Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Construction Update:
Since Gaudí's death in 1926, construction has moved forward
in fits and starts, though much progress was made in recent decades, thanks to Barcelona's
1992Olympicsrenaissance,theensuingrediscoveryofthegeniusofGaudí,andadvancesin
technology. In 2010, the main nave was finished enough to host a consecration Mass by the
pope(asaCatholicchurch,itisusedforservices,thoughirregularly).AsIsteppedinsideon
my last visit, the brilliance of Gaudí's vision for the interior was apparent.
Themainchallenges today:Ensurethatconstruction canwithstand thevibrations caused
by the speedy AVE trains rumbling underfoot, construct the tallest church spire ever built,
and find a way to buy out the people who own the condos in front of the planned Glory
Facade so that Gaudí's vision of a grand esplanade approaching the church can be realized.
The goal, which seems overly optimistic but tantalizing nonetheless, is to finish the church
by the 100th anniversary of Gaudí's death, in 2026.
Self-GuidedTour:
Startattheticketentrance(atthePassionFacade)onthewestern
side of the church. The view is best from the park across the street. Before heading to the
ticket booth, take in the...
Exterior:
Stand and imagine how grand this church will be when completed. The
four 330-foot spires topped with crosses are just a fraction of this mega-church. When fin-
ished, the church will have 18 spires. Four will stand at each of the three entrances. Rising
above those will be four taller towers, dedicated to the four Evangelists. A tower dedicated
to Mary will rise still higher—400 feet. And in the very center of the complex will stand the
grand 560-foot Jesus tower, topped with a cross that will shine like a spiritual lighthouse,
visible even from out at sea.
The Passion Facade that tourists enter today is only a side entrance to the church. The
grand main entrance will be around to the right. That means that the nine-story apart-
ment building will eventually have to be torn down to accommodate it. The three
facades—Nativity, Passion, and Glory—will chronicle Christ's life from birth to death to re-
surrection. Inside and out, a goal of the church is to bring the lessons of the Bible to the
world. Despite his boldly modern architectural vision, Gaudí was fundamentally traditional
and deeply religious. He designed the Sagrada Família to be a bastion of solid Christian val-
ues in the midst of what was a humble workers' colony in a fast-changing city.
When Gaudí died, only one section (on the Nativity Facade—the opposite side, not vis-
ible from here) had been completed. The rest of the church has been inspired by Gaudí's
long-range vision, but designed and executed by others. This artistic freedom was amplified
in 1936, when Civil War shelling burned many of Gaudí's blueprints. Supporters of the on-
going work insist that Gaudí, who enjoyed saying, “My client [God] is not in a hurry,” knew
hewouldn'tlivetocompletethechurchandrecognizedthatlaterarchitectsandartistswould
rely on their own muses for inspiration. Detractors maintain that the church's design is a
