Sagrada Familia Cathedral
History of the construction of the Sagrada Familia
The Sagrada Familia is one of the major creations of the genius architect Antonio Gaudi with his own inimitable architectural style. The temple can be called his life’s work and the crowning moment of his creation. Its design and construction lasted 43 years. Gaudi was a deeply religious man and believed that the cathedral should embody the New Testament in its appearance.
Work on the construction of the temple began in 1882, and the first project belonged to Francisco de Villar, who a few years later handed over the construction to Gaudi. Francisco had originally conceived the cathedral in the Neo-Gothic style, but Gaudi went his own way. All three facades, topped by four towers, were to have the same stylistic design. Altogether there were twelve towers, which symbolized the twelve apostles.
Gaudí gave each of the facades a name: The Nativity, The Passion and The Resurrection, and they were all dedicated to a certain period of Christ’s life. Antonio began his work on the facades in 1892, focusing on the birth of Christ, believing that the Passion of Christ would not be understood by everyone.
The eternal construction
Despite the fact that Gaudi made a lot of efforts, he never had time to complete work on the Temple of the Holy Family. In 1926, the architect died under very tragic circumstances, leaving a few options for designing the facades. There were still long debates about whether to continue the unfinished construction, and even attempts were made, which ended in failure. But after a while construction was resumed.
It is planned to finish construction by 2026, the projected height of the temple is 172 meters – one and a half times the current size. Still, despite the fact that Antonio Gaudi managed to build only 15% of the total volume of the Sagrada Familia, he is its universally recognized author.
The Sagrada Familia cathedral (Sagrada Familia) is not only the main attraction of Barcelona, but also one of the most unique monuments of world architecture. Each year millions of tourists visit this majestic edifice that amazes even the least artistic people, even though it is not yet finished.
Where to eat near Sagrada Familia?
There are numerous restaurants and cafés around Sagrada Familia to refresh yourself after a long day’s sightseeing. At La Paradeta you can enjoy a fresh seafood lunch for only 15 to 20 Euros, but be aware that it is self-service. The restaurant Babilonia offers a wide choice of wonderful Mediterranean dishes, the average bill per person is about 20 euros. The luxurious La Cupula restaurant will appeal to connoisseurs of haute cuisine, here you can order a great dinner with wine for 40-50 euros.