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Basílica de la Sagrada Família

Barecelona, Spain

Construction began in March of 1882 and is expected to finish in 2026.

Antonio Gaudí was the main architect, but several other architects have worked to complete the project.

The stone basilica has a height of 566'.

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The Sagrada Família is intended to be a place of worship for Christians worldwide. Each tower, suspended toward the heavens, represents one of eighteen biblical figures, with the eventual tallest tower representing Jesus Christ (Britannica). Christians and people of all other denominations come to visit the Sagrada Familia each year to see its size and beauty for themselves. In addition, even though the Basilica isn't yet completed, they offer several international masses every Sunday (Sagrada Familia).

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sagrada-Familia

https://sagradafamilia.org/en/

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Sagrada Família, in full Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Família, English Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family, Roman Catholic minor basilica in Barcelona, Spain, designed by Antoni Gaudí. Begun in 1882 and still unfinished in the first quarter of the 21st century, the Sagrada Família, notable for its tactile organic form, is one of Barcelona's most famous landmarks. It is an unexpected sight in its urban setting, with its bold flying buttresses and twisted towers looming over the city.

The project, originally envisioned by Francisco de Paula del Villar, was funded by donations to encourage Christianity in Barcelona, which was becoming increasingly secular. In 1883 Gaudí took over as chief architect, and the project would occupy him throughout the rest of his career. In his drawings and models for the church, Gaudí equilibrated the original Neo-Gothic design into a structure designed to stand on its own without internal bracing or external buttressing. The result, modified beyond recognition, was a complexly symbolic forest of helicoidal piers, hyperboloid vaults and sidewalls, and a hyperbolic paraboloid roof. It was to be Gaudí's Expressionist vision of a 20th-century cathedral, where he would use visual symbolism to express the many mysteries of the Christian faith. He became increasingly pious while working on the church; after 1910 he abandoned virtually all other work, and he eventually secluded himself on its site and resided in its workshop.

In addition to being devoted to Christianity, Gaudí was an important participant in the Renaixensa, an artistic revival of the arts and crafts combined with a political revival in the form of fervent anti-Castilian "Catalanism." Both revivals sought to reinvigorate the way of life in Catalonia that had long been suppressed by the Castilian-dominated and Madrid-centred government in Spain, and the Sagrada Família became the religious symbol of the Renaixensa in Barcelona.

Gaudí's design and models, most of which were destroyed during the Spanish Civil War, show an enormous form capable of accommodating some 13,000 people. Built on a basic basilica plan, the Latin cross is surrounded on three sides by porticoes. To the east stands the Nativity facade with scenes celebrating Jesus' birth; on the west is the Passion facade, depicting Jesus' Crucifixion; and the main entrance boasts the Glory facade, showing how humans can celebrate the divine glory. Overhead, 18 huge spindle-shaped towers rise to the heavens, each symbolizing different biblical figures: the 12 Apostles, the four evangelists, the Virgin Mary, and Jesus (represented by what will eventually be the tallest, central tower). Each of the three facades is flanked by four bell towers representing the Apostles; the traitor Judas and the evangelists St. John and St. Matthew are replaced by St. Barnabas, St. Matthias, and St. Paul. The six central towers, representing Jesus and Mary surrounded by the four evangelists, serve as lanterns for the main nave and let light in from above.

When Gaudí died in 1926, only the Nativity facade, one bell tower, the apse, and the crypt were finished; his disciple Domènec Sugranyes subsequently took over the project. Gaudí, whose tomb is beneath the cathedral, knew he would not live to see the completion of his vision, believing it would take 200 years-but, as he said, "The patron of this project is not in a hurry." The works of Gaudí, including the Nativity facade and the crypt of the Sagrada Família, were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984. In 2010 the uncompleted church was consecrated for religious worship and designated as a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI.

