Sagrada Familia, Barcelona – magnificent masterpiece by Antoni Gaudí

Today we visit Barcelona’s world-renowned landmark, the spectacular Sagrada Familia Basilica. With its breathtaking architecture in the style of modernisme, it is the grandiose masterpiece of Antoni Gaudi.

The construction of the Sagrada Familia, the “temple of expiation of the Holy Family”, was begun in 1882 by the architect Francisco de Paula del Villar y Lozano. After internal disputes, Antoni Gaudi took over the construction in 1883 and fundamentally changed the building plans.
Gaudi’s concept included a total of five naves as well as a crossing, apse, ambulatory, three facades and 18 towers, symbolizing the 12 apostles, the 4 evangelists, Jesus and Mary. Overall, the architect dedicated 43 years of his life to the construction of the Sagrada Familia, creating his most important masterpiece. The church has been under construction for well over 100 years and will not be finished until 2030 at the earliest. At 172.5 meters, it will have the tallest church tower in the world, surpassing the Ulm Minster. The construction of the Sagrada Familia was and is financed solely from donations and entrance fees and not from public funds. And since 2019 there is even a building permit!

We start our tour at the oldest facade of the Sagrada Familia, the facade of the Nativity. This is the only facade that Gaudí designed and experienced himself. The Nativity facade consists of three portals symbolizing the Christian virtues of faith, love and hope. The groups of figures on the facade narrate the life of Christ. The central portal is crowned by the tree of life, a cypress tree on which white doves have perched as a symbol of peace. The doors leading inside the Sagrada Familia are decorated with colorful leaves and flowers. Small beetles and other insects crawl between them. The entrance is friendly and inviting.

The interior is simply stunning! A forest of columns rises up in the middle of the tall nave. As always, Gaudi was inspired by nature and organic forms, here by trees. The pillars branch out at the top and appear to end in a canopy of leaves. They are made of different rocks, none like the other, and thus symbolize the diversity of nature.
But what makes this interior truly unique and incomparable is the magical play of light and colour. Many large stained glass church windows make the large room bright. Depending on the time of day, different color combinations and moods are created. It is particularly beautiful in the morning or afternoon when the sun is low in the sky and shines directly through the windows. We are here in the afternoon, the nave is ablaze with the brightest colors and the symphony of shades is overwhelming.
The altar is a plain porphyry block topped by a heptagonal canopy crowned with lights.

An elevator takes us to the tower of the Nativity facade. Here you can see the spiers up close and they too are modeled on nature. Baskets of fruit and ears of grain crown the towers and show the abundance of nature. And you have a breathtaking view over Barcelona! The descent is via a narrow spiral staircase that offers beautiful views from above of the fantastic nave.

We leave Gaudi’s life’s work through the Passion facade, which shows the death of Christ as a counterpart to the Nativity facade. It is stone-colored and undecorated, in keeping with the Passion of Jesus. The expressive groups of figures by Josep Maria Subirachs i Sitjar show scenes of the Passion. Above the portal, right in the middle of the Passion facade, we see the Crucifixion. In a break with Christian convention, Christ is depicted naked on the cross to emphasize his human side and vulnerability. The soldiers at the foot of the cross are modeled on the chimneys of Gaudi’s Pedrera (Casa Mila).

Regardless of your own religious orientation, you will not be able to escape the magic of this sacred building. It is not for nothing that the Sagrada Familia is the most visited church in Europe after St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. For this reason, it is absolutely necessary to buy the tickets online in advance.

We plan to visit the basilica again after its completion (if we still experience it).

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You can find the complete channel playlist of our stay in Barcelona here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlJEw93joUmrMzq2628zTzllhTSpujlT1

Visit in April 2023

Chapter
00:00 Intro
01:00 Nativity Facade
04:20 Interior
12:35 On the towers of the Nativity Facade
14:47 Passion Facade
17:10 Sagrada Familia at night
18:44 Outro