What you probably don’t know about Sagrada Familia

Sagrada Familia, Antoni Gaudi's unfinished masterpiece, is one of the most visited tourist attractions of Barcelona. Although it is an unfinished building that will be under construction for a long period from now on, Sagrada Familia already is an icon of Barcelona and one of its most representative landmarks.

Atonement Temple of the Holy Family or simply Sagrada Familia was the idea of a bookseller, Joseph Maria Bocabella. In 1877, the architect Francisco de Paula del Villar offered to draw the plans of the magnificent temple for free. Construction begun in 1882 and Gaudi took over the project in 1883 because of the disagreements between Del Villar and the council. From then on, Gaudi devoted almost his entire life to building the church. He did not respect the original design, but chose to change it very radically.

The Neo-Gothic building designed by Gaudi is based on shapes that are found in nature. When Gaudi died in 1926, only a facade, a tower and the crypt were completed.

Because Gaudi always improvised and changed the project while work was in progress, very little is left of his sketches and designs. However, today's architects have a clear idea of ​​what Gaudi wanted to achieve. The last version of his project featured a church that was 95 meters tall and 60 meters wide. Building construction is expected to last at least until 2041. The church will accommodate 13,000 people. When completed, the Sagrada Familia will have no less than 18 towers. The four towers on each of the three facades will represent the 12 apostles. Four of the towers will stand for the four evangelists. These towers will surround the highest tower, dedicated to Jesus Christ. The 18^th century tower will be raised above the altar and will be dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Sagrada Familia is an unique example of the Gaudi’s Art Nouveau architecture and features symbolism and religious meanings. The church has 3 grand façades: the Nativity façade to the East, the Passion façade to the West and the Glory façade to the South. Each façade has 3 gates representing Faith, Hope and Love.

Although it is far from being completed, the Sagrada Familia is definitely worth a visit. You can visit the crypt where Gaudi is buried. There is also a museum dedicated to the life of the great architect Antoni Gaudi and to the history of the church. The towers can be visited. A lift operates in one of the towers and from there you can admire an amazing view. Sagrada Familia is part of UNESCO World Heritage.