The sagrada familia is the pearl of barcelona егэ

Отличная работа!
Так держать!

Если остались вопросы, напиши своему куратору.

La Sagrada Familia is a Roman Catholic basilica in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. For its towering and special shape, the basilica is the most popular tourist attraction in Barcelona (Details: Tourist information of Sagrada Familia). Sagrada Familia was designed by Antony Gaudí and the construction started in 1882, the church still hasn’t complete after more than 130 years.
Pope Benedict XVI consecrated and proclaimed Sagrada Familia a basilica in November 2010. Although it’s not a cathedral which is the seat of a bishop, the scale of Sagrada Familia is not inferior to some of the largest cathedrals in the world.

About the Name:

The whole name of Sagrada Familia in Catalan is «Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família», literally means Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family, the name is often shortened as «The Basilica of the Sagrada Família», «La Sagrada Família» or directly «Sagrada Família».

Design and heights:

Sagrada Familia is designed with various architectural styles, including Gothic, Catalan Modernism(a local style of Barcelona, don’t confused with Modernism) and Art Nouveau(literally New Art, which was inspired by natural forms and structures, especially the curved lines of natural things like plants and flowers). The design of basilica features obvious and strong natural elements, Antoni Gaudí takes inspiration from the forms of a variety of animals and plants to design the basilica, and depicts lots of figures and stories from the Bible across the whole structure, the basilica can be seen as a visualized bible.

Once complete, the basilica will have three grand façades on its sides of east(simplified direction, actually northeast, the next sides are also simplified) west, and south, which are respectively named the Nativity Façade, the Passion Façade, and the Glory Façade, the east and west grand façades are complete, while the south façade is still under construction.
Each of these three façades contains 4 towers, in total are 12 towers, representing some notable apostles of Jesus Christ, but not 12 Apostles, since the towers of Matthew and John are located in the central area as towers of Evangelists. Besides these 12 towers, other 6 taller towers will be situated in the central area of the church, among these 6 towers 4 of them are dedicated to 4 Evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), these 4 towers are designed in the same height and surround another tower in the center, which is highest tower of the church that represents Jesus Christ. The very north one of these 6 central towers is slightly shorter than 4 towers of evangelists, but much more sturdy, representing Virgin Mary.

The varying heights of these towers are designed to reflect the hierarchy of the corresponding biblical figures, it’s kind of weird that the tower of Virgin Mary is designed shorter than 4 of evangelists, as Antoni Gaudí was a Catholic.
Below is the diagram of the layout of 3 façades and 18 towers of the basilica, heights of 18 towers are included.

The central tower which represents Jesus Christ will stand 170 meters tall, this will make Sagrada Familia the tallest church in the world after its completion, surpassing the 162-meter Ulm Cathedral in Germany. The height of the central tower is deliberately designed to be 1 meter less than that of Montjuïc hill in Barcelona, the tallest hill in the city, because Gaudí believed that his building should not be higher than the work of God.

The central tower for Jesus Christ is built directly above the chamber, which is designed to support the height of the tower and to funnel sunlight into the church.

The Tower of Jesus will be surmounted by a giant cross, while other surrounding towers will be topped by other symbols, the towers of three grand facade are topped by episcopal symbols.

Apart from 18 towers of the church, there are also many smaller pinnacles on the church, these pinnacles are surmounted by some other religious stuffs like sheaves of wheat and bunches of grapes, which represent the Eucharist.

About three Grand Façades

Nativity Façades:

Nativity Façades is dedicated to the birth of Jesus Christ, its outer façades is heavily decorated with sculptures of different sizes, these sculptures depict the scenes of stories from Immaculate Conception of Virgin Mary to the growth of Jesus.

The façade faces to the northeast, the direction of the rising sun, representing the birth of Jesus Christ.
The four towers of the façade are each represents an apostle of Jesus: Matthias, Barnabas, Jude, and Simon.

Passion Facade:

Passion Facade is dedicated to the death of Jesus.
Unlike the highly decorated Nativity Façade, the outer façade of Passion Façade is plain and simple, the façade is composed of bare stone, which is carved with harsh straight lines to form angular and rigid shapes, resembling the bones of a skeleton and showing the brutality of the sacrifice of Christ.

The sculptures on this façade is much fewer than that of the Nativity Façade, these sculptures depict the scenes of the stories from the last supper, Judas’ kiss, to the crucifixion of Jesus and his resurrection.
The façade faces the setting sun to the southwest, representing the death of Christ.
The Passion Façade has six large and inclined columns supported on the outer ground, the columns are designed to resemble the Sequoia trunks. Eighteen white and smaller columns are built in the shape of bones above the large inclined columns.

The four towers are each dedicated to an apostle of Jesus: James, Thomas, Bartholomew, and Philip.
A sky bridge with a bronze figure is hovering between the towers of Thomas and Bartholomew represents the Ascension of Jesus.

Glory Façade:

The Glory Façade on the south side of the building is dedicated to the Celestial Glory of Jesus, it will be the tallest façade of all three façades, it’s designed as the principal façade, offering access to the nave of the church. Glory Façade will be decorated with sculptures of idols, false gods and demons.

The interior of the building

Natural elements is not only shown on the exterior of the church, but also can be found inside the church. Like many cathedrals in Europe, the ceilings in the interior of the church is very high, the ceilings is supported by many large and high pillars, which are intricately carved to resembling trees.

The video below shows the details of the interior of the church.

Development and History of Sagrada Familia:

In 1870s, a Barcelona bookseller named Josep Maria Bocabella came up the idea of building a expiatory church in his hometown after he visited Italy, he founded Spiritual Association of Devotees of St. Joseph to develop the church, as an expiatory church, the funds were mostly come from donations from individuals. The architect Francisco de Paula del Villar was asked to design the church, he designed a standard Gothic Revival church for the project. The construction began on March 19, 1882, the festival of St. Joseph. After one year, the apse crypt was completed, then the Association decided to redesign the church, as they think cost of the version designed by Francisco de Paula del Villar is too high, after that the project was eventually passed over to Antony Gaudí.
Gaudí redesigned the whole church except of the crypt, which was already under construction and partially completed, he turned the church into a Art Nouveau building from a Gothic Revival building, in the same time he directed the construction on the crypt of the church according to Francisco de Paula del Villar’s design.
The crypt of the church was completed in 1892, the construction of Nativity Façade began in 1892 and completed in 1930.

