Peru presents «Gaudí, el arquitecto del alma» in Cusco
“With this essay I want to introduce, in a personal and reflective way, Gaudí the man, the architect and the Christian, inviting the reader to reflect”
Peru's Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized, in the Historic Centre of Cusco, the presentation of «Gaudí, el arquitecto del alma» (Gaudí, the Architect of the Soul), José Manuel Almuzara's essay that delves into Gaudí the man, architect and Christian. The event came in the year marking the centenary of the Catalan architect's death.
On Tuesday, 30 June 2026, at six in the evening, Peru's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Foreign Ministry's regional office in Cusco, organized the presentation of the book «Gaudí, el arquitecto del alma», by José Manuel Almuzara. The event was held at Limacpampa Grande 565, in the very heart of the Historic Centre of the ancient Inca capital. The official poster presented Almuzara as an architect, a member of the COAC-Barcelona and a Gaudí scholar. The gathering reflected the interest of Peruvian diplomacy in a figure, Antoni Gaudí, whose work transcends borders and cultures.
The book, published by Roca Editorial in 2026, brings together across its 224 pages a vision that embraces Gaudí the man, the architect and the Christian. Almuzara does not merely describe the work of the Catalan genius, but seeks to bring the reader closer to the spiritual depth that sustained it. In a personal and reflective tone, the author invites us to contemplate how Gaudí's Catholic faith permeated each of his creations. The essay thus becomes a gateway to the soul of the architect of the Sagrada Família.
“I have learned to look in order to learn to live, to keep a capacity for wonder”
The presentation in Cusco took place during Almuzara's stay in Peru as Ambassador of the Shrine of Our Lady of Vidawasi, in the Sacred Valley. The visit also coincided with the year marking the centenary of Antoni Gaudí's death, an anniversary that lends this presentation a special resonance. That it should be Peru, a land of deep Catholic roots, that hosts this event underscores the universal reach of Gaudí's legacy. In this context, Almuzara brought to the Peruvian public the essay with which he seeks to make known the man, architect and Christian that Gaudí was.
A few days earlier, on 26 June, Almuzara had taken part in the feast of the Virgin of Vidawasi, celebrated in Urubamba, where he shared his vision of the vocation of service. His Peruvian tour also included interviews with various national media, which echoed his work of outreach. In Urubamba, the architect summed up with simplicity the spirit that guides his work and his faith, placing love for nature and service to God at the centre of his message.
“I may add my own brushstroke of Gaudí here and there; and above all this love for nature, being instruments and placing each of our gifts at His service”
It is with that same sense of wonder that Almuzara approaches the task of spreading knowledge of Gaudí, in whose work beauty and faith go hand in hand. His time in Cusco leaves behind the trace of a serene message: that of a man who learned to contemplate creation in order to understand life more deeply. The presentation of «Gaudí, el arquitecto del alma» in the heart of the Andes confirms that the legacy of the Catalan master continues to build bridges between cultures and continents. In this way, Gaudí's gaze finds new readers wherever faith and beauty still walk together.