La Sagrada Familia Nears Completion
Work Continues on Antonio Gaudi's Temple in Barcelona
Apr 16, 2009
Each day, more than 100 craftsmen continue work on LaSagrada Familia, the massive five-spired Temple that has come to dominate the Barcelona skyline and symbolize the faith of the people of this city of two million on the Mediterranean coast.
Why Has Construction of La Sagrada Familia Taken So Long?
The construction of La Sagrada Familia is funded entirely with donations so early work was very slow. Then during the Spanish Civil War, from 1936-39, not only was there a hault to construction, but some of the church was destroyed. However, work is progressing smoothly now and it is anticipated that La Sagrada Familia will be complete by 2030. This is roughly the timeline anticipated by architect Antonio Gaudi.
By 2010, the Temple will be covered and open for regular worship services. Currently, mass is held downstairs in the crypt, not far from Gaudi's burial place. The lower level also includes a museum about the construction process and memorials to the many architects and workers who devoted most of their lives to the church.
Gaudi spent 40 years of his life working at this Temple. He personally oversaw the construction on the east side of the Temple, which included the bell towers of the Nativity. His design includes three fronts to the church, each on representing the stages of Christ's life: Nativity, Passion and Glory, Crucifixion. The number 33, representing Christ's age at his death, is consistently used throughout construction, in the number of tiles, pillars and other design aspects.
Dozens of other architects and hundreds of the world's best craftspeople have continued the design Gaudi envisioned. He died in 1926 from injuries received when he was hit by a tram carrying materials. There is currently a movement underway to have Barcelona's most famous architect declared a saint for his work here.
Nature Influenced Antonio Gaudi:
Images of nature appear throughout the great temple. Temporary exhibits interpret for modern visitors Gaudi's vision and inspiration. One exhibit quotes from Gaudi's writings: "The great book, always open and which we must maake efforts to read, is the book of Nature; the other books are based on it and have the mistakes and interpretations of mankind."
Touring La Sagrada Familia
There are numerous ways to tour the great Temple. Guides in several languages lead tours, which costs about 7 Euros. Self-guided tours come with headsets. An elevator ride to the top of the towers is a popular part of the tour, but arrive early in the day to avoid lines of more than an hour.
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