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The Sagrada Familia is an architectural marvel to which its creator, Antoni Gaudí, dedicated 43 years of his life. His objective was always to create the perfect temple, so when his work is finished, scheduled for 2026, on the centenary of his death, it will become both the tallest building in Barcelona and the tallest church in the world.
Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2005, this Barcelona icon and one of the most beloved by locals and tourists alike it is also the most visited building in the city, with some 20 million visitors each year, 4.5 million of whom enter the temple itself. It is, without a doubt, the most famous unfinished monument in the world.
Gaudí’s Sagrada Familia, a must visit
For any visitor to Barcelona, this place is a must, not only for its interior and exterior beauty and for what it represents but also because it is unique. Here we offer you some essential information so that when you do visit you can fully enjoy all its splendor:
- Construction of this magnum opus began in 1882, although a year earlier and thanks to donations, the San José Spiritual Association of Devotees bought a 12,800 m2 plot for the construction of the temple. However, it was on March 19, 1882, Saint Joseph’s Day, when the first stone was laid.
- Curiously, initially, this project was not entrusted to Gaudí but to Francesc de Paula Villar. But despite that, at the end of 1883, it was Gaudí who took control and gave it the ambition is required.
- After Gaudí’s death, his disciple Domènec Sugrañes took over construction until 1938. Although it should be noted that Isidre Puig Boada, Lluís Bonet i Garí, Francesc de Paula Cardoner Blanch, and Jordi Bonet Armengol also participated in this project. Since 2012, Jordi Faulí Oller has been in charge of this titanic project.
- Gaudí, unfortunately, died on June 10, 1926, when he was run over by a tram. He only lived to see the construction of the first bell tower of the Nativity façade finished, the one that is dedicated to the apostle Bernabé.
- During the Civil War, the Sagrada Família was vandalized and there was a fire in the crypt that destroyed plans and relevant information about this project. However, in the Sagrada Família museum, located on the ground floor, many models have been reconstructed, such as the upper part of the sacristy or the reproduction of the complete building that was created for the Universal Exhibition in Brussels. from 1910 are all on show. In this same space, there is a lot of information about the historical, technical, artistic, and symbolic aspects of the temple.
- The Holy Family represents the first weeks of the life of Jesus and the history of faith and is presided over by joy. The 18 towers are dedicated to important characters from the Bible: 12 to the apostles, 4 to the evangelists, that of the Virgin Mary, and that of Jesus, the tallest, which will measure more than 172 meters and will be crowned by a cross. That of Mary, the second highest in the Basilica complex at 138 meters high, is where the star of the Virgin Mary has recently been installed. A historical moment as it is the last piece to be placed in the tower and changes the skyline of the city of Barcelona. It lights up at night and during the day it reflects the sun.
- In 2010 the dedication ceremony of the temple as a Basilica took place and its interior was opened to parishioners, pilgrims, and visitors. We are advised that it is both impressive and captivating, representing a forest of stone trees.
- Another noteworthy fact is that as a religious temple, the Sagrada Família can only be financed by donations and personal contributions. Thanks to all money received it has been possible to meet the deadlines through the use of advanced technology
Undoubtedly, and as you will see with your own eyes, the Sagrada Familia is not only one of Barcelona’s hallmarks but Gaudí’s masterpiece, a unique architect, ahead of his time, as well as a man of faith. and a universal figure of modern architecture.
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