Key Takeaways
- Antoni Gaudí’s Barcelona masterpiece is nearing completion after more than 140 years of construction.
- La Sagrada Família will be the tallest church in the world when finished.
- Visitors can take a guided tour or attend a mass to see inside the striking building.
- The work was almost lost during the Spanish Civil War when revolutionaries smashed models and failed to detonate bombs around the building.
Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí has become world-famous for the lavish and delayed construction of the Sagrada Família church in Barcelona, Spain.
The Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, or Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family in English, is a must-see on any trip to this popular European destination. Millions visit this architectural triumph yearly, enjoying its unique designs and fascinating history.
Tripadvisor lists the Sagrada Família twice on its most popular tours in Barcelona. And Gaudí’s design masterpiece is just one of many incredible works he has dotted throughout the city.
What Is the Significance of La Sagrada Família?
La Sagrada Família is a unique, lavish, tactile piece of architecture and one of Barcelona’s most famous landmarks.
It is a tale of devotion, love, riches-to-rags, human intrigue, the Spanish Civil War, and national identity. Add in the fact La Sagrada Família is still under construction more than 140 years after its inception, and it’s no wonder this church building fascinates the world.
Who Designed La Sagrada Família?
In reality, several people, events, and history created La Sagrada Família, with Antoni Gaudí the inspiration.
The original Sagrada Família proposal was very different from today’s building. Francisco de Paula del Villar designed a traditional neo-gothic affair for Barcelona’s Carrer de Mallorca.
However, arguments over costs saw del Villar replaced by the up-and-coming Antoni Gaudí. Out went the conventional, and in came Art Nouveau, Spanish Late Gothic, and Modernista styles.
Catalan Modernism as an architectural style was blooming, with Gaudí’s new designs leading the way. Think curves, asymmetrical lines, organic shapes, and the use of natural elements like flowers, animals, and leaves. The so-called equilibrated building has no internal bracing or external buttressing, meaning it stands independently.
La Sagrada Família’s appearance would take more twists. Gaudí died in 1926, leaving his disciple Domènec Sugranyes to continue his work. In 1936, the Spanish Civil War saw many models and blueprints burned.
By 1939, Francesc de Paula Quintana had taken over and salvaged what was left of the originals from Gaudí’s office. Other architects whose prints are on the building include Francesc Berenguer, Josep Canaleta, Francesc Folguera, and Joan Bergós.
What we see today is thanks to their work, inspired by Antoni Gaudí.
La Sagrada Família: What to See
Basílica de la Sagrada Família translates literally as “The Basilica Holy Family.” In many ways, the building represents many of the Bible’s main themes.
Solid Christian foundations underpin its curvy appearance. The church has a basic basilica layout of a nave, aisles, and apse. When viewed from above, three porticoes flank its Latin cross shape.
Gaudí blended oriental, neo-gothic, and naturalist styles into the Sagrada Família during his final period. Gaudí’s organic style shone through: Freedom of form, bright colors, and organic unity abounded.
What Are the Main Features of La Sagrada Família?
The main features that amaze visitors to La Sagrada Família are:
- The elaborate, playful Nativity façade faces east and features reeds, lilies, lotus flowers, geese, hens, roosters, and dragonflies across the Faith, Hope, and Charity portals.
- The Glory façade is the church’s principal façade and main entrance, facing the sea. It celebrates the glory of Jesus Christ and is full of symbolism. Angels, disciples, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit are among those represented to help humans celebrate God’s divine glory.
- The Passion façade, the work of Spanish sculptor Josep Maria Subirachs, looks west and represents the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ. Austere and stark, it has a skeletal feel, with bone-like pillars enhancing the gloom.
- Stained glass windows light the seven chapels behind the high altar in the apse and many other areas with exquisitely planned, playful lighting.
- There are 18 massive spires in total. In ascending height order, a dozen symbolize each of the 12 Apostles, the four evangelists, the Virgin Mary, and Jesus, the tallest central tower.
- The majestic central nave’s tree-trunk-like columns rise like an arboreal canopy into magnificent vaults.
- The apse and crypt make a stunning impression with the light and sculptures.
The Nativity façade and the crypt have UNESCO World Heritage Site status.
Look at the doors, walls, and roof on any visit. Each is full of meaning and architectural wonder. Sadly, Gaudí only saw the Nativity façade, crypt, apse, and one bell tower completed. He knew he would never see it finished, famously quipping: “My client [God] is not in a hurry.”
How Tall Is La Sagrada Família?
Once completed, the Sagrada Família will be 566 feet (172.5 meters) tall, making it the tallest church in the world. That should happen in 2026 when the final and tallest spire, The Tower of Jesus Christ, is completed and a cross placed atop. Visitors will use stairs and a glass elevator to climb some towers, with the final part on foot.
The highest point as of 2024 is the Virgin Mary spire. This tower is 440 feet (134 meters) high, reaching a total height of 452 feet (138 meters), including the 12-pointed star—which illuminates at night—that sits atop.
How Long Has La Sagrada Família Been Under Construction?
The foundation stone of La Sagrada Família was laid on March 19, 1882, the feast of St Joseph.
Work continues well over a century later. In 2024, the church had been under construction for 142 years.
When Will La Sagrada Família Be Completed?
Current estimates suggest La Sagrada Família will be completed in 2026, a century after Gaudí’s death. That means it will have taken 144 years to build La Sagrada Família.
Can You Visit La Sagrada Família?
People have been visiting the interior of La Sagrada Família since 1885 when the first mass was held.
