10 Facts About La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona

Published on 01/12/2010 13:46:35 in Facts About Spain

Barcelona is a great city and one of the main attractions is La Sagrada Familia. Below we look at 10 facts that you may not have not known about this attraction.

1. Construction of La Sagrada Familia began in 1882 and is still underway. It is expected to be completed in 2041. It was originally conceived by Catalan publisher Josep Bocabella symbolic of the revolutionary ideas becoming increasingly apparent in the city of Barcelona. Work began by public subscription with architect Francesc de Paula Villar's design-a traditional neo-Gothic style. When the two could not agree, Antoní Gaudí took over construction.

2. Art nouveau architect Antoní Gaudí dedicated more than 40 years of his life to its construction. He spent the last 15 years of his life working continuously and exclusively on the project.

3. The Roman Catholic basilica will comprise 18 tall towers with the tallest reaching a height of 560 feet. It is projected to be 60 meters wide and 95 meters long.

Sagrada familia Barcelona4. Admission is granted for EUR8, while groups of 20 or more people, retired folks, students, and those under 18 get a reduced rate of EUR5. 'Friends of the Church', children below 12 years of age, and the disabled (as well as one companion) are granted free admission. Services, however, are charged separately, and all groups must book in advance. Services include lift charges, audio guides, and cloakroom services. Wheelchairs are available for disabled visitors. Visitors are not permitted to climb the towers; they must take the lift.

5. La Sagrada Familia is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

6. The cathedral's chief architect Gaudí died tragically in a tram accident. His death was mourned throughout the city, and he is now buried in the Sagrada Familia crypt.

7. Although the cathedral was not damaged during the Spanish Civil War, in 1936, Catalan anarchists destroyed numerous models and plans to rid the city of conservative religious icons.

8. Construction is currently underway under the guidance of Jordi Bonet i Armengol. Starting in the 1980s, computers were used for the design and construction process. This has made drastic improvements in speeding up the process.

9. A 180-meter tower topped by a lamb that represents Jesus was included in the original Gaudí design. This tower was to be enclosed by four shorter towers that represented the

10. Four Evangelists and would be topped with the animal symbols attributed to them. A fifth tower would represent the Virgin Mary. The towers' pinnacles will carry colourful mosaics and some will bear the words 'Excelsis' and 'Hosanna'. The three facades of the basilica-the Passion Façade, Nativity Façade, and the Glory Façade-has three portals to represent faith, hope, and love.

Written by: Paul Symonds

About the author:

Paul writes about Barcelona VIP tours, Spain and Barcelona executive tours




Right arrow icon Send to friends   Right arrow icon Printer friendly version    Right arrow icon Submit your own article


Comments:

tteedd says:
Hi
It cost I think 19 Euros minimum to enter Familia Sagrada.
But it is just a shell!
Best value is to look from every angle outside, pay nothing and spend your money on lunch, don't spend a morning in the queue.
Come back in 50 years, it may be kitted out!
Tteedd

02/12/2010 19:54:00


Maddie Pope says:
Thanks you really helped me
12/04/2011 16:22:00


apple pie says:
ty for du info, but i red ina buk that it will be complete in 2026
17/10/2011 16:41:00


someone says: says:
same as apple pie
17/10/2011 16:43:00


pablorodriges says:
best place ever
10/11/2011 01:05:00


mficificate says says:
cooooooool best place
23/12/2011 20:27:00


Okal says:
Vale pito

13/02/2012 22:24:00


Have your say:

Name *
 
Spam protection:  What is the sum of 5 + 10 ? * 
 
Your comment *  (HTML not allowed)  

Comment Using Facebook:




Related articles in this category

10 Facts About La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona

10 Interesting Facts About Madrid

9 Reasons Why Spain Is A Dead Economy Walking

Cante De Las Minas International Festival, La Union, Murcia

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Chorizo

FIFA World Cup 2010 - Team Profile Spain

From Bananas To Flamenco - The Moorish Legacy

Gibraltar - Economic Paradise Thanks To Spain!

How Benidorm Became a Tourist Destination

How is Spanish Wine Classified?

Is Spain Going Backwards Under Zapatero?

Is Spain's Economy "fit for purpose"?

Life In Spain Can Be An Eternal Holiday

Los Barruecos - The Birth of Spain

Madrid Gay Pride

Saffron - Sunny Gold From Spain

Some Fun Facts About Spain

Spain Corruption and Marbella - You Couldn't Make It Up

Spain, Sandals and Socks

Spain's Much Lauded Banking System Begins To Crack. Why?

The Highs and Lows of Spain in 2010

The Spanish Economy Facing Strong Headwinds

Tomas De Torquemada: Grand Inquisitor of the Spanish Inquisition

What is Happening About Graffiti in Granada?

Click here for a list of all the articles from our magazine 

Spain insurance services


<