Antony Gaudí had died in 1926, after he died the construction work continued under the direction of the architect Domènec Sugrañes i Gras, a disciple of Gaudí, he held the charge for another 10 years, until the Spanish Civil War broke in 1936, the construction was interrupted by the war and halted for almost twenty years. The construction resumed in 1954, and the Passion façade was completed in 1977. The apse and nave were constructed between 1978 and 2000.
Construction on the Glory Façade on the south side of the church started in 2002, as of 2018, the Glory Façade is still under construction, along with 6 central towers, which has almost started taking the shape.

Now the basilica is in its 136th year and is approximately 70 percent complete. The completion date is expected to be in 2026, which coincides with the centenary of Gaudí’s death.

The video below shows the left construction stages and the appearance of the church upon completion.

Apparently this completion date seems too early, as current completed portion has taken 136 years of construction, however it’s still possible, as the use of computers has rapidly sped up the progress, by contrast, there were no computers before the mid 20th century, by that time architects and workers could only rely on paper sketches, it took much more time to put together all the needed pieces of the structure accurately. Computer could make things faster and more accurate. Moreover, with the modern technology the stone used on the building are shaped by a sort of milling machine, whereas in the old time they were all carved by hand. These new technologies could significantly accelerate the progress, making the building eventually complete by the centenary of Gaudí’s death.
According to Jordi Fauli, the current chief architect of Sagrada Familia, the building is on track to complete in 2026, however some decoration elements will take longer to finish, the real completion date could be in around 2032.

Tourist Information:

Although Sagrada Familia is still under construction, it has become the most popular tourist attraction in Barcelona, attracting about 3 million visitors a year.
To visit the church, visitors are required to purchase the tickets in advance online, tickets can be booked by clicking here. Visitors can access the Nativity façade, Passion façade, Nave and Crypt, which are complete sections of the building, and a Museum, which contains a collection of drawings, photos and models of the development of Sagrada Familia.
The tops of the towers are accessible via elevators, at such a high point visitor can see the panoramic view of the city of Barcelona from above.

Visitors can walk across the sky bridge between the towers to access other towers.

A narrow spiral staircase of over 300 steps is used for descending to the ground.

The entrance fee range between €15 to €29 ($18 to $36), depending on which parts to visit and the options of the additional guiding service, the entrance fee is then be used to supplement the building’s annual construction budget of €25 million ($30 million).

Location of the Church:

The address of Sagrada Familia is Carrer de Mallorca, 401, 08013 Barcelona, Spain. The church can be accessed by taking Metro Line 2 or Line 5, and stop at Sagrada Familia Station.

Some other interesting facts about Sagrada Familia:

1. The architect of Sagrada Familia, Antoni Gaudí is buried in this church, Gaudí’s tomb is located in the underground level of Sagrada Familia, visitors are allowed to come down to see the tomb, the tomb is held in a chapel dedicated to the Virgin of El Carmen, which is surrounded by four other chapels, each also dedicated to a different figure.

2. As such a unique and innovative building, Sagrada Familia is the only building in the world that had been designated as UNESCO World Heritage Site before its completion. It received the designation in 1984 together with other 6 buildings designed by Antoni Gaudí, under the name of Works of Antoni Gaudí.

3. Sagrada Familia is heavily influenced by the natural elements, a pillar inside the church has a sculpture of turtle at its base, and another one has a tortoise, this is designed to to show the balance between land and sea.

4. Antoni Gaudí started designing Sagrada Familia in his 31, he spent 43 years in his life on the designing of Sagrada Familia, until in 1926 when he died in a tram accident. Before that in 1925, Gaudí even moved to the construction site to live, putting all his effort in designing the building, including the architectural design and structural design. As Gaudí cared about mostly on his building, he paid no attention to his dressing, after he crashed by the tram, the driver assumed him a beggar because of his shabby clothing, for this the architect missed the immediate aid. Gaudí left lots of valuable models and drafts for the Sagrada Familia after his death.
5. In 1936 in the Spanish Civil War, a group of anarchists broke into the construction site of Sagrada Familia and set fire to the crypt, which was the workshop located at, many materials of plans made by Gaudí were destroyed, a few were saved, in recent years many of those destroyed materials have been partially reconstructed.

6. There used to be someone asking Antoni Gaudí why the church takes so long to build, Gaudí replied that his client is not in a hurry, his client actually refers to God.
7. The whole building of Sagrada Familia is designed very intricate, even the spires on the top are designed very elaborate, Gaudí was once asked why he makes the spires so elaborate, as no one could see the details of the spires clearly, he responded, «The angels will see them.»

HISTORY OF THE BASÍLICA

espai blanc

MAIN MILESTONES

espai blanc

Basílica de la Sagrada Família
Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família
Sagrada Família in 2021
Religion
Affiliation	Roman Catholic
District	Barcelona
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Minor basilica
Leadership	Juan José Cardinal Omella, Archbishop of Barcelona
Year consecrated	7 November 2010; 12 years ago by Benedict XVI
Status	Active/on-hold
Location
Location	Barcelona, Spain
Geographic coordinates	41°24′13″N 2°10′28″E / 41.40369°N 2.17433°ECoordinates: 41°24′13″N 2°10′28″E / 41.40369°N 2.17433°E
Architecture
Architect(s)	Antoni Gaudí
Style	Gothic Revival and Art Nouveau and Modernista
General contractor	Construction Board of La Sagrada Família Foundation[1][2][3]
Groundbreaking	19 March 1882; 140 years ago
Completed	After 2026[4]
Specifications
Direction of façade	Southeast
Capacity	9,000
Length	90 m (300 ft)[5]
Width	60 m (200 ft)[5]
Width (nave)	45 m (150 ft)[5]
Spire(s)	18 (11 already built)
Spire height	170 m (560 ft) (planned)
Website
sagradafamilia.org/en
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name	Nativity Façade and Crypt of the Basílica de la Sagrada Família
Part of	Works of Antoni Gaudí
Criteria	Cultural: (i), (ii), (iv)
Reference	320-005
Inscription	1984 (8th Session)
Extensions	2005
Spanish Cultural Heritage
Type	Non-movable
Criteria	Monument
Designated	24 July 1969
Reference no.	RI-51-0003813

The Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família,^[a] shortened as the Sagrada Família, is an unfinished church in the Eixample district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It is the largest unfinished Catholic church in the world. Designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926), his work on Sagrada Família is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.^[7] On 7 November 2010, Pope Benedict XVI consecrated the church and proclaimed it a minor basilica.^[8][9][10]

On 19 March 1882, construction of the Sagrada Família began under architect Francisco de Paula del Villar. In 1883, when Villar resigned,^[7] Gaudí took over as chief architect, transforming the project with his architectural and engineering style, combining Gothic and curvilinear Art Nouveau forms. Gaudí devoted the remainder of his life to the project, and he is buried in the church’s crypt. At the time of his death in 1926, less than a quarter of the project was complete.^[11]

Relying solely on private donations, the Sagrada Família’s construction progressed slowly and was interrupted by the Spanish Civil War. In July 1936, anarchists from the FAI set fire to the crypt and broke their way into the workshop, partially destroying Gaudí’s original plans.^[12] In 1939, Francesc de Paula Quintana took over site management, which was able to go on due to the material that was saved from Gaudí’s workshop and that was reconstructed from published plans and photographs.^[13] Construction resumed to intermittent progress in the 1950s. Advancements in technologies such as computer-aided design and computerised numerical control (CNC) have since enabled faster progress and construction passed the midpoint in 2010. However, some of the project’s greatest challenges remain, including the construction of ten more spires, each symbolising an important Biblical figure in the New Testament.^[11] It was anticipated that the building would be completed by 2026, the centenary of Gaudí’s death,^[14] but this has now been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[15]

Describing the Sagrada Família, art critic Rainer Zerbst said «it is probably impossible to find a church building anything like it in the entire history of art»,^[16] and Paul Goldberger describes it as «the most extraordinary personal interpretation of Gothic architecture since the Middle Ages».^[17] The basilica is not the cathedral church of the Archdiocese of Barcelona, as that title belongs to the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia (Barcelona Cathedral).

History[edit]

Origins[edit]

The Sagrada Família was inspired by a bookseller, José María Bocabella [es], founder of Asociación Espiritual de Devotos de San José (Spiritual Association of Devotees of St. Joseph).^[18] After a visit to the Vatican in 1872, Bocabella returned from Italy with the intention of building a church inspired by the basilica at Loreto.^[18] The apse crypt of the church, funded by donations, was begun 19 March 1882, on the festival of St. Joseph, to the design of the architect Francisco de Paula del Villar, whose plan was for a Gothic revival church of a standard form.^[18] The apse crypt was completed before Villar’s resignation on 18 March 1883, when Antoni Gaudí assumed responsibility for its design, which he changed radically.^[18] Gaudi began work on the church in 1883 but was not appointed Architect Director until 1884.

20th century[edit]

On the subject of the extremely long construction period, Gaudí is said to have remarked: «My client is not in a hurry.»^[19] When Gaudí died in 1926, the basilica was between 15 and 25 percent complete.^[11][20] After Gaudí’s death, work continued under the direction of his main disciple Domènec Sugrañes i Gras until interrupted by the Spanish Civil War in 1936. Parts of the unfinished basilica and Gaudí’s models and workshop were destroyed during the war by Catalan anarchists.^[21] The present design is based on reconstructed versions of the plans that were burned in a fire as well as on modern adaptations. Since 1940, the architects Francesc Quintana, Isidre Puig Boada, Lluís Bonet i Gari and Francesc Cardoner have carried on the work. The illumination was designed by Carles Buïgas. The director until 2012 was the son of Lluís Bonet, Jordi Bonet i Armengol. Armengol began introducing computers into the design and construction process in the 1980s.

21st century[edit]

The central nave vaulting was completed in 2000 and the main tasks since then have been the construction of the transept vaults and apse. In 2002, the Sagrada Família Schools building was relocated from the eastern corner of the site to the southern corner, and began housing an exhibition. The school was originally designed by Gaudí in 1909 for the children of the construction workers.^{[citation needed]}

As of 2006, work concentrated on the crossing and supporting structure for the main steeple of Jesus Christ as well as the southern enclosure of the central nave, which will become the Glory façade. Computer-aided design technology has allowed stone to be shaped off-site by a CNC milling machine, whereas in the 20th century the stone was carved by hand.^[22] In 2008, some renowned Catalan architects advocated halting construction^[23] to respect Gaudí’s original designs, which, although they were not exhaustive and were partially destroyed, have been partially reconstructed in recent years.^[24]

Since 2013, AVE high-speed trains have passed near the Sagrada Família through a tunnel that runs beneath the centre of Barcelona. The tunnel’s construction, which began on 26 March 2010, was controversial. The Ministry of Public Works of Spain (Ministerio de Fomento) claimed the project posed no risk to the church.^[25][26] Sagrada Família engineers and architects disagreed, saying there was no guarantee that the tunnel would not affect the stability of the building. The Board of the Sagrada Família (Patronat de la Sagrada Família) and the neighborhood association AVE pel Litoral (AVE by the Coast) led a campaign against this route for the AVE, without success.^{[citation needed]} In October 2010, the tunnel boring machine reached the church underground under the location of the building’s principal façade.^[25] Service through the tunnel was inaugurated on 8 January 2013.^[27] Track in the tunnel makes use of a system by Edilon Sedra in which the rails are embedded in an elastic material to dampen vibrations.^[28] No damage to the Sagrada Família has been reported to date.

