Sagrada Família

The Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família (Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family) known as the Sagrada Família is a Roman Catholic church which is one of the most famous buildings in Barcelona. It is commonly regarded as the symbol of the city.

Sagrada Família was designed by Antoni Gaudí, the modernist architect, who devoted over half of his life to this project. The construction of the church started in 1882 and it is still not completed. In 2005 Sagrada Família was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and in 2010 it was consecrated by Pope Benedict XVI and proclaimed a minor basilica.

Although initially Sagrada Família was being constructed in a Gothic style, when Gaudí took over the project in 1883, he altered the desing of the building by applying his innovative modernistic style. He put the modernist touches to the towers, the nave and the church’s crypt. Gaudí worked on this project until his death in 1826, when the church was only about 20 per cent complete.

When finished, the Sagrada Família will have eighteen towers representing the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ, the Twelve Apostoles, and the Four Evangelists – authors of the Christian gospels. The tallest tower, the one dedicated to Jesus Christ, will have 170m (558ft), making Sagrada Família the tallest church in the world.

Inside the church there are five aisles representing a Latin cross. The church has three façades: the Nativity Façade facing east, the Glory Façade facing south, and the Passion Façade facing west. The Nativity Façade, which was completed in Gaudí’s lifetime, is dedicated to the birth of Jesus and is full of ornate sculptures of plants, animals, and the episodes from Jesus’ childhood. It is divided into three porticos which represent the three theological virtues: hope, faith, and charity. Above the doors of the Portico of Charity, there is a spire with a cypress tree, known as the Tree of Life. The towers rising above the façade, are dedicated to the Twelve Apostles. Although the Passion Façade was sketched by Gaudí, it was completed only after his death. The sculptures of the façade were designed by a Catalan sculptor and painter, Josep Maria Subirachs. They are characterized by sharp geometrical shapes, bare ornamentation and austere simplicity and depict the crucifixion and suffering of Jesus Christ. Finally, the construction of the largest and the most spectacular of the façades, the Glory Façade, began in 2002 and it is yet to be completed. It will constitute the entrance to the central nave and depict the Glory of Jesus. A large staircase leading to the Glory Portico will symbolize the way from Hell to Heaven. Inside the portico, there will be seven large columns representing spiritual gifts. The bases of the columns will represent the Seven Deadly Sins, while the tops – the Seven Heavenly Virtues.

The construction of Sagrada Família is possible thanks to private donations of people from all around the world. However, the greatest architectural challenges are still not overcome. Thus, the exact completion date is continuously being postponed and right now it is scheduled for 2026. Even though the church is still under construction, it is widely regarded as one of the architectural wonders of the world.

Source of description: planerGO

Inside of Sagrada Família you can also find: Schools of Sagrada Familia ,

Sagrada Família has the following opinions (reports) create opinion

patryk
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Sagrada Familia in 15 minutes Sagrada Familia amazed me a lot. It's architectural details were really impressing - resembled to the smallest details. I could reach it easily in metro. Unfortunately the waiting queue was very long and price pretty high thus having little time I did not enter inside. Next I have gone in di... rating 1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 2011-07-14 20:44:37
unregistered
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Miłość na całe życie!!! Widząc Sagradę po raz pierwszy byłam zdziwiona ponieważ wyobrażałam ją sobie inaczej. Ale po 5 minutach spędzonych w środku zakochałam się w niej. To prawda, że trzeba długo czekać w kolejce (stałam prawie godzinę) oraz ceny są wysokie, łącznie za wejście, audiobooka i wjazd na wieże zapłaciłam 16 e... rating 1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 2011-07-25 19:40:07
unregistered
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The icon of Barcelona This is definitely one of the must-see places in that city, especially if you like good architecture. The Gaudi's church may not look extraordinary from the distance, but at the closer look you can see how perfectly the details are made, and how complex its shape is. It impressed me a lot. It is ... rating 1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 2012-05-22 00:12:47
Neighbourhood Sagrada Família (Eixample)
Price definition of price normal : 12.00 child : 0.00 (age <10) youth : 10.00 (age 10-18) student : 10.00 (age 18<) retired : 10.00 disabled : 0.00 (65%) guide : 16.00 audio guide : 16.00 special cheap : 12.00 special : 18.00
UNESCO 320bis
Geographical coordinates 41.4031275, 2.1737217
Address 08013 Barcelona, Mallorca 401
Construction dates 1882 - 2026
More information official website
How to arrive? official transport site

Who visits Sagrada Família

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10.02.2015 - 10.02.2015

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