Any tourist or traveller who arrives in Barcelona will, in one way or another, end up visiting the Sagrada Familia. There is no doubt that the Sagrada is one of Barcelona’s most important tourist attractions. Even more, it is a symbol of the city designed by the famous architect Antoni Gaudi. Sagrada it’s unfinished – it has been in the works for decades – but its beauty and grandeur are undeniable. The Sagrada Familia could always be placed in one of the top 10 most beautiful buildings on Earth, and the list of arguments for that is endless. In what follows, we’ll look at a few lesser-known facts about Sagrada Familia so that the moment you get around it (if you haven’t already), you’ll become an accurate guide for the people you visit it with.
How the Sagrada Familia was born
Before anything else, though, it should be said that the Sagrada Familia has occupied the centre of Barcelona for more than a hundred years, expected to be finished by 2026, a year that coincides with the 100th anniversary of Gaudi’s death. Interestingly, although it is overwhelmingly associated with the Sagrada Familia, it was not Antoni Gaudi who was responsible for starting the project, which happened on 19 March 1882.
In 1872, Josep Maria Bocabella, president of the Associació de Devots de Sant Josep, travelled to Rome to pay homage to the Holy Father and, on his way back, he passed through Loreto, where he admired the city’s magnificent church. Here, he had the idea of building a temple of atonement in Barcelona, dedicated to the Holy Family, as a replica of the church he saw in the Italian city.
So in 1877, Bocabella commissioned Francesc de Paula del Villar, a Spanish architect, to build this majestic church. The objective of the association led by Bocabella was to obtain, through the patronage of St Joseph, the triumph of the Catholic Church at a time when the phenomenon of de-Christianisation was strongly driven by the Industrial Revolution and all the social effects that were generated by it.
Villar designed a neo-Gothic style church with three naves and a crypt oriented according to the axes of the lot on which it was to be built. Of this design, however, only the crypt was built. Due to disagreements with the architect advising Josep Maria Bocabella, Villar abandoned the project. Bocabella proposed him to his adviser, Joan Martorell, but he refused, offering Antoni Gaudi instead. He accepted.
At the time, Gaudi was 31 years old and enormously enthusiastic, and the project took him almost entirely. Remarkably, Gaudi spent the last years of his life inside the church. In fact, from 1915 until 1926, when he died at the age of 73 (he was accidentally hit by a tram just a few blocks from the basilica and buried in the Sagrada), Gaudi lived only for this project.
Why Gaudi didn’t finish the Sagrada Familia
Many people wonder why Gaudi didn’t finish the Sagrada Familia in his lifetime. With its unique design, the temple (or basilica, because the Sagrada is actually a basilica) consists of curved columns throughout its structure, the architect’s idea is to create an imitation of nature in various shapes and forms, all calculated with mathematical precision. The columns also imitate the shape of giant trees, rising up to the ceiling. At the same time, it should be noted that the monument was to be erected exclusively with funds from private donations and ticket sales.
These things, plus others, made Gaudi realize that he would not be able to complete the project in his lifetime.
Gaudi realized that the construction of the Sagrada Familia would take centuries, so he proposed to focus on the front of the church; he wanted generations that had previously started the project to enjoy it and inspire future generations to complete it.
Gaudi tried to develop a detailed construction plan for the Sagrada Familia, but he only finished the most important parts: the nave, sacristy, and facade of glory. The plans for these three naves and central towers were used to inspire further construction.
The basilica has three façades
The Sagrada Familia was a simple Roman Catholic church at the beginning of construction. Later it was designated a cathedral until 2010, when Pope Benedict the 16th declared it a basilica – and this is another lesser-known fact about Sagrada Familia.
The basilica has three façades, each with its own symbolism: the Nativity Facade to the east, the Passion Facade to the west, and the Glory Facade to the south.
The Nativity Façade, which bears the strongest imprint of Gaudi, has three portals signifying the virtues of Faith, hope, and compassion. The figures on the Portal of Compassion are carved from the death masks of the citizens of Barcelona and the builders who worked on the building. Gaudi wanted to pay his own tribute to them by projecting them into eternity.
The Nativity façade symbolizes, as its name suggests, the birth of Jesus. Built between 1894 and 1930, it is the only façade that was almost completed during Gaudi’s lifetime. Gaudi saw this façade as a symbol of life and creation. That’s why he introduced rich ornamentation, animals and tools mixed with symbols such as the Tree of Life.
Facing east (northeast, to be precise), the façade has three entrances representing the theological virtues: Hope on the left, Faith on the right, and Charity in the centre, along with the Door of Jesus and the Tree of Life. The façade culminates in four steeples dedicated to St Matthew, St Jude, St Simon, and St Barnabas.
The Passion façade is named after the Passion of Jesus. The sorrow, sacrifice, and death are represented by dramatic sculptures on the façade. Like the other façades, it has three entrances representing Mercy, Hope, and Faith and four towers.
Glory Façade – is the main façade of the Sagrada Familia, and here will be the main entrance to the famous church. It is so-called because the sculptures here symbolize the origins of man, his problems, the paths he will follow and his purpose. Like the other facades it has three entrances, one main and two side entrances, as well as an exterior gallery with 7 columns symbolizing the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit.
