Barcelona 2014 - La Sagrada Familia

Gaudi's masterpiece - La Sagrada Familia is so famous, it needs no introduction. Started in 1882 under architect Francisco de Paula del Villar, Gaudi took over the project 1 year later at the age of 31. From then on, Gaudi devoted his life to the construction of the church. He changed the original design drastically, and what we see today is the result of Gaudi's unique vision and of course the hard work of many architects, artisans and craftsmen who have laboured on the building over the years. The church is still unfinished. It will probably be finished in 2026 - about 144 years after the construction started.

  

It is very difficult to see the exterior of the church in its entirety as it is surrounded by other buildings. And of course, the building is still unfinished so you still see the construction cranes and scaffoldings. Luckily it is the interior where most of the magic is. To beat the long queues you can buy special tickets that allow you to jump the queues.

The carvings at the entrance to the church are so fine and intricate. You can also see the changes in style over the years as new generations of artisans work on the building. 

Once inside you will be in awe by the beautiful and unique vision of Gaudi, and marvel at the skill and the dedication that must have gone into making the building a reality.

The forms and geometries are so complex that it is hard to imagine how Gaudi worked out the designs. Nowadays, of course, the architects who work on the building use computers.

Don't miss the museum in the basement of the church which contains models and displays showing the processes that Gaudi and the construction team have gone through in building the church.