where he later was found by the deacon of the Sagrada Familia and the architect Sugranyes, who brought him to a private room, where he died three days later, on June 10th, 1926.

Constantino, M. (1993)
Massini, L.V. (1969)

Sagrada familia cathedral Barcelona designed by Gaudi.