Sagrada Familia Barcelona
If you only have time to visit one
monument in Barcelona, the Sagrada Familia should be it.
No other architect in
history has ever had such an
absolute influence on a city as Antoni Gaudí (1852-1926) has had on Barcelona.
There are great works of his Moderniste style all over the city but the
greatest of all his works is the unfinished Sagrada Familia.
When Gaudi began building what he conceived as a "20th Century Cathedral" in
1883 he was well aware that he would never complete the construction in his
lifetime. He soon became obsessed with the project and set up an office on site which
became his permanent residence. His plan was to build facades
which would represent the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ with eighteen towers
symbolizing the twelve Apostles, the four Evangelists, and the Virgin Mary and
Christ. The one representing Christ would be the tallest and would stand 170 meters high.
In 1926 Gaudi died at the age of 74 when he was hit by a tram in Girona. Work
continued but was halted in 1936 as a result of the Spanish Civil war and didn't
continue until 1952. During the war many of Gaudi's original plans were
destroyed which created much debate as to how future development of the building
should continue.
It is estimated that the whole project will be completed by 2030.
Pictures of La Sagrada Familia
Opening Times
Address: C/ Mallorca 401
Opening Hours: 9am-6pm (Oct-Mar); 9am-8pm (Apr-Sep)
Metro: Sagrada Familia
Check Entrance Fees at the
Sagrada Familia Website. |
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