Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

The Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família (commonly known as Sagrada Familia) is, without a doubt, Barcelona’s most famous building.

The church, designed by the famous architect Antoni Gaudi, attracts thousands of visitors every year.

Gaudi worked on the church until his sudden death in 1926 when he was hit by a tram. He devoted the last years of his life to the Sagrada and even lived on the construction site for some time. Fittingly he was buried in the crypt of “his” Sagrada Familia.

Although construction has taken 129 years already with the first foundation stone being laid on the 19th March 1882, the church is nowhere finished and the completion date is currently estimated at the year 2026. The church has always been built from donations.

The Sagrada Familia may look like a random collection of towers, structures and stones however, the church represents the life of Jesus and the history of faith.

Once completed the church will have 18 bell towers, which symbolize Jesus, the Virgin Mary, the four evangelists and the twelve apostles. It will have 3 facades, which represent the life of Jesus;

The Nativity facade depicts his birth, childhood and young manhood.

The Passion facade represents the Passion of Jesus.

The Glory facade represents his death: Death, Final Judgment, and Glory.

Fun facts:

• The church is built in the shape of a Latin Cross.

• The church is created from over 20 different kinds of stone.

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  Independance of the Seas 2014 (4)

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  Independance of the Seas 2014 (3)

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  Independance of the Seas 2014 (5)

The church is open for visits but opening and closing times do vary so it's worth checking their opening times by clicking here.

A ticket to the church will cost you between €15-€29 depending of the level of tour you wish to experience. The entrance fees are part of the funding to finish the construction works.

I highly recommend getting your tickets online to avoid ridiculously long queues (sometimes lasting upto 3 hours).

You can buy tickets by clicking here.

* I recommend wearing 'appropriate' clothing as we noticed some people with exposed shoulders/knees were turned away - you can read more about the regulations by clicking here.