Visitor numbers have increased as the building has taken shape. Nowadays, there are two ways to see inside Gaudía’s masterpiece: with a tour or at a religious ceremony.
Can I Attend Mass at La Sagrada Família?
La Sagrada Família church became a basilica on November 7, 2010, when Pope Benedict XVI consecrated Antoni Gaudi’s unfinished church. This honorary title recognized the church’s importance within the Roman Catholic faith.
There are daily free masses (eucharist) in Catalan, Spanish, or English at the Basilica of the Sagrada Família, albeit with limited capacity.
On Saturdays, there is a morning mass in Spanish and an evening international mass. There are also several masses on Sunday, including international, Spanish, and Catalan. Large groups need to apply in advance.
Special religious occasions throughout the year are by invitation only. Some are broadcast online for people who cannot make it in person.
Can I Take a Guided Tour of La Sagrada Família?
There are several ways to tour La Sagrada Família. Booking tickets in advance is best to avoid disappointment, particularly during peak holiday periods. Those without tickets can wait 30-120 minutes for entrance, assuming tickets remain. Every visitor’s ticket purchase helps contribute to the building’s construction.
Be sure to buy tickets from the Basilica of the Sagrada Família (www.sagradafamilia.org) and not other websites. Some sites charge higher prices, and there have been reports of fake ticket scams.
In 2024, for €26, you can self-guide for 45 minutes (ordinary ticket) or 25 minutes (express ticket) following a downloadable audio guide in one of 19 languages. This doesn’t include visiting the tower, but you can stroll around the basilica afterward freely. Pay €36 and visit one tower.
For €30, join a 50-minute guided tour in one of six languages (Catalan, Spanish, English, French, Italian, and German). Again, you may wander the temple freely after the tour, but a tower visit isn’t included. Pay €40 to include a visit to two towers.
Alternatively, people can look at the building’s exterior for free. Up to 20 million people annually look for that perfect selfie outside.
The Best Time to Visit La Sagrada Família in Barcelona
The best time to visit La Sagrada Família and avoid the crowds is between 9-11 a.m. and 5-6 p.m. Monday to Friday. La Sagrada Família is busiest between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. and even more so at weekends.
The 5-6 p.m. visiting slots are great for seeing the church’s stained glass windows and dappled light at their finest. Sunset makes La Sagrada Família resplendent, like a promised paradise. The building is also illuminated for some of the night for a new and equally magical perspective.
April to September is the peak tourist season for La Sagrada Família, with November to February when there are fewer visitors overall. Picking an early or later time in the low season will allow you more time to explore, take photos, and enjoy the site.
9 Interesting Facts About La Sagrada Família
- The total cost to build La Sagrada Família stands at €374 million (around $404 million USD).
- La Sagrada Família is enormous. It occupies 440,000 square feet and has become a Barcelona landmark, seen from Barceloneta’s beaches, Montjuïc hill, or the nearby mountains.
- Gaudí believed nothing made by humans should be taller than anything God created. The tallest tower (566 feet) is 3 feet lower than the nearby Montjuïc hill.
- Official building permission was only given for the Sagrada Família in 2019, some 137 years after construction began.
- Gaudí wanted La Sagrada Família to be a “cathedral for the poor.”
- La Sagrada Família is Barcelona’s second-most popular attraction, after Gaudí’s Park Güell.
- English writer George Orwell declared it “one of the most hideous buildings in the world.”
- Spanish sculptor and atheist Josep Maria Subirachs made living in La Sagrada Família a condition of his work on the Passion façade.
- Gaudí is portrayed twice in his masterpiece: as Saint Joseph on the Nativity façade and as Saint John on the Passion façade.
Antoni Gaudí, the Man Behind the Magic
Antoni Gaudí was only 31 when he started work on La Sagrada Família. Born to a coppersmith in 1852 in Reus, a city close to Barcelona, his work caused his fame to rise rapidly.
He has seven UNESCO World Heritage Site status sites in Barcelona, known collectively as “The Works of Antoni Gaudi.”
They are:
- Parque Güell (Park Güell)
- Palau Güell (Palace Güell)
- Casa Milà
- Casa Vicens
- Casa Batlló (House of Bones)
- Colònia Güell crypt
- La Sagrada Família
Also worth checking is Gaudí’s modernist Hospital Sant Pau, situated a 10-minute walk from La Sagrada Família.
Gaudí was a Roman Catholic Christian. His faith intensified during his career, earning him the nickname “God’s Architect.” The more he worked on his masterpiece, the more he withdrew into his faith.
He died in 1926, struck by a tram on his daily pilgrimage to evening prayers called vespers at his beloved La Sagrada Família. No one initially recognized him. Gaudí was taken to a hospital for the poor.
He died two days later, aged 74, and was laid to rest inside La Sagrada Família, which he knew he would never see completed.
La Sagrada Família: A True Labor of Love
Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, or La Sagrada Família, is a genius architect’s letter of devotion to his God. Antoni Gaudí poured his soul into his masterpiece, knowing he would never see it completed. Call it an act of faith.
Some 140 years after work began, La Sagrada Família in Barcelona is almost complete. No other church is like it worldwide, and none will be as tall. Visitors can gaze at its organic, barely believable form from the outside or pay an entrance fee to reveal its interior beauty.
Christians may attend the eucharist to feel the connection with their God that Gaudí must surely have had in mind when designing La Sagrada Família.
No matter what your religious affiliation is, this must-see Barcelona attraction must be seen to be believed.
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