Sagrada Familia
Hola, chicos!
The Guardian reports that perhaps the world’s most famous long-term construction project might finally be completed. According to the president of the company building the Temple of the Sagrada Família, the work is expected to finish in 2026 – the year marking 100 years since Antoni Gaudí’s death. Though he immediately added that the decorative elements should be completed by 2034. So, it seems the towers might finally be done.
Well… we’ve waited 140 years, we can wait a bit more.
Actually no, I can’t wait any longer. Come on, I’ll show you what it looks like inside now. The interior seems to be nearly finished.
Where it is and how to get there
Basilica de la Sagrada Família:
Metro station Sagrada Família – lines L2 and L5
Bus stop “Mallorca – Marina” – buses 19, 33, 34, D50, H10, N1, N9
Tickets
Official website: sagradafamilia.org. There are four types of tickets:
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Entrance ticket to the Sagrada Família + free audio guide via the app
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Ticket + guided tour (in English or Spanish)
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Ticket + access to the tower
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Ticket + guided tour + tower access
If you can’t get tickets on the official website, they’re also available on Tiqets.
I don’t know what it’s like in the very low season, but in spring, summer, and autumn, it’s impossible to get into the Sagrada Família without pre-booked tickets. Last November, I couldn’t buy tickets two days before visiting — they were sold out for a week ahead. This year, I took care of it early, two weeks in advance, and only tickets without tower access were available. So consider yourself warned.
Important to know before visiting
No fast tracks — that is, there are no passes that let you skip the queue into the church. Tickets are purchased not only for a specific date but also for a time slot. You can arrive about 15 minutes beforehand. There isn’t a queue as such. The line is for security screening, like at the airport when entering the secure area. And this is not a perfunctory check with dozing security guards. There’s a bag scanner and a metal-detector arch — you have to empty every coin from your pockets, take out your chewing gum, turn on your phone, no water is allowed, and they’ll go over you five more times with a handheld scanner for good measure.
History
I can’t just show you pictures — I need to add some text too. Don’t worry, as always, I’ll keep it short.
“Sagrada Família” means “Holy Family” in Spanish and is dedicated to Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and Saint Joseph. The project was initiated by a charitable association whose goal was to create a temple in honor of the Holy Family — one that would reflect Christian values and strengthen family bonds.
Construction began in 1882 and continues to this day, making it one of the longest-running architectural projects in the world. It was originally designed by Francisco de Paula del Villar, but he was soon replaced by Antoni Gaudí, who completely transformed the plan, making it far more ambitious and unique. Gaudí devoted the last 15 years of his life to the project — he even lived in a small house on the construction site. But he managed to complete only one of the towers.
Why it’s taking so long to build
There are several reasons why the Sagrada Família has been under construction for more than 140 years:
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The complexity of the project. Gaudí’s architectural style and techniques are unique and required the development of entirely new construction methods.
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The Spanish Civil War. In 1936, the civil war began, and many of Gaudí’s original drawings were lost or destroyed, which made further progress much more difficult.
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Funding. From the very beginning, the temple has been financed solely through donations, which has significantly slowed down the process.
Interior
Gaudí was inspired by nature and sought to create the feeling of a forest: the columns resemble trees, and the light filtering through the stained glass windows gives the impression of sunbeams breaking through the leaves.
I’ve been inside the church twice — this year and ten years ago. And even though I’ve seen a lot of different and extraordinary things over the years, the Sagrada Família is absolutely mind-blowing. It’s one of those places that no photo or video can ever truly capture — especially on a sunny day.
Is it an active church?
Yes, the Sagrada Família is an active church. In 2010, it was consecrated by Pope Benedict XVI and became a basilica. Regular services are held here, although the main nave is still under construction.
The Sagrada Família is not Barcelona’s main cathedral. Yes, it’s the largest, it’s incredibly beautiful, and it’s one of the most famous churches in the world — but the city’s actual cathedral is the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia (Catedral de la Santa Creu i Santa Eulàlia). It’s more commonly known simply as the Barcelona Cathedral. It’s dedicated to Saint Eulalia, one of the city’s patron saints, who, according to legend, was martyred by the Romans for her faith. The cathedral is located in the Gