La Sagrada Família
Good for: architecture, Gaudi
- Address
- Carrer de Mallorca 401
- Transport
- Website
- Phone
- 93 207 30 31
- Price
- adult/senior & student €12/10
- Hours
- 9am-8pm
Lonely Planet review for La Sagrada Família
If you only have time for one sightseeing outing, this should be it. La Sagrada Família inspires awe with its sheer verticality and, in the true manner of the great medieval cathedrals it emulates, it’s still not finished after more than 100 years. Work is proceeding apace, however, and it might be done between the 2020s and 2040s. If the work should be carried on is the subject of controversy, but Spain’s most visited monument was consecrated by Pope Benedict XVI in late 2010. The main nave is now open for daily mass. Feathers were much ruffled by the high-speed train tunnel project, on which work began in 2010, that will pass in front of the church under Carrer de Mallorca. Church authorities fear that the tunnelling could damage the church’s foundations.
You could spend a couple of hours in here – the more you scrutinize decorative details, the more you see.
The church was the project to which Antoni Gaudí dedicated the latter part of his life. He stuck to a basic Gothic cross-shaped ground plan, but devised a temple 95m long and 60m wide, with capacity for 13,000 people. The completed sections and museum can be explored at leisure. Up to four daily guided tours (€4), lasting 50 minutes, are offered. You can enter from Carrer de Sardenya and Carrer de la Marina. Audioguides (€4) are available and it costs a further €2.50 per ride on the lifts that take you up inside one of the towers on each side of the church. Combined tickets with Casa-Museu Gaudí in Park Güell are available.
Traveller reviews for La Sagrada Família (11)
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Absolute masterpiece still in progress
octagonal33 recommends this,
Taking several hundred years to build, Gauidi's most famous building is still not finished and one can only imagine what the final result will be, what a genius! Even as it is stands today, this is a must see. Take the stairs up the top to get some amazing views of Barcelona and beyond.
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Gaudi's vision still being realised
humbucker recommends this,
In my opinion this is the most remarkable cathedral in the Europe. Gaudi was one of a kind and this was to be his crowning achievement. What makes it all the more compelling to visit is the opportunity to see the construction of this wondrous building still underway. Be sure to climb the towers.
Good for: architecture, Gaudi
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Antonio Gaudi is my hero
steveomac recommends this,
Ever since the Barcelona Olympics, I have wanted to visit Barcelona and see La Sagrada Família....eventually I made it there and boy was glad I did! La Sagrada Família is absolutely breath-taking, it is certainly the top of my list of sights for the trip so far, and definitely one of the coolest things I have ever seen. Gaudi paid so much attention to the detail of the design, and built symbolism into almost every aspect.
At times I doubt whether generations of recent history have contributed anything of significant beauty and grandeur to the world, and of course I'm wrong, but after seeing La Sagrada Família which is still a work in progress, I am reassured that something of true worth is happening right now.
The only problem with it still being a work in progress is its impossible to get a decent picture without cranes or scaffolding spoiling the vista.
La Sagrada Família is scheduled to finish construction in 2026, the 100th anniversary of Antonio Gaudi's death.... I'm already planning my return visit!!
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