Architect Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926) was a profoundly religious man, and from 1912 forward he made the design of this soaring basilica his life’s work. If it is not the grandest church in all of Spain, it is certainly the grandest constructed within living memory. This “Church of the Holy Family” is a strange and wonderful structure, part retro-Gothic cathedral and part Modernista fantasy, with some bowls of fruit tossed in for color at the tops of the towers. The soaring interior really seems like a place of worship now, after decades as a construction site that stood open to the elements; the roof finally went on a few years ago, and the target date for completion—still almost a decade away—now seems within reach. The massive project was held up by some dramatic roadblocks: The original plans were burnt during the Spanish Civil war, and a grassroots attempt rose to halt the digging of a train tunnel within a few blocks of the basilica, deemed a threat despite seismic studies to the contrary. (The tunnel was dug, and the structure remained upright.) Because Gaudí left the structure unfinished at the time of his death, and his plans went missing, what you see today is a hodge-podge of guesswork by subsequent teams of architects. The west portal (the Façade of the Passion) is especially inharmonious, with clunky white protrusions that look like overgrown Lego blocks. The east façade (of the Nativity), where you will enter, is more in the spirit of Gaudí’s pious Christian view of the New Testament stories, although they appear to have been carved out of volcanic stone, cobwebs, and bat droppings. Dragons and gargoyles hang off corners, and an entire Noah’s ark of preposterous animals (rhinos! elephants!) are carved in stone. And that’s just the outside.
Barcelona
Travel Guide
Barcelona› Attraction
Basilica de la Sagrada Familia
Entrance from Carrer de Sardenya or Carrer de la Marina
Our Rating
Hours
Apr–Sept daily 9am–8pm, Mar and Oct daily 9am–7pm, Nov–Feb daily 9am–6pm. Closed Dec 25–26, Jan 1, and Jan 6.
Transportation
Metro: Sagrada Família
Phone
93-208-04-14
Prices
Admission 15€ adults, 13€ students and anyone under 30, 11€ seniors, ages 10 and under free; admission to towers costs 14€ more
Web site
Basilica de la Sagrada Familia

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.