Work on the project has continued since Gaudí's death. The remaining three bell towers of the Nativity facade were completed in 1930. The Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s interrupted construction, and the subsequent loss of most of Gaudí's designs and models greatly hampered efforts to continue. The present design, parts of which have been met with criticism, is based on surviving and reconstructed materials and a number of modern adaptations. In 1954 the foundation was laid for the Passion facade, the four bell towers of which were completed in 1976. The central nave vaulting was completed in 2000 and finally covered in 2010. Construction was halted in early 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and was resumed in October of that year. The tower of the Virgin Mary, located above the apse of the church and rising to a height of 138 metres (453 feet), was inaugurated in December 2021. It is topped with a 12-pointed star that is illuminated at night. In 2022 the towers representing the evangelists St. Mark and St. Luke were completed; they measure 135 metres (443 feet) tall. The remaining towers and most of the church's structure were planned to be completed by 2026, the centennial of Gaudí's death. It is expected to be the tallest church building in the world.

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Sagrada Familia | Description, History, Design, Church, & Facts

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Sagrada Família, Roman Catholic minor basilica in Barcelona, Spain, designed by Antoni Gaudí. Begun in 1882 and still unfinished in the first quarter of the 21st century, the Sagrada Família, notable for its tactile organic form, is one of Barcelona's most famous landmarks. It is an unexpected

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Sagrada Familia Plans and Gaudí’s Design Explained

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Sagrada Familia Plans and Gaudí’s Design Explained

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The original architect planned to build a neo-Gothic style basilica with pointed windows, exterior arches, and a slender bell tower. Still, the supporters of the construction dismissed him a year later and hired Antoni Gaudí.

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Sagrada Familia Nativity Facade Guide: Unlock the Symbolism

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La Sagrada Familia Nativity Facade (sandstone)

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La Sagrada Familia Nativity Facade (sandstone)

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The Nativity Facade is the oldest facade of La Sagrada Familia. It was built between 1894-1930, and was the only portion of the Basilica that Gaudí saw finished in his lifetime.

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Plaça de la Sagrada Familia - Passion façade

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The Facade of the Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension Facade

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The Facade of the Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension Facade

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In contrast to the Nativity Facade, Gaudí intended for this facade to convey fear; however, he didn't have time to complete the design of its sculptural aspects.

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When I visited La Sagrada Familia, I was astounded by the sheer size of each of the towers. Though the building was still under construction, I was amazed by the number of people visiting and the number of people building. The colors illuminate the inside, and it feels like a really holy space.

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8 Secrets of the Sagrada Familia You Need to Know

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The inside of the basilica is filled with natural light and stained-glass windows. The towers span into the sky towards the heaven's and invite the Holy Spirit into the space.

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My friend Heid's reflection on his visit

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My friend Heid's reflection on his visit

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He went while it was still under construction and noticed the sheer size of the church. "It was like the biggest church I have ever seen. I went to Notre Dame and was astounded by its size, but La Sagrada Familia blows it out of the water." He also commented on its Gothic style and noticed that Gaudí replaced the traditional "flying buttresses" with tree-like columns.

Gothic, Flying Buttress.

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Here, we stand in Placa de Gaudí, a park on the north side of the basilica, named for the famous architect. There is another park on the southern side, as well. Many similar-looking buildings surround the basilica, setting its unique architecture and height apart from its surroundings.

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This video is excellent in showing the amount of texture on the exterior facades of the basilica. Inside, the smooth floors reflect the natural light that is let in by the stained-glass windows.

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SAGRADA FAMILIA (Barcelona) | Full tour in 4K (exterior + interior)

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Against Barcelona? Gaudí, the City, and Nature

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Against Barcelona? Gaudí, the City, and Nature

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This JSTOR article explores the relationship between La Sagrada Familia and the city of Barcelona. The author mentions how the basilica will mimic a mountain in the city that lies just above sea level once it is finished. The author also mentions how the basilica's building process has been difficult, showing that though the building stands with the city, it also stands against the city and represents its controversy.

Josep Miquel Sobrer, "Against Barcelona? Gaud�, the City, and Nature," Arizona Journal of Hispanic Cultural Studies 6 (2002), http://www.jstor.org/stable/20641605.

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This article explains how Gaudí blended classical architectural traditions with natural forms to create a "re-natured hybrid" type of architecture. In his other projects, like Park Güell, as well as La Sagrada Familia, Gaudí used the columns in his buildings not only as supports, but as tree-inspired elements to convey natural growth. Gaudí blended Greek and Gothic architecture. The author also explains how Gaudí aimed to teach through form and not words.