The main nave was covered and an organ installed in mid-2010, allowing the still-unfinished building to be used for liturgies.^[29] The church was consecrated by Pope Benedict XVI on 7 November 2010 in front of a congregation of 6,500 people.^[30] A further 50,000 people followed the consecration Mass from outside the basilica, where more than 100 bishops and 300 priests were on hand to distribute Holy Communion.^[31]

In 2012, Barcelona-born Jordi Faulí i Oller [es] took over as architect of the project.^[2][3] Mark Burry of New Zealand serves as Executive Architect and Researcher.^[32] Sculptures by J. Busquets, Etsuro Sotoo and the controversial Josep Maria Subirachs decorate the fantastical façades.

Chief architect Jordi Faulí announced in October 2015 that construction was 70 percent complete and had entered its final phase of raising six immense steeples. The steeples and most of the church’s structure were planned be completed by 2026, the centennial of Gaudí’s death; as of a 2017 estimate, decorative elements should be complete by 2030 or 2032.^[33] Visitor entrance fees of €15 to €20 finance the annual construction budget of €25 million.^[34]

Starting on 9 July 2017, an international mass is celebrated at the basilica every Sunday and holy day of obligation, at 9 a.m., and is open to the public (until the church is full). Occasionally, Mass is celebrated at other times, where attendance requires an invitation. When masses are scheduled, instructions to obtain an invitation are posted on the basilica’s website. In addition, visitors may pray in the chapel of the Blessed Sacrament and Penitence.^[35]

In 2018, the stone type needed for the construction was found in a quarry in Brinscall, near Chorley, England.^[36]

• Historical photographs of the Sagrada Família

• 

• 

• 

• 

  Base of the Christ steeple under construction (2009)

• 

Incidents[edit]

On 19 April 2011, an arsonist started a small fire in the sacristy which forced the evacuation of tourists and construction workers.^[38] The sacristy was damaged, and the fire took 45 minutes to contain.^[39]

On 11 March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain, construction temporarily stopped and the basilica was closed.^[40] This was the first time the construction had been halted since the Spanish Civil War.^[41] The Gaudí House Museum in Park Güell was also closed. The basilica reopened, initially to key workers, on 4 July 2020.^[42]

On 29 November 2021, a 7 m (23 ft) twelve-pointed illuminated crystal star was installed on one of the main towers of the basilica dedicated to the Virgin Mary. There were concerns about plans to build a large stairway leading up to the basilica’s main entrance, unfinished at the time, which could require the demolition of three city blocks, the homes to 1,000 people as well as some businesses.^[21]

Design[edit]

The style of the Sagrada Família is variously likened to Spanish Late Gothic, Catalan Modernism or Art Nouveau. While the Sagrada Família falls within the Art Nouveau period, Nikolaus Pevsner points out that, along with Charles Rennie Mackintosh in Glasgow, Gaudí carried the Art Nouveau style far beyond its usual application as a surface decoration.^[43]

Plan[edit]

While never a cathedral, the Sagrada Família was planned from the outset to be a large building, comparable in size to a cathedral. Its ground-plan has obvious links to earlier Spanish cathedrals such as Burgos Cathedral, León Cathedral and Seville Cathedral. In common with Catalan and many other European Gothic cathedrals, the Sagrada Família is short in comparison to its width, and has a great complexity of parts, which include double aisles, an ambulatory with a chevet of seven apsidal chapels, a multitude of steeples and three portals, each widely different in structure as well as ornament.^{[citation needed]} Where it is common for cathedrals in Spain to be surrounded by numerous chapels and ecclesiastical buildings, the plan of the Sagrada Família has an unusual feature: a covered passage or cloister which forms a rectangle enclosing the church and passing through the narthex of each of its three portals. With this peculiarity aside, the plan, influenced by Villar’s crypt, barely hints at the complexity of Gaudí’s design or its deviations from traditional church architecture.^{[citation needed]} There are no exact right angles to be seen inside or outside the church, and few straight lines in the design.^[44][45]

Spires[edit]

Gaudí’s original design calls for a total of eighteen spires, representing in ascending order of height the Twelve Apostles,^[b] the Virgin Mary, the four Evangelists and, tallest of all, Jesus Christ. Eleven spires have been built as of 2022, corresponding to four apostles at the Nativity façade and four apostles at the Passion façade, two of the evangelists Luke and Mark,^[46] and the Virgin Mary.^[47]

According to the 2005 «Works Report» of the project’s official website, drawings signed by Gaudí and recently found in the Municipal Archives, indicate that the spire of the Virgin was in fact intended by Gaudí to be shorter than those of the evangelists. The spire height will follow Gaudí’s intention, which according to the report will work with the existing foundation.^{[citation needed]}

The Evangelists’ spires will be surmounted by sculptures of their traditional symbols: a winged bull (Saint Luke), a winged man (Saint Matthew), an eagle (Saint John), and a winged lion (Saint Mark). The central spire of Jesus Christ is to be surmounted by a giant cross; its total height (172.5 metres (566 ft)) will be less than that of Montjuïc hill in Barcelona,^[48] as Gaudí believed that his creation should not surpass God’s. The lower spires are surmounted by communion hosts with sheaves of wheat and chalices with bunches of grapes, representing the Eucharist.^{[citation needed]} Plans call for tubular bells to be placed within the spires, driven by the force of the wind, and driving sound down into the interior of the church. Gaudí performed acoustic studies to achieve the appropriate acoustic results inside the temple.^[49] However, only one bell is currently in place.^[50]

The completion of the spires will make Sagrada Família the tallest church building in the world—11 metres taller than the current record-holder, Ulm Minster, which is 161.5 metres (530 ft) at its highest point.^[51]

Façades[edit]

The Church is designed to have three grand façades: the Nativity façade to the East, the Passion façade to the West, and the Glory façade to the South (yet to be completed).

The Nativity Façade was built before work was interrupted in 1935 and bears the most direct Gaudí influence.

The Passion façade was built according to the design that Gaudi created in 1917. The construction began in 1954, and the steeples, built over the elliptical plan, were finished in 1976. It is especially striking for its spare, gaunt, tormented characters, including emaciated figures of Christ being scourged at the pillar; and Christ on the Cross. These controversial designs are the work of Josep Maria Subirachs.

The Glory façade, on which construction began in 2002, will be the largest and most monumental of the three and will represent one’s ascension to God. It will also depict various scenes such as Hell, Purgatory, and will include elements such as the seven deadly sins and the seven heavenly virtues.

