Thursday, January 16, 2014

La Sagrada Familia

When we decided to spend a few extra days in Barcelona,
I sent out a tweet asking for suggestions on what to do and see.
La Sagrada Familia was the most popular answer to my question.
I now I see why.  It's unlike anything I've ever seen before.

La Sagrada Familia was Gaudi's passion.
He was brought to the project early on in 1883 and it was his life's work until his death in 1926.
Almost a century later, the amazing Basilica is still not complete.

Over the past 100 years the project has faced many stops and starts, trouble with funding, destruction during political unrest, influence from various other artists and some areas are already in need of restoration.

Construction continues today and they hope to have it completed for the 100th anniversary of Gaudi's death.


La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain

La Sagrada Familia is synonymous with Gaudi,
but your first sight of the cathedral is the Passion Facade and is the work of a different man.
The sharp, gaunt figures are the work of Josef Maria Subirachs in the mid 1900's.
And are very different from the nature-inspired curves that Gaudi is known for.
It's beautiful and haunting, telling the story of the Passion of Christ.

La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain

La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain

La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain

The Basilica is visited by almost three million people each year that all enter through the Passion Facade.
When you step into this massive space, it takes your breath away.
It's like walking through a stone forest with a canopy of branches soaring high above your head.
The light is dappled as it shines down through the brightly colored windows.
You can't look anywhere but up.  This is Gaudi and it's otherworldly.

La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain

La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain

La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain

La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain 
While we were there they were placing some of the stained glass panels.
 I can only imagine what it will look like once the transformation is complete.

La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain

La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain
 
La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain

La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain
 
La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain

La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain

La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain

The Nativity Facade was finished in 1930 and was the first to be completed.
It is fantastical and much more reminiscent of Gaudi's style.
It almost looks likes it's just grown out of the stone.

La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain

La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain

La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain

La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain

I suggest that you pre-purchase your tickets online.  (We didn't take that advice.)
We had to wait in line about twenty minutes but during the peak hours the wait can be longer.

Admission to the Basilica is €14.80.
There are additional costs to visit the Towers and the Museum and to get an audio-guide.
We didn't go up into the towers but found the audio guide and the museum great additions to the visit.

If you visit Barcelona, a visit to La Sagrada Familia is an absolute must.

I want to go back and see it again when it is complete.

Have you been to the Sagrada Familia?  What did you think?


3 comments:

  1. Yep! The Sagrada Familia is definitely something special. I think they said estimated date of finish would be around 2021? Either way, it'd be about time to head back to Barcelona anyways ;)

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  2. It's going to be magical when it's finally finished and they take down all of the scaffolding. I want to go back, don't you?

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  3. Sagrada Familia is a fantastic place, I completely love it! Last time we went to Barcelona, we decided to book a hotel sagrada familia so every morning we could see the building from the bedroom, and during the night we could see it completely illuminated!

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