La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona

The landmark of Barcelona... Who doesn't know it? La Sagrada Familia. The gigantic church is the showpiece of Barcelona due to its unique appearance. The church is admired by thousands of tourists every day. La Sagrada Familia literally means "The Holy Family. The church, which has been under construction for 130 years and is still unfinished, is definitely worth seeing if you are in Barcelona!

The church is shaped like a cross and is located in the middle of the city. La Sagrada Familia contains a total of 18 towers. Twelve of these towers represent the appostles, four represent the evangelists, and the other two towers represent the Blessed Virgin Mary and Christ. Furthermore, there are three facades, depicting the life of Jesus Christ. To get the best picture of this church, the map of the Sagrada Familia can be viewed. This floor plan shows exactly what the original plans were for this church. But not only the outside is impressive! Inside, the church is at least as special. With its unique shapes and renewed Gothic style, the church is beautiful to see.

The first stone was laid in 1882. La Sagrada Familia was commissioned by the Roman Catholic Church in honor of the Holy Family. At first, Francisco de Paula del Villar was the architect of the church, but he soon called it quits due to religious disagreements. The project was taken over by the architect Antoni Gaudí. For 40 years he worked on this impressive church. Unfortunately, he died in 1926. During the last years of his life, he worked exclusively on the church. Designing this church was the biggest project of his life. Gaudi was very dedicated. In fact, he was so dedicated that at one point he went to live on the construction site! In the crypt inside the church is the tomb in which the world-famous architect Gaudí is buried. After his death, several architects continued Gaudí's work following his original ideas.

Gaudí did not design the church according to a set pattern. He wanted to create a new architecture, with balanced and self-sustaining structures. These innovative ideas can all be seen in the church. While building the church, Gaudí often changed his ideas. This was one of the reasons why the building of the church was delayed. Furthermore, there was also a lack of financial resources. La Sagrada Familia was only allowed to be financed through donations. In fact, the church was originally planned as a "cathedral of the poor.Tegenwoordig wordt er nog steeds aan la Sagrada Familia gewerkt. De verwachting is dat de kerk in 2026, precies 100 jaar na de dood van Gaudi, af zal zijn. Of dit gaat lukken kan niet met zekerheid worden gezegd. Wat we wel zeker weten is dat deze kerk, ondanks dat er nog aan wordt gewerkt, prachtig is om te bezichtigen!

Visits: You can also visit La Sagrada Familia! The address of la Sagrada Familia is Calle Mallorca, 401. Barcelona 08013. During the summer months (April to September), the church is open daily from 9am-8pm. During the other months, the church is open daily from 09.00-18.00h. The normal entrance fee to this admirable church is €13,00. But please note! Students, persons under 18 and pensioners pay €11.00. The church is funded by donations. In the past, those generous enough to donate were promised to enter heaven. The entrance fee is also considered a kind of donation. So who knows, it may also bring you good luck when you visit the church....