Nativity Façade[edit]

Constructed between 1893 and 1936, the Nativity façade was the first façade to be completed.^[52] Dedicated to the birth of Jesus, it is decorated with scenes reminiscent of elements of life. Characteristic of Gaudí’s naturalistic style, the sculptures are ornately arranged and decorated with scenes and images from nature, each a symbol in its own manner.^[53] For instance, the three porticos are separated by two large columns, and at the base of each lies a turtle or a tortoise (one to represent the land and the other the sea; each are symbols of time as something set in stone and unchangeable). In contrast to the figures of turtles and their symbolism, two chameleons can be found at either side of the façade, and are symbolic of change.

The façade faces the rising sun to the northeast, a symbol for the birth of Christ. It is divided into three porticos, each of which represents a theological virtue (Hope, Faith and Charity). The Tree of Life rises above the door of Jesus in the portico of Charity.^[54] Four steeples complete the façade and are each dedicated to a Saint (Matthias, Barnabas, Jude the Apostle, and Simon the Zealot).^[52]

Originally, Gaudí intended for this façade to be polychromed, for each archivolt to be painted with a wide array of colours. He wanted every statue and figure to be painted. In this way the figures of humans would appear as much alive as the figures of plants and animals.^[55]

Gaudí chose this façade to embody the structure and decoration of the whole church. He was well aware that he would not finish the church and that he would need to set an artistic and architectural example for others to follow. He also chose for this façade to be the first on which to begin construction and for it to be, in his opinion, the most attractive and accessible to the public. He believed that if he had begun construction with the Passion Façade, one that would be hard and bare (as if made of bones), before the Nativity Façade, people would have withdrawn at the sight of it.^[56] Some of the statues were destroyed in 1936 during the Spanish Civil War, and subsequently were reconstructed by the Japanese artist Etsuro Sotoo.^[57]

Passion Façade[edit]

In contrast to the highly decorated Nativity Façade, the Passion Façade is austere, plain and simple, with ample bare stone, and is carved with harsh straight lines to resemble the bones of a skeleton. Dedicated to the Passion of Christ, the suffering of Jesus during his crucifixion, the façade was intended to portray the sins of man. Construction began in 1954, following the drawings and instructions left by Gaudí for future architects and sculptors. The steeples were completed in 1976, and in 1987 a team of sculptors, headed by Josep Maria Subirachs, began work sculpting the various scenes and details of the façade. They aimed to give a rigid, angular form to provoke a dramatic effect. Gaudí intended for this façade to strike fear into the onlooker. He wanted to «break» arcs and «cut» columns, and to use the effect of chiaroscuro (dark angular shadows contrasted by harsh rigid light) to further show the severity and brutality of Christ’s sacrifice.

Facing the setting sun, indicative and symbolic of the death of Christ, the Passion Façade is supported by six large and inclined columns, designed to resemble strained muscles.^[58] Above there is a pyramidal pediment, made up of eighteen bone-shaped columns, which culminate in a large cross with a crown of thorns. Each of the four steeples is dedicated to an apostle (James, Thomas, Philip, and Bartholomew) and, like the Nativity Façade, there are three porticos, each representing the theological virtues, though in a much different light.

The scenes sculpted into the façade may be divided into three levels, which ascend in an S form and reproduce the stations of the cross (Via Crucis of Christ).^[5] The lowest level depicts scenes from Jesus’ last night before the crucifixion, including the Last Supper, Kiss of Judas, Ecce homo, and the Sanhedrin trial of Jesus. The middle level portrays the Calvary, or Golgotha, of Christ, and includes The Three Marys, Saint Longinus, Saint Veronica, and a hollow-face illusion of Christ on the Veil of Veronica. In the third and final level the Death, Burial and the Resurrection of Christ can be seen. A bronze figure situated on a bridge creating a link between the steeples of Saint Bartholomew and Saint Thomas represents the Ascension of Jesus.^[59]

The façade contains a magic square based on^[60] the magic square in the 1514 print Melencolia I. The square is rotated and one number in each row and column is reduced by one so the rows and columns add up to 33 instead of the standard 34 for a 4×4 magic square.

Glory Façade[edit]

• 

  Model of the completed Temple; the Glory Façade is on the foreground.

• 

  Model showing the entrance as wished by Gaudí.

• 

  Ground model, showing Carrer de Mallorca running underground.

• 

  Glory Façade under construction in 2016.

• 

  The Glory Façade from inside.

• 

  Drawing of the facade, exposed on site.

The largest and most striking of the façades will be the Glory Façade, on which construction began in 2002. It will be the principal façade and will offer access to the central nave. Dedicated to the Celestial Glory of Jesus, it represents the road to God: Death, Final Judgment, and Glory, while Hell is left for those who deviate from God’s will. Aware that he would not live long enough to see this façade completed, Gaudí made a model which was demolished in 1936, whose original fragments were used as the basis for the development of the design for the façade. The completion of this façade may require the partial demolition of the block with buildings across the Carrer de Mallorca.^[61] The decision should be proposed in May 2023.^[62]

To reach the Glory Portico the large staircase will lead over the underground passage built over Carrer de Mallorca with the decoration representing Hell and vice. On other projects Carrer de Mallorca will have to go underground.^[63] It will be decorated with demons, idols, false gods, heresy and schisms, etc. Purgatory and death will also be depicted, the latter using tombs along the ground. The portico will have seven large columns dedicated to gifts of the Holy Spirit. At the base of the columns there will be representations of the seven deadly sins, and at the top, the seven heavenly virtues.

• Gifts: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord.
• Sins: greed, lust, pride, gluttony, sloth, wrath, envy.
• Virtues: kindness, diligence, patience, charity, temperance, humility, chastity.

This facade will have five doors corresponding to the five naves of the temple, with the central one having a triple entrance, that will give the Glory Façade a total seven doors representing the sacraments:

• Baptism
• Confirmation
• Eucharist
• Penance
• Holy orders
• Marriage
• Anointing of the sick

In September 2008, the doors of the Glory façade, by Subirachs, were installed. Inscribed with the words of the Our Father, these central doors are inscribed with the words «Give us our daily bread» in fifty different languages. The handles of the door are the letters «A» and «G» that form the initials of Antoni Gaudí within the phrase «lead us not into temptation».

