If there is a must-see monument in Barcelona, that is the Sagrada Familia.
Unique, daring, it can be described as the Bible written in stone.
The origin
Sagrada Familia or the Holy Family was started in 1882, under the initiative of Joseph Bocabella, a bookseller, philanthropist, and the founder of St Joseph devoted Association. The idea came when he travelled to the Italian city Loreto, where he found the original House of the Holy Family (Joseph, Mary and Jesus), transferred brick by brick from the original location in Nazareth.
In Barcelona, he decided to start the project of Sagrada Familia, contracting the architect Francisco Del Villar. Still, they couldn’t agree on the budget details, so the architect resigned one year later.
In 1883, Antonio Gaudi took the project of Sagrada Familia. He was 31 years old, and he worked on it until he died in 1926, aged 74.
Sagrada Familia by Gaudi private tour
The structure
Antonio Gaudi changed the original plan of Sagrada Familia, transforming it into an actual structure that has 18 bell towers and three facades.
The three facades relate to the three critical moments of Jesus Christ’s life. The Nativity facade represents his birth, the Passion facade his death, the Glory facade his resurrection.
The 18 Bell Towers Gaudi designed are dedicated to the 12 apostles, the four evangelists, one bell tower to the Virgin Mary and the central one, which will be 172.5 meters, to Jesus.
When Gaudi tragically died in 1926, only the Nativity facade was almost finished.
However, he left enough plans and drawings, models for the Next Generations, to complete the project.
The Nativity Facade
Nativity Facade Sagrada Familia in Barcelona by Gaudi
The Nativity facade was completed in 1936, ten years after Gaudi’s death, and it is the only part that the architect designed and almost got to see finished.
The facade tells the story of the birth of Jesus and his young years. It is divided into three porticos, three arches, dedicated to the three members of the Holy Family.
Nativity Facade Sagrada Familia
The central portico is devoted to Jesus, presenting his birth story, with angels singing in celebration; the left one is dedicated to Joseph, with episodes like the flight to Egypt or the union with Mary. Finally, the portico on the right, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, has episodes like the Visitation or the Assumption.
Jesus’s Portico is crowned with the Tree of Life, symbolised by a cypress tree, forever green, connecting the Earth with the Heavens.
The Passion Facade
Passion Facade Sagrada Familia by Gaudi in Barcelona
The Passion Facade tells us the story of the last hours of Jesus’ life.
In an episode of suffering, Gaudi designed the Passion Facade while he was sick with Maltese fever and feared for his life.
He wanted this facade to be austere, macabre, and even to inspire fear. If you take a closer look, you can identify the bone-like structure of the columns supporting the facade.
Knowing he would not live to see the temple finished, Gaudi left plans and models for the next generations to finish his work, knowing that each artist would bring his personality.
That was the case when the sculptor Joseph Maria Subirachs took on the project of the Passion Facade in 1986, 60 years after Gaudi’s death.
Subirachs is a Catalan sculptor and painter who contributed to the construction by dedicating 22 years of his life working at the Passion Facade.
He is also one of my favourites. His style is full of symbolism, and the abstraction and different angles of the sculptures, so typical of him, immortalise the sadness of the Passion of Jesus Christ.
Passion Facade detail on Sagrada Familia
A curious and interesting detail is that the chronology of the events that occurred in the last hours of Jesus life, as described on the facade, form the letter S. A secret signature of the sculptor Subirachs.
It starts on the lower left side, where you can see the scene of the last supper, where Jesus tells the Apostles, “One of you is going to betray me, whatever you are going to do, do it fast”.
It continues with the kiss of betrayal, where Jesus is arrested and later wiped. Then, we have other episodes like the trial of Jesus and the way of the cross, the crucifixion and lastly, the deposition, or “La Piedad”, where Jesus is taken off the cross.
Up, between the towers of the apostles, we have a bronze statue with Jesus resurrected.
Passion Facade Sagrada Familia by Gaudi Barcelona
The third Facade, which is not started yet and will be the main facade, will talk about the Rebirth, the resurrection of Christ, and Gaudi designed it colourful, cheerful, full of life! So prepare yourself for something extraordinary, somewhere in 2026.
The interior
Sagrada Familia interior
The interior of Sagrada Familia is breathtaking.
Gaudi wanted to immortalise an immense spiritual forest, creating the perfect environment for prayer and meditation, where the light is the best painter.
For years he searched for architectural solutions which would make it possible to keep the essence of the Gothic structures, maintaining the connection between the Earth and heavens. So he built it as high as possible to reach God and incorporated as many windows as possible, to let the light inside, let God inside.
The structure is composed of tree-like columns, a revolutionary concept that facilitates exceptional elevations without using reinforced walls. Instead, the columns spread out just like trees to support the ceiling.
The baldachin covering the Altar is decorated with wheat and wine, the symbol of the Eucharist.
Sagrada Familia in Barcelona by Gaudi baldaquin altar
When Gaudi was asked how he gets his answers to architectural challenges, he said that his great advantage is being an excellent observer. He observes nature, and nature gives him the answers.
The windows were designed and installed in 2000 by the stained glass artist Joan Vila Grau who uses and updated handcraft from Medieval times. Blue stained glass decorates the sunrise part, where on the sunset side, we have red, orangey colours to accentuate the natural colours of that time of the day.
In 2010 the pope blessed Sagrada Familia, and now it is a basilica.
I hope this blog entry made you want to visit Barcelona and the lifetime work of the architect Antonio Gaudi, Sagrada Familia.
One thing I always recommend is buying your tickets at least one week in advance. You can do so here !
If you want to know more and you are planning to visit Barcelona, you can ask for a personalised tour or book one directly at www.livelifebcn.com.
Live Life and enjoy your travels!
Sagrada Familia by Gaudi