Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) is perhaps the best known of architect Antonio Gaudí’s Modernist works and remains unfinished to this day. Construction of the basilica began in 1882 with the laying of the first stone by the Bishop of Barcelona. Unfortunately, Gaudí was never able to see his masterpiece completed, as he died in 1926 after being hit by a tram and is buried in its crypt.
Sagrada Familia was less than 25% completed when Gaudí passed away. Construction has continued throughout the years under the direction of a number of architects, and today it is 70% complete. The plan is for the structure of the basilica to be completed in 2026, the centennial of Gaudí’s death, with the final decorative elements completed by 2030-2032.
When completed, the basilica will have three façades; the Nativity façade to the East (constructed between 1893 and 1930), which has three porticos, Hope, Faith and Charity, the the Passion façade to the West, and the Glory façade to the South (which is yet to be completed). The plan calls for a total of 18 spires to be erected. When construction is done, the spires of Sagrada Familia will make it the tallest church building in the world. It will, however, be a few meters lower than Montjuïc hill, as Gaudí did not believe that his work should surpass the work of God.
Despite being unfinished, Sagrada Familia was consecrated by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010. It is considered a basilica and not a cathedral, since it is not the seat of a bishop. It has also been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For more information, click here.
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Photo credit: Bernard Gagnon
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