Interior[edit]

• Interior of the Sagrada Família

• 

  Standing in the transept and looking northeast

• 

  The nave

• 

  Ceiling of the apse (before installation of the stained-glass windows)

• 

  Ceiling and columns of the nave

The church plan is that of a Latin cross with five aisles. The central nave vaults reach forty-five metres (148 feet) while the side nave vaults reach thirty metres (98 feet). The transept has three aisles. The columns are on a 7.5 metres (25 ft) grid. However, the columns of the apse, resting on del Villar’s foundation, do not adhere to the grid, requiring a section of columns of the ambulatory to transition to the grid thus creating a horseshoe pattern to the layout of those columns. The crossing rests on the four central columns of porphyry supporting a great hyperboloid surrounded by two rings of twelve hyperboloids (currently under construction). The central vault reaches sixty metres (200 ft). The apse is capped by a hyperboloid vault reaching seventy-five metres (246 ft). Gaudí intended that a visitor standing at the main entrance be able to see the vaults of the nave, crossing, and apse; thus the graduated increase in vault loft.

There are gaps in the floor of the apse, providing a view down into the crypt below.

The columns of the interior are a unique Gaudí design. Besides branching to support their load, their ever-changing surfaces are the result of the intersection of various geometric forms. The simplest example is that of a square base evolving into an octagon as the column rises, then a sixteen-sided form, and eventually to a circle. This effect is the result of a three-dimensional intersection of helicoidal columns (for example a square cross-section column twisting clockwise and a similar one twisting counter-clockwise).

Essentially none of the interior surfaces are flat; the ornamentation is comprehensive and rich, consisting in large part of abstract shapes which combine smooth curves and jagged points. Even detail-level work such as the iron railings for balconies and stairways are full of curvaceous elaboration.

Organ[edit]

In 2010 an organ was installed in the chancel by the Blancafort Orgueners de Montserrat organ builders. The instrument has 26 stops (1,492 pipes) on two manuals and a pedalboard.

To overcome the unique acoustical challenges posed by the church’s architecture and vast size, several additional organs will be installed at various points within the building. These instruments will be playable separately (from their own individual consoles) and simultaneously (from a single mobile console), yielding an organ of some 8,000 pipes when completed.^[65]

Geometric details[edit]

The steeples on the Nativity façade are crowned with geometrically shaped tops that are reminiscent of Cubism (they were finished around 1930), and the intricate decoration is contemporary to the style of Art Nouveau, but Gaudí’s unique style drew primarily from nature, not other artists or architects, and resists categorization.

Gaudí used hyperboloid structures in later designs of the Sagrada Família (more obviously after 1914). However, there are a few places on the nativity façade—a design not equated with Gaudí’s ruled-surface design—where the hyperboloid crops up. For example, all around the scene with the pelican, there are numerous examples (including the basket held by one of the figures). There is a hyperboloid adding structural stability to the cypress tree (by connecting it to the bridge). Finally, the «bishop’s mitre» spires are capped with hyperboloid structures.^[66] In his later designs, ruled surfaces are prominent in the nave’s vaults and windows and the surfaces of the Passion Façade.

Symbolism[edit]

Themes throughout the decoration include words from the liturgy. The steeples are decorated with words such as «Hosanna», «Excelsis», and «Sanctus»; the great doors of the Passion façade reproduce excerpts of the Passion of Jesus from the New Testament in various languages, mainly Catalan; and the Glory façade is to be decorated with the words from the Apostles’ Creed, while its main door reproduce the entire Lord’s Prayer in Catalan, surrounded by multiple variations of «Give us this day our daily bread» in other languages. The three entrances symbolize the three virtues: Faith, Hope and Love. Each of them is also dedicated to a part of Christ’s life. The Nativity Façade is dedicated to his birth; it also has a cypress tree which symbolizes the tree of life. The Glory Façade is dedicated to his glory period. The Passion Façade is symbolic of his suffering. The apse steeple bears Latin text of Hail Mary.

Areas of the sanctuary will be designated to represent various concepts, such as saints, virtues and sins, and secular concepts such as regions, presumably with decoration to match.

Burials[edit]

• Josep Maria Bocabella
• Antoni Gaudí

Appraisal[edit]

The art historian Nikolaus Pevsner, writing in the 1960s, referred to Gaudí’s buildings as growing «like sugar loaves and anthills» and describes the ornamenting of buildings with shards of broken pottery as possibly «bad taste» but handled with vitality and «ruthless audacity».^[43]

The building’s design itself has been polarizing. Assessments by Gaudí’s fellow architects were generally positive; Louis Sullivan greatly admired it, describing Sagrada Família as the «greatest piece of creative architecture in the last twenty-five years. It is spirit symbolised in stone!»^[67] Walter Gropius praised the Sagrada Família, describing the building’s walls as «a marvel of technical perfection».^[67] Time magazine called it «sensual, spiritual, whimsical, exuberant».^[19] However, author and critic George Orwell called it «one of the most hideous buildings in the world»,^[68] author James A. Michener called it «one of the strangest-looking serious buildings in the world»^[69] and British historian Gerald Brenan stated about the building «Not even in the European architecture of the period can one discover anything so vulgar or pretentious.»^[69] The building’s distinctive silhouette has nevertheless become symbolic of Barcelona itself,^[11] drawing an estimated 3 million visitors annually.^[70]

World Heritage status[edit]

Together with six other Gaudí buildings in Barcelona, part of la Sagrada Família is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as testifying «to Gaudí’s exceptional creative contribution to the development of architecture and building technology», «having represented el Modernisme of Catalonia» and «anticipated and influenced many of the forms and techniques that were relevant to the development of modern construction in the 20th century». The inscription only includes the Crypt and the Nativity Façade.^[7]

Visitor access[edit]

Visitors can access the Nave, Crypt, Museum, Shop, and the Passion and Nativity steeples. Entrance to either of the steeples requires a reservation and advance purchase of a ticket. Access is possible only by lift (elevator) and a short walk up the remainder of the steeples to the bridge between the steeples. Descent is via a very narrow spiral staircase of over 300 steps. There is a posted caution for those with medical conditions.^[71]

As of June 2017, online ticket purchase has been available. As of August 2010, there had been a service whereby visitors could buy an entry code either at Servicaixa ATM kiosks (part of CaixaBank) or online.^[72] During the peak season, May to October, reservation delays for entrance of up to a few days are not unusual.