In the early days of construction, Gaudi built a school on the site called the Sagrada Familia Schools building. The school was built for the children of construction workers to attend, while their fathers spent their days and nights building one of the most magnificent structures in Europe. Designed in 1909, the school is now the site of an exhibition about the Sagrada Familia.
The Sagrada Familia measures 170 meters high
Convinced that “no human construction should be taller than the work of God”, Gaudi designed the Sagrada Familia so that, when completed, it would measure 170 meters, one meter less than Barcelona’s highest natural point, the Montjuïc Hill. The holy building can be seen from anywhere in the city, and the glass mosaic above, reflecting sunlight and moonlight, gives landmarks to sailors too.
The basilica was vandalized before the war
Anarchism and left-wing movements were thriving in Barcelona at the time Gaudi died in 1926. During the Spanish Civil War, in 1936, groups of anarchists vandalized the construction site. Gaudi’s studio was destroyed, along with all his drawings and models.
After the war, construction resumed, and the legend of Gaudi took shape. After the fire destroyed Gaudi’s plans and archive materials, architects and historians began to reinterpret his ideas for their own ends. Architects and intellectuals from around the world called upon the Vatican in 1964 to halt work on the basilica. Many of them were unhappy with the quality of these post-Gaudi additions.
Is it a masonry temple?
Among the most mysterious aspects of the Sagrada Familia are Gaudi’s alleged links to Freemasonry. The temple is replete with symbols that suggest this, such as the imposing four-meter square on the Passion façade, the number “33” you will always see, or the pelican-shaped structure inside, which many experts identify as the 18th degree of Freemasonry.
What the Sagrada Familia will look like
Gaudi did not respect the original design but preferred to change it in a very radical way. The neo-Gothic style conceived by the architect for constructing his masterpiece is based, as we said above, on forms found in nature. When Gaudi died in 1926, only a façade, a tower, and a crypt were completed. Because Gaudi constantly improvised and changed the design while the work was in progress, very few of his sketches and models remained.
However, today’s architects clearly know what Gaudi wanted to achieve. The latest version of his designs depicts a church 130 meters high and 60 meters wide. The church will be able to hold 13 000 people. When completed, the Sagrada Familia will have no less than 18 towers. Four towers on each of the three facades will represent the 12 apostles. Another four towers will represent the four evangelists. These towers will surround the tallest of the towers, dedicated to Jesus Christ. The 18th tower will be raised above the altar and will be dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Only eight towers are currently completed.
Gaudi was once asked why he put so much effort and time into making such elaborate towers since no one would be able to admire them from above. The architect replied that “Angels will see them.”
In October 2018, the Sagrada Familia was fined €35 million after Spanish authorities discovered it did not have a building permit, even though work began over 130 years ago.
Subsequently, the Sagrada Familia reached a historic agreement with Barcelona’s city hall to enter into legality. Since the famous cathedral did not have a building permit, representatives of the Sagrada and the city reached an agreement whereby Sagrada would pay €36 million over 10 years. This sum is to be used to upgrade transport facilities around the cathedral. Sagrada has a total annual budget of more than €80 million.
2026 should be the year the Sagrada Familia is ready
At least, that was the date that had been set before the pandemic. But the situation created by the emergence of the Covid raises big questions.
Ever-increasing visitor numbers maintained a vast and steady stream of income until COVID shut it down. There were 4.5 million visitors in 2019. Then, the pandemic has undoubtedly been a major hurdle. By 2020, there were only 810,000 visitors, and work on the church has been delayed until 2024. However, based on the church’s history, the Sagrada Familia will survive.
An interesting fact about Sagrada Familia is that since 2001, 3D printers have been used to construct the basilica. Engineers from different generations have found it difficult to implement Gaudi’s design, which explains why the church is moving so slowly. But over the last two decades, technology has accelerated the pace of construction.
How to get to the Sagrada Familia
The area where the Sagrada Familia is located is one of the busiest areas in Barcelona, and if you don’t want to wait for long hours at the ticket offices, it’s advisable to book your tickets accurately online for the date and time you want to avoid long queues at the ticket offices.
You can reach the Sagrada Familia by public transport, and get off at Sagrada Familia station:
Metro lines L2 and L5;
By buses 19, 33, 34, 43, 44, 50, 51, B20 and B24 or tourist buses.
When travelling by rented or personal car, simply enter the temple’s coordinates into your GPS navigator – 41.4036, 2.17443.
Online ticket prices to visit the Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona start at around €26 and can be purchased from the cathedral’s official website.
Many tourists also choose to climb to the top of the church’s towers for spectacular views of Barcelona. Tickets that include a climb up the tower have several restrictions: children under 6 and visitors with reduced mobility are not allowed to climb the towers. Children under 16 can only visit accompanied by adults. The lift takes you up. For safety reasons, lift operation may be restricted due to weather.
Now that you found out many lesser-known facts about Sagrada Familia, you will even be able to run a tour when you arrive at this beautiful tourist attraction in Barcelona.
