Sagrada Familia is a temple of amazing beauty in Barcelona, the main creation of Antonio Gaudi. The towers of the temple are clearly visible even from afar. The famous Spanish architect devoted several decades to creating the fantastic interiors and facades of the cathedral, although its construction has not yet been completed and is planned for 2026. But the Spaniards are in no hurry: there is a legend that when the construction of the temple is completed, the end of the world will come. Despite this, the church is a functioning religious building. This long-term nature is explained by the fact that the temple was built only through donations, thereby preserving the original idea of a temple for repentance. Every year about 3 million tourists come to see the strange architectural structure.
The history of the temple began long before its construction. In 1866, bookseller José Maria Bocabella founded the Followers of St. Joseph society. In 1874, the community decided to build a church of penance in honor of the “Holy Family” and, thanks to donations, acquired a plot of land in 1881, where the first foundation stone was laid in 1882. This solemn event took place on March 19, the feast day of St. Joseph.
The construction was entrusted to the architect Francisco del Villar da Lozano, a representative of the classical school, professor of architecture and director of the school of architecture. Due to disagreements with the customer, he broke the contract and in 1883, 31-year-old Antonio Gaudi was invited to carry out the work.
Initially, Gaudí wanted to complete the project of his predecessor, but after receiving a large donation he decided to completely rebuild the church. He was very pious and planned to create an architectural masterpiece expressing the New Testament. At the same time, he performed other work, and from 1918 until his death (until 1926) he worked only in this temple and lived there. There he created most of the drawings and sketches of his ideas. Unfortunately, most of them were destroyed during the civil war and as a result of fire, which made the completion of the basilica very difficult, since Gaudí did not leave a detailed construction plan.
After the death of the architect, opinions were divided. Some thought that by completing the temple they would glorify the greatest master. Others believed that completion of the building would make a mockery of Gaudí's vision. Despite this, construction work continues today.
In 2010, Pope Benedict XVI blessed the cathedral and announced that it was ready for daily masses.
According to Gaudi, the facades of the cathedral should depict key episodes of the earthly life of Jesus Christ: Christmas, betrayal and crucifixion, resurrection from the dead (glory).
The architect introduced elements of Baroque, Art Nouveau and Moorish style into the project. Gaudi's project includes 18 spiers: symbols of the 12 apostles, 4 authors of the Gospel, the Virgin Mary and Jesus. The tallest of them, a 170-meter tower dedicated to Christ, was supposed to make the Sagrada Familia the tallest cathedral in the world. Thus, the height of the cathedral is 170 meters, 60 centimeters less than the top of the mountain towering over Barcelona: according to Gaudi’s plan, the creation of man should not exceed the creation of God. In the drawings, these towers look like an organ - according to Gaudí, they should create unique music in windy weather.
The facade of the Nativity of Christ is divided into three portals. These are: hope, faith and charity. They depict biblical scenes. The southwestern wall is located directly opposite the Rozhdestvensky facade. Its central figure is the crucified Jesus. Bas-reliefs tell us about human sins, stone works tell us about the Last Supper, the kiss of Judas, and the torture of Jesus. On the bas-reliefs you will also see the trial of Jesus, the washing of hands by Pilate, the path to Golgotha and the crucifixion of Jesus.
The Gospel, carved in stone, ends with the main event of the New Testament - the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the victory of life over death. The Wall of Glory, dedicated to the life of the Messiah in heaven, is the final element of the Sagrada Familia. The central entrance will be moved here, on the largest façade, in the future.
The interior of the Sagrada Familia differs from the interior decoration of traditional churches. Gaudi wanted to achieve complete unity with nature, so the Sagrada Familia from the inside looks like a fairy-tale forest, flooded with sunlight, and not a classical church.
The temple is divided into five naves by columns of reinforced concrete, porphyry and basalt, which suggest giant trees rising into the sky. They stand at an angle, rather than vertically, and alternately change shapes: first a square, then an octagon and, finally, a circle like a branched tree trunk. The light penetrates so much that it seems as if you see stars shining between the leaves.
Unique acoustics provide for a large choir. The temple is designed for 30 thousand worshipers.
In 2005, the Sagrada Familia was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Tourists can climb to the top of the temple by elevator or along a long spiral staircase.
The church is open every day - 09:00-18:00/19:00/20:00 (depending on the season); December 25, 26, January 1, 6 – 09:00-14:00.
Ticket prices:
- for adults over 30 years old, with audio guide - 26 euros; Up to 30 - 24 euros;
- for adults over 30 years old with a guide - 30 euros; Up to 30 - 28 euros;
- for children under 11 years old - free.
Address of the Sagrada Familia: Mallorca, 401.
How to get there:
- purple L2 and blue L5 metro lines, stop Sagrada Familia;
- by bus No. 19, 33, 34, 24, 50, 10, N1, N7, stop Sagrada Familia.
To buy tickets online and for more information, visit the official website of the Sagrada Familia of Barcelona: http://www.sagradafamilia.org.
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