International masses[edit]

The Archdiocese of Barcelona holds an international mass at the Basilica of the Sagrada Família every Sunday and on holy days of obligation.

• Date and time: Every Sunday and on holy days of obligation at 9am.
• There is no charge for attending mass but capacity is limited
• Visitors are asked to dress appropriately and behave respectfully.^[73]

Funding and building permit[edit]

Construction on Sagrada Família is not supported by any government or official church sources. Private patrons funded the initial stages.^[74] Money from tickets purchased by tourists is now used to pay for the work, and private donations are accepted through the Friends of the Sagrada Família.^{[citation needed]}

The construction budget for 2009 was €18 million.^[29]

In October 2018, Sagrada Família trustees agreed to pay city authorities €36 million for a building permit, after 136 years of unlicensed construction.^[75] Most of the funds would be directed to improve the access between the church and the Barcelona Metro.^[76] The permit was issued by the city on 7 June 2019.^[77]

See also[edit]

• List of Catholic basilicas
• List of Gaudí buildings
• List of Modernista buildings in Barcelona
• Sagrada Família (Barcelona Metro)
• Pantheon, Rome

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

• Faulí, Jordi (2014). La Basílica de la Sagrada Família (in Catalan). P&M. ISBN 978-84-8003-667-2.
• Giralt-Miracle, Daniel (2012). Gaudí esencial (in Spanish). Barcelona: La Vanguardia Ediciones S.L. ISBN 978-84-96642-73-7.
• Puig i Boada, Isidre (1952). El templo de la Sagrada Familia (in Spanish). Barcelona: Omega.

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]

• Official website
• Gaudí, Sagrada Família Archived 7 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine (video), Smarthistory

The Sagrada Familia is a symbol of Barcelona. Two million visitors pass through its doors every year, some people visiting Spain for the sole reason of seeing it. In this article we tell you the history of this unfinished basilica, set to be complete at the end of 2026, or at least so the current lead architect reckons. You’ll also see photos and videos of how the building once looked, and how it will look once it is completed. You can stay in one of our long term rental in Barcelona and live near Gaudi’s masterpiece.

The Construction Initiative

The instigator of the construction of the Sagrada Familia was Josep Maria Bocabella i Verdaguer, a devoted and very cultured bookseller who in the year 1866 founded «The Spiritual Association of Devotees of Saint Joseph». This entity collaborated in the dissemination of Catholicism at the time of the Industrial Revolution promoting the conservative ideology.

If you come to visit Barcelona, ​​we advise you to stay in an apartment near the Sagrada Familia. In this way, you will save and gain in comfort compared to hotels.

Mr. Bocabella visited the Holy Father of Rome in 1872 and on behalf of the Association gave a silver image of the Sagrada Familia. On his return he visited the town of Loreto, where he was inspired to design an expiatory temple. This was not very successful and the Association commissioned the architect Francesc de Paula y Villar to build a temple that was not the servile copy of any other.

Barcelona excursions

To make the most of Barcelona and fill your trip with unforgettable experiences and emotions, we offer you the excursions through the Catalan capital organized by the GetYourGuide team.

In 1881 they acquired the land limited by the streets of Mallorca, Provence, Marina and Sardinia with a total area of 12,800 m2 for a price of 172,000 pesetas (1,034 €). The work began following a conventional neo-Gothic style and on Saint Joseph’s Day in 1882, Bishop Morgades laid the first stone.

Francesc de Paula Villar resigns as project director due to discrepancies with the architect Martorell, member of the Board who also intervened in the project and Josep Maria Bocabella. On 3 November 1883, Gaudí succeeded Francesc de Paula Villar i Lozano as architect of the Sagrada Familia, at the proposal of the architect Joan Martorell.

Started in 1882… will it be finished in 2026? Duration of the projecy: 144 years

Incorporation of Gaudí

In 1883, Gaudí took over the project and transformed it according to his new architectural style, combining the Gothic with his own forms of Art Nouveau. So the true style of the church as it is today began with the intervention of Gaudí in 1883.

Gaudí added a pit around the crypt that had already been started so that direct light could enter and ventilate naturally. In addition, Gaudí modified the capitals, which caused the dispute with Villar. From here, Gaudí reconsidered the entire project and developed the idea of ​​a grandiose temple with a Latin cross plan in which he deposited all his architectural knowledge.

In 1892 the foundations of the Nativity facade, the cloister and the window of the north transept begun. The construction of Portal del Rosario was completed in 1899. He did three studies of the Passion facade, but he did not make the model. Gaudí also made the calculations of the domes, but not the complete study. As for the Glory facade, he only created a model and a detailed study of the imagery.

The photo at the head of the article shows the Sagrada Familia neighbourhood in 1915, and more or less that was the aspect that the church had when Gaudí died in 1926. The architect dedicated his last years to the complete study of the interior of the basilica with models to scale 1:10, with columns, vaults, windows, roofs and facades of links between portals. His death was a real disaster for the continuation of the project. From then on the construction progressed very slowly and depended almost entirely on donations.

The works after Gaudí

After the death of Gaudí his assistant architect named Domènech Sugranyes was in charge of the directing the construction work. In 1930 the construction of the rest of the bell towers of the Nativity facade finished and shortly after, in the years 1933 and 1935, the central cypress and the portals of the Faith (right) and the Hope (left).

