Sagrada Familia is a temple with an interesting history and a tragic fate. It attracts attention at least that it does not belong to the church. By the way, its construction is not completed even in our time.
Sagrada Familia in Barcelona
Everyone who has ever heard the word “Barcelona” knows about the Sagrada Familia. Sagrada Familia is the name given to the shrine by the locals. From almost any place in the metropolis you can see the majestic spires of the cathedral, which are only one meter behind the Monjuic mountain, which can be seen far away.
The tragic story of the construction
Who built the Sagrada Familia? It is difficult to answer this question unambiguously. More than one person had a hand in the design of the giant.
It all started in 1881, when the number of donations collected from parishioners was enough to buy a piece of land in the suburbs of Barcelona (by the way, now the temple is located in the heart of the metropolis). After the purchase of the site, coordinating the design of the future sanctuary, the architect Francisco del Villaro took over the work. But until 1883 the construction did not move from the dead point: Francisco, who started to implement the plan in 1882, constantly arguing with the customers, and because of minor problems and disagreements was soon removed from the work.
Next up, the famous Antonio Gaudi was invited. This man immediately crossed out all the achievements of his colleague, saying that the most important thing is to combine the building with the landscape of the territory. Having thought a little, he announced the verdict: from now on the cathedral of Sagrada Familia in Spain will have the shape of a sandy castle. By the way, it was Gaudi’s idea of a central spire: it shouldn’t have exceeded the Monjuic mark (171 meters) and be at least a little bit lower than the famous mountain. “Human-made should never be higher than nature has created,” said the great architect.
Since the project was not a state-owned, not supported by the church, the customers had serious financial problems. The construction was stopped several times until they finally managed to save the necessary amount of money. There was only one moment in history when the money was enough: one of the wealthy believers donated a very large sum of money, and it went entirely to the construction of the apse.
The seventh of June 1926. This date is known to all Spaniards. On the same day, the great architect of the Sagrada Familia was hit by a tram. Due to the fact that Gaudi did not like to brag and looked like a citizen of average income, he was not provided with proper medical care. On the tenth day of the same year, he died, and the construction was continued by his students.
The cathedral is not finished nowadays, although now the best architects and programmers are working on its creation. Money also stands out enough, and, according to plans, we will be able to see the final appearance in 2026.
Sagrada Familia: inside and outside
Gaudi has put his soul into his creation, and the facades, as well as the interior decoration, are amazing. The Creator paid great attention to detail, and even after looking at the smallest thing, you will not find a single defect. In the cathedral, as well as in his other masterpieces (Casa Batllo, Casa Mila), one can trace the smoothness of movements, unity with nature.
The center of the composition is the Facade of Christmas, decorated with snails and lizards. But not only it is the focus of tourist attention: no less popular is the facade of passion, completed after Antonio’s death.
The inside of the temple is as original as the outside. Inspired by the dynamic nature, Gaudi was able to express its beauty. It is remarkable that the wavy lines that shine through all his work easily withstand a lot of roofs and spires, although logically they should have broken and fallen down during construction.
How to get to the Sagrada Familia and other useful information
Mallorca 401 is reachable by traditional Spanish means of transport, such as metro and bus. There are a lot of them: 51, 44, 33, 19 and 43. The subway arrives at the Sagrada Familia station of the same name, so it is simply impossible to confuse the stops.
Tickets will cost 15 euros per person, but the queues are usually stretched for kilometers. In order to enjoy the views of the cathedral will have to stand for an hour. It will be much easier to buy them online and spend extra hours on a more detailed inspection of the giant.
During the cold season, the doors are open for visitors from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and from April to September – to 8:00 p.m. By the way, the holidays are a short day, so you need to have time to get to the Sagrada Familia before 14:00.
Interesting facts about the Sagrada Familia
Did you know where the great architect is buried, who spent many years building the Sagrada Familia? The remains of Anthony Gaudi are still buried in the crypt of the temple, so that even after his death he did not lose touch with his creation.
By the way, many people mistakenly believe that Sagrada Family Cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop. Don’t you dare say that in Spain! Its role is assigned to the Cathedral, and Sagrada Familia does not belong to the church.
The location of Gaudi’s Cathedral in Barcelona