Burry, Mark. “Re-Natured Hybrid.” Thresholds, no. 26 (2003): 38–42. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43876157.

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Interview with Current Architect Jordi Faulí i Oller

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Interview with Current Architect Jordi Faulí i Oller

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Oller struggles between preserving Gaudí's vision for the project and finishing the church promptly. He also mentions how difficult the job has been as Gaudí didn't leave much to work with, and it is up to the current architects to repair and restore what has already been built. Even though they are supposed to finish the project next year, Oller admits that it might be an unattainable goal.

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The longest job: Finishing Gaudí’s masterpiece, La Sagrada Família

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How do you recreate the work of a genius out of nothing but rubble? And even if you can, how do you keep a construction project that was started in the 19th century from going off the rails? Daniel Gayne went to Barcelona to find out

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Sagrada Família columns: the geometry, mechanics and materials of a stone forest

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Sagrada Família columns: the geometry, mechanics and materials of a stone forest

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The author of this blog describes the complexity of the interior columns. The columns twist as they rise, and they meet in the cross-sections above. Gaudí's design helps support all the weight created by the towers. Gaudí attempted to minimize the cross-sections wherever possible, but he reinforced them when necessary. I agree with the author's point about the columns, as Gaudí's minimalism helps open the church and allow natural light in.

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Sagrada Família columns: the geometry, mechanics and materials of a stone forest

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The columns inside the Sagrada Família, one of Antoni Gaudí’s most noteworthy contributions to the world of architecture, are unique in shape (double twist) and tree-like structure, which allows them to absorb and distribute the Temple loads.

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Bibliography

Ashley. "Sagrada Familia Nativity Facade Guide: Unlock the Symbolism." Barcelona Hacks. Last modified February 11, 2024. Accessed September 15, 2025. https://barcelonahacks.com/sagrada-familia-nativity-facade/.

Burry, Mark. "Re-natured Hybrid." Thresholds, no. 26 (2003): 38-42. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43876157.

"8 Secrets of the Sagrada Familia You Need to Know." Barcelona Local Experiences. Accessed September 15, 2025. https://barcelonalocalexperiences.com/8-secrets-of-the-sagrada-familia-you-need-to-know/.

Gayne, Daniel. "The longest job: Finishing Gaudí's masterpiece, La Sagrada Família." Building. Last modified July 2, 2024. Accessed September 15, 2025. https://www.building.co.uk/focus/the-longest-job-finishing-gaudis-masterpiece-la-sagrada-familia/5129242.article.

Middleton, J., Petruzzello, M. "Sagrada Família." Encyclopedia Britannica, July 26, 2025. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sagrada-Familia.

Oana, Laura. A Little Adrift (blog). Accessed September 15, 2025. https://alittleadrift.com/la-sagrada-familia/.

"Plaça de la Sagrada Familia - Passion façade." VoiceMap. Accessed September 15, 2025. https://voicemap.me/tour/barcelona/barcelona-s-architecture-a-guide-to-art-nouveau-and-gaudi-with-context/sites/placa-de-la-sagrada-familia-passion-facade.

"SAGRADA FAMILIA (Barcelona) | Full Tour in 4K (exterior + Interior)." Video, 15:28. YouTube. Posted by Luxury Travel Expert, December 25, 2021. Accessed September 15, 2025. https://youtu.be/78cWSG2m3fw?si=ddGK6lOB5y4V6YEF.

"Sagrada Familia Plans and Gaudí's Design Explained." Visit the Sagrada Familia. Accessed September 15, 2025. https://visitarsagradafamilia.com/en/sagrada-familia-plans-and-design/.

Sobrer, Josep Miquel. "Against Barcelona? Gaud�, the City, and Nature." Arizona Journal of Hispanic Cultural Studies 6 (2002): 205-19. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20641605.

Tomas, Joan. "Sagrada Família columns: the geometry, mechanics and materials of a stone forest." Redacció Sagrada Família (blog), July 11, 2025. Accessed September 15, 2025. https://blog.sagradafamilia.org/en/columns-sagrada-familia-geometry-mechanics-materials-stone-forest/.