In July 1936 the Spanish Civil War began. During the war, there was little progress on the project. Construction accelerated in the 1950s and today much of the church remains incomplete. I will now tell you the stages of construction after the fifties:

• On 1 July 1948, the window of the south transept began to be erected and the steps of the Nativity facade were carried out.
• In 1954 the works of the Passion facade began: construction of the foundations, walls and bell towers. In addition, the door of the cloister of the Rosary is rebuilt.
• In 1959 the construction of the column of the transept dedicated to Barcelona began.
• In 1958 the chapel of the Baptistery of the crypt is already built. In 1962 the construction of the Gaudí Museum began in the crypt of the Passion.
• 9 November 1976: the work on the four towers of the Passion facade with their pinnacles are finished.

Sagrada Familia Today

Architecture of the Sagrada Familia

In this article we analyse the interior and exterior of the Sagrada Familia. We will tell you all about the extraordinary architecture of Gaudi’s basilica: its naves, the altar, the columns, the 3 facades and the towers.

Visit The Sagrada Familia

According to a study by the Barcelona City Council, 80% of the tourists who go to the Basilica only admire it from the outside, but if you want to discover the Sagrada Familia inside I suggest you read our article about the tickets and possible discounts for the Sagrada Familia:

The Future of the Sagrada Familia

When will the construction of the Sagrada Familia be completed?

There are many doubts as to whether the construction will really finish in 2026. This year will mark the centenary of the death of Gaudí and he wants to celebrate this anniversary by finishing the Sagrada Familia. If you want to find out whether this completion date of the Sagrada Familia is realistic or not, check out this article:

Thank you for speaking to us! Please tell us a bit more about your role at the Sagrada Família – what do you enjoy the most about your work?

It’s difficult to choose. The Sagrada Família is a living, dynamic and constantly changing organization. In my job, no two days are the same and this is what I like most about my position. Of course, when I wake up I have an agenda ahead of me, but no two days in a row are ever the same.

This makes the job very entertaining, and allows me to deal with many different topics. I wouldn’t be able to single out one particular aspect as my favorite, but I’ll stick with this dynamic reality as what I like most about my job.

Why the Sagrada Família is so special

Congratulations on winning the global RVA for Most Remarkable Venue! In your opinion, what is it that makes the Sagrada Família such a remarkable place?

The Sagrada Família is the essence of Antoni Gaudí. Our origin comes directly from Gaudí, and that is what makes the Sagrada Família so special. Antoni Gaudí was a great architect; his work remains as innovative today as it was during his lifetime.

Everyone has a place at the Sagrada Família. Each person finds in the Sagrada Família what they are looking for, both from a spiritual point of view and from the point of view of aesthetic beauty, art, architecture… That is why we are seen as a global monument and able to connect with people from all over the world.

Antoni Gaudí once said that people from all over the world would come to visit the Sagrada Família, and he was right: every year, more than 4.5 million people from 120 different countries come to visit us.

We are very happy and proud to have received this global recognition from Tiqets users.

“Gaudí did something very disruptive, and that is that he brought to the outside what churches normally have inside. All the altarpieces, images, and more that would normally be inside a basilica; Gaudí moved them to the façades and created a Bible sculpted in stone.”

The exterior of the Sagrada Família is, for many, the most emblematic image of Barcelona. Can you tell us about the unique features of the building’s exterior, like the different facades, or why it looks the way that it does?

Many Tiqeteers in our Amsterdam office have been to the basilica and have said going inside the Sagrada Família is an incredible experience. What is it about the interior of the building that makes the experience so significant for people?

There’s a lot of symbolism present in the interior. Could you share some of the symbolic features people might find inside the Sagrada Família?

As I mentioned earlier, a large amount of the religious symbolism is found on the façades. However, in the interior there are also some very interesting aspects.

There are three that I would like to highlight in particular:

The Eternal Father

This triangle symbol can be found in the large hyperboloid above the presbytery. It is visible from the Gloria entrance. The architectural director, Jordi Bonet, was the one who designed it and he had great success. It is a golden triangle that looks very nice framed in this great hyperboloid, symbolizing the Eternal Father.

The Stained Glass Windows

The light that enters from the outside has a very clear symbolism. The windows that are oriented towards the sunrise feature cold colors, blues and greens, coinciding with the first hours of the day, which are also colder. Then, as the sun advances, the windows through which the light enters are red and orange tones, becoming warmer as the day progresses. This provides a very symbolic time lapse that changes as the day progresses and is really a very beautiful experience.

The Door of Glory

This was designed by sculptor Josep Maria Subirachs and has the Lord’s Prayer written on the door in more than 50 languages. It also has a beautiful piece of symbolism. It turns out that, where you put your hand to open the door, the letters “A” and “G”, as in Antoni Gaudí, coincide. This is very nice, and it’s also a wonderful coincidence. When the design of the door was made, the Lord’s Prayer was randomly arranged in different languages and it happened that, in the place where the door opens, an “A” and a “G” fell.

These are the three aspects that I would highlight when it comes to the symbolism inside the Sagrada Família.

“It’s impossible to choose a favorite element in the Sagrada Família, it’s very unfair indeed! This is like being asked which of your children you love the most.”

Our apologies for this very unfair question: If you had to pick your favourite part of the Sagrada Família, what would it be? Is there a specific window, façade, tower, view, or feature that comes to mind?

What would be your advice to someone who’s inside the Sagrada Família for the very first time? Is there something they should pay attention to or focus on? Is there anything that they could accidentally miss if they don’t know about it?

The Sagrada Família’s construction process

Do you have any interesting stories relating to the construction of the Sagrada Família? Is there anything that happened during the process that stands out to you?

“It is a great message of hope that we want to send to the world: we have overcome the pandemic and now it is time to come out of the darkness and move forward with this new light.”

Upcoming projects and ongoing work

How has the coronavirus pandemic affected the Sagrada Família? Are there any new projects being worked on currently?

Tips for anyone thinking of visiting Barcelona

If someone is visiting Barcelona for the first time, the Sagrada Família should obviously be at the top of their list – but do you have any additional recommendations for visitors to the city? Are there other unmissable things nearby?

---

Inspired to visit Barcelona’s beautiful basilica? Every Sagrada Família ticket sold helps fund the ongoing construction of this incredible building. Make sure to check out the official webshop in case you can’t make it to Barcelona, or consider a donation to help make Gaudí‘s vision a reality.