The Basilica of the Sagrada Familia is the most famous work of Antoni Gaudí (Reus, 1852 - Barcelona, 1926) and the clearest exponent of his visionary genius, as well as being one of the main symbols of Barcelona. Started in 1882, Gaudí dedicated the last years of his life exclusively to this ambitious work that was left unfinished and is still under construction. It is considered the masterpiece of Gaudí, and the greatest exponent of Catalan modernist architecture. It is the most visited monument in Catalonia, one of the most visited monuments in Spain (with the Prado Museum and the Alhambra in Granada), and the most visited church in Europe after the Basilica of San Pedro in the Vatican.
If you do not have time to visit the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia inside, at least visit it from the outside. Surround it to verify the differences between the construction stage that began under the direction of Antoni Gaudí and the next stage after his death. Below we explain how to get to the Sagrada Familia from several key places in Barcelona. Remember that the Tourist Bus stops next to this impressive monument.
Symbolic architecture
Antoni Gaudí conceived the Sagrada Familia according to the tradition of the Gothic and Byzantine cathedrals. With its structure and decoration of the building it wanted to express the Christian beliefs and to foment the evangelical message. It can be said that it achieved a symbiosis between Christian form and symbolism, with a peculiar architecture of new forms and geometries inspired by nature, and light and color as protagonists.
The Sagrada Familia, World Heritage Site
In 2005, Unesco included Gaudí's work (the façade of the Birth and the Crypt), on the World Heritage Site "Works by Antoni Gaudí", and is part of the register of Bienes Culturales de Interés Nacional of the Catalan heritage and of the Bienes de Interés Cultural of the Spanish heritage. In addition, the temple was consecrated and declared minor Basilica in 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI.
When will the Sagrada Familia be finished?
Jordi Faulí, the architect who directs the final stage of the construction of the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia, announced that the Sagrada Familia would be finished in 2026, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, it is expected to be completed in 2030. The works will conclude with the construction of the six central towers: four dedicated to the evangelists (San Mateo, San Lucas, San Marcos and San Juan), one dedicated to the Virgin Mary (already completed) and another to Jesus. The tallest of the towers, the one dedicated to Jesus, will measure 172 meters, converting the Basilica the highest religious building in Europe.
Schedule to visit the Sagrada Familia in 2022
From November to February
- From Monday to Saturday, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Sundays, from 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
March and October
- From Monday to Saturday, from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- Sundays, from 10:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
From April to September
- From Monday to Saturday, from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- Sundays, from 10:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Days with special hours
- December 25 and 26 and January 1 and 6, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Where is it?
How to get there
Metro
Sagrada Família station (L2, L5).
Tourist Bus | Hop-On Hop-Off and Buses
The blue route of the official Tourist Bus of Barcelona stops next to the Sagrada Familia.
Buses: 19, 33, 34, 47, 62, B20, B24. D50, H10, V21, V23.
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