You know that feeling when you’re in something bigger than yourself, and you’re just overwhelmed by the beauty that consumes you? Well, so many people experience the beauty of architecture in Barcelona, Spain. One of the most famous structures in Barcelona is La Sagrada Familia Church. This church has made an impact on people all over the world. Antoni Gaudi was an incredible artist who loved art and wanted to share it with the world. He had a vision for The Sagrada Familia project and knew he himself would never finish it in his lifetime. The Sagrada Familia Church is one of the most famous structures still under construction in the world, yet it remains a popular destination.

The Sagrada Familia is very popular and is visited often. According to Barcelona Tickets, about three million people come to visit the church a year. You may, however, ask why it is so popular. The church is a well-known structure because of its artist, Antoni Gaudi. According to Artnews.com, “Gaudí is best known for his intricate structures throughout Barcelona, with the storied Basílica de la Sagrada Família having become one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe in the last century.” Antoni includes detailed pictures throughout the church, his most famous, The Nativity Scene. The Nativity Scene is a sculptured picture of the birth of Jesus. It shows each person who played a part in Jesus’ birth. Ms. Karmel recently visited La Sagrada Familia and was asked what the nativity scene was like, and she said, “ There are so many details that it is hard to describe. Gaudi focused on light and time, and he planned how the light would hit each portion of the Nativity facade as the day dawned. He included everything you can think of that has to do with the life of Christ, Mary, and Joseph-La Sagrada Familia-the sacred family.” Now you are probably thinking, I see the Nativity Scene every Christmas. Why would I make a trip just for that? Well, The Nativity Scene was the only part Gaudi was alive to build himself. The rest of the structure was built off of his designs. This makes it much more special to see the last structure he poured his life’s work into. Ms. Karmel also added, “Gaudi was a master of detail and formed everything based on religion and nature. It is amazing. There are three facades to the church. The Nativity, Passion, and Glory Facades-Glory is still under construction.” Like Ms. Karmel previously said there is so much detail and time that was put into The Sagrada Familia.

Sure the Nativity Facade is an incredible piece of art, but the rest of the building is still incredible. Ms. Karmel was asked what her favorite part was, “I love the stained glass windows and all of the imagery inside and outside of the church.” The windows attract people because of the details in them and their radiate beauty. Now you may ask what the windows are made of. According to Sagradafamilia.org, “ The option he chose for the Sagrada Família, however, was leaded glass, backed by more than six hundred years of experience. The lead lines that divide the window into small pieces allow them to move, expand, and contract, as well as making it possible to choose just the right color for each piece.” According to Musmon.com the stained glasses have great in-depth detail, “So far, the windows that are in place are those in the apse; the Facade of the Passion, which is dedicated to water, light and the Resurrection; and those in the Portal of the Nativity, which allude to the birth of Christ, poverty and life.” There is much more to the windows than what we would expect. The artist of the windows, however, was not Gaudi. The artist was Joan Vila-Grau. Joan was a Spanish painter and stained glass artist. Because of his talent, Gaudi thought he was the best fit.
Another part of the Sagrada Familia is the three facades. The first facade is the Nativity Facade as previously discussed. The second facade is the Passion Facade representing Jesus’s death and resurrection. The third facade represents Glory and ascension into heaven. Each facade is very detailed, and you can tell how much time was spent on them. The Passion Facade was finished in 1976. Gaudiallgaudi.com, “The Passion Facade was recently built. Located in the street, Sardenya, and is oriented to the west. This facade represents the passion and the death of Jesus. According to this function, it has an austere and extraordinarily naked appearance, with geometric edged forms.” The third facade, The Glory Facade, started construction in 2002, and to this day is not finished. However, it is expected to be finished in 2026. According to Musman.com, the facade will look like, “ The most spectacular feature of the facade will be the illuminated clouds, which will be placed on the columns. They will represent the Holy Trinity: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They will contain the Creed, in large lettering, and will be placed on sixteen great lanterns placed in ascending order.”

Now to dive into why the facade and the overall church are still being worked on. Ms. Karmel was asked if she saw construction happening when she was there and she said, “Yes, but there has been a tremendous amount of work accomplished in the last few years.” Gaudi expected La Sagrada Familia to take a while, “The construction of the expiatory temple of La Sagrada Familia began in 1882. The Sagrada Família has been under construction for 140 years, with the work beginning back in 1882. It’s now in the final phase, and it is expected to be fully completed by 2030 or 2032.” The glory facade is expected to be done by 2026, so what is going to take another four to six years to build? They are also finishing towers that represent The Virgin Mary, Jesus, The Evangelist Tower, and The Apostle Tower. Ms Karmel added, “The tower representing Mary is finished and they are hoping to finish the Jesus tower this year.” Diving into what each tower looks like, Barcelona Tickets explains the Virgin Mary Tower, “Gaudi has deliberately made the tower of Jesus to not be taller than Montjuïc hill as a mark of respect to the Creator and has also ensured that the tower of the Virgin Mary doesn’t go beyond Jesus’. This Sagrada Familia Tower was inaugurated on December 8, 2021. The highlights of the tower are the beautifully crafted, mosaic-decorated top and the star of the Virgin Mary which is illuminated daily.” Barcelona Tickets also says the Jesus tower is supposed to look like, “A careful observation of Gaudi’s design shows he envisioned the Temple structure to be in a hierarchical, vertical rise that depicts the rising of the human being to divinity, and the tower of Jesus is at the very top of it all. Right in the middle of the towers of the four evangelists, the tower of Jesus will stand tallest. It will rise to a height of 172m and will be the highest church tower in the world and the tallest structure in Barcelona.” Barcelona Tickets shares what The Apostles Tower looks like, “Each of the three facades includes four towers dedicated to one of the 12 devoted followers of Jesus.” The Evangelist Tower is like, “The Sagrada Familia’s plan features six central towers, of which four are dedicated to the four evangelists—Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John—whose works have led to the preservation of Christian history and religion.” Now you may ask, why is it still under construction? The construction was postponed multiple times because of design plans changing, civil war, and COVID-19. Artnet.com says, “Since his death in 1926, the project has been hindered variously by civil war, funding problems, conservation work, permit applications, and then the pandemic. The most recent date set for the cathedral’s completion is 2026.” The towers are expected to also be done in 2026, but because both the facades and the towers are still under construction this could push the finish date back. They are really counting on finishing this in 2026 on his death date.

The Sagrada Familia Church is one of the most famous structures still under construction in the world, yet remains a popular destination. About three million people come to visit the historical church. The church obtains most of its guests because of its well-known artist, Antoni Gaudi. His work is all over Barcelona, Spain, and attracts thousands of tourists every year to Barcelona. Many come just to see La Sagrada Familia. The detail in La Sagrada Familia is one of the most detailed pieces of art Gaudi ever did. There are three facades, The Glory Facade, The Nativity Facade, and The Passion Facade. Each represents a huge part of Jesus’ life. Construction is still happening but is expected to be done soon in 2026. Will the completion of La Sagrada Familia be completed on its artist, Antoni Gaudi’s, death date?