The Sagrada Familia is Gaudí's greatest living work and an icon of Barcelona
Architect Antonio Gaudí dedicated his whole life to Sagrada
The temple is the main building of the famous Catalan architect Antonio Gaudí. The construction of the cathedral according to the design of architect Francis de Paul del Villar began in 1882, but at the end of the following year the work was taken over by Gaudí. After his death in 1926, construction continued according to his plans.
A perfect fusion of Gothic and Art Nouveau
The cathedral carries elements typical of Gothic and Art Nouveau style, although some deviations are noticeable. You would expect to find chapels here that were commonly found in medieval temples. Unfortunately there are none. The luxurious building is surrounded by a rectangular covered hallway. The chessboard system of the city impacted the shape of the whole building and, compared to traditional cathedrals, the Sagrada Familia is noticeably shorter in length. Another special feature is 3 different facades and portals. The masterpiece is 170 meters high. It contains 18 towers – twelve apostles, four evangelists, and the Virgin Mary with Jesus. Biblical symbolism is clearly incorporated into this building.
Where can you find it?
The luxurious building is located on the eastern coast of Spain in Barcelona. Not far from the cathedral is the Casa de les Punxes, a modernist building from 1905, referencing to the Gothic style, or Torre Agbar, the modern Barcelona skyscraper with a height of almost 150 meters.
The greatest treasure of the temple?
Perhaps the most amazing work of art are the 3 luxury magnificent facades symbolically facing three cardinal directions. Birth – Northeast, Martyrdom – Southwest and Resurrection – Southeast.
Sagrada Familia, along with other works by Antonio Gaudí, is on the UNESCO list. We will see if the assumption that it will be complete by 2026 is correct.
