To visit Barcelona it is a must to include on your list of things to do to see the iconic and monumental buildings designed by Antoni Gaudí.
If you are planning a trip to Barcelona in Spain, you should not miss your chance to visit the Sagrada Familia, Gaudí’s masterpiece. It was ranked “Europe’s Top Must-Visit Tourist Attraction” in January 2020. This title was obtained thanks to getting over 160,000 reviews on Tripadvisor, making it the top visited and rated monument in Europe.
Of course, the Sagrada Familia has very good reasons why it has obtained the rank. One of them is the Sagrada Familia interior and the exterior without a doubt, as well as other interesting facts. Here we want to share with you why it is worth your time and money.
A bit of Sagrada Familia history
First of all, the Sagrada Familia has been under construction since 1882, -yes, you read correctly- when the cornerstone was placed, and it is estimated to be completed by 2026. This is because when Antoni Gaudí took over the project, he envisioned and designed a monumental church which he knew he would not live to see finished, but left instructions for future generations to follow.
The Sagrada Familia was originally conceived as a Gothic revival church of standard form, designed by Francisco del Villar and commissioned by Josep Maria Bocabella. However, due to creative differences he stepped down as lead architect shortly after construction began. Afterwards, Gaudí took charge of the project and radically changed the initial design. He maintained the Gothic concept and mixed it with Art Nouveau architecture, with a couple of personal touches to the plan.
The Sagrada Familia interior
The interior of the Sagrada Familia is a beauty of its own. The height of the building gives the inside a beautiful lighting show thanks to the leaded stained-glass windows that Gaudí ingeniously decided to use, to be able to take the most advantage of natural light. They make the Temple inside feel alive and vibrant. The inside of the Sagrada Familia was consecrated by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010.
It is a breathtaking view anytime of the year, really. But, especially when you visit during the winter solstice, right when the sun sets before reaching the west. The rays of light are almost horizontal and produce a wonderful phenomenon: the rays go into the Temple nave and it is flooded with warm red colours because of the sunset. And, also during the summer solstice you can admire a similar view with the cold colours in the morning on the Nativity Facade, early in the morning, with the greens and blues.
Also, the inside forms a plan of a Latin cross, a Basilica composed of five naves. The central nave has a higher height than the others, it reaches a height of sixty meters, and the side vaults each reach about thirty meters. For each nave there is a door assigned to the unfinished Glory facade. There are also two portals on the side that lead you to the penance chapel, and the baptistery. The apse is capped by a hyperboloid vault with a height of seventy-five meters. The intention of Gaudí was for a visitor that would be standing at the main entrance to be able to see the vaults of the nave, crossing, and apse; for which the graduated increase in vault loft was made.
The Sagrada Familia on the outside
The first thing you can admire when you visit the Sagrada Familia is the extravagant and notorious silhouette, that can be admired from several vantage points in Barcelona. But to be able to detail it up close is something else. The Temple has three grand facades; the Nativity Facade to the East, the Passion Facade to the West, and the Glory Facade to the South.
The first Facade that was built and completed is the Nativity Facade, which has the most direct influence from Gaudí himself, which was completely intended to leave a guideset for future generations that would continue to work on the Temple. The Nativity Facade faces the rising sun to the northeast, as a symbol for the birth of Jesus Christ. It is highly decorated with scenes that represent life.
The second Facade to be built is the Passion Facade, and it is conceived in direct contrast to the Nativity Facade is plain and simple, with ample bare stone, austere, and resembles the bones of a skeleton. It is dedicated to the pain and suffering that Jesus endured during his crucifixion, the facade was intended to represent the sins of man. It faces the setting sun, as a symbol to the death of Christ.
The third and most striking of the facades, that is still under construction is the Glory Facade. It will be the main facade and will offer access to the central nave. It is dedicated to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and it represents the road to God: Death, Final Judgment, and Glory.
The design of the Sagrada Familia also has a total of eighteen spires, or towers, that represent the Twelve Apostles, the Virgin Mary, the four Evangelists and, the tallest of them all, Jesus Christ. Today you can actually visit and go up the Towers in the Nativity Facade and Passion Facade, and you will be able to view and admire the breathtaking view of the city and the Mediterranean Sea. Once the Towers in the center are completed, you will be able to go up as well.
Sagrada Familia is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Together with six other Gaudí buildings in Barcelona, the Crypt and the Nativity Facade, part of the Sagrada is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as a testimonial “to Gaudí’s exceptional creative contribution to the development of architecture and building technology.”
To visit Barcelona it is a must to include on your list of things to do to see the iconic and monumental buildings designed by Antoni Gaudí. This is why it is always important to plan ahead about what to do, and research which places are worth seeing during your visit to make the best of your trip.You should not miss the opportunity to visit the Sagrada Familia during your trip and enjoy a guided tour to learn fun and interesting facts about this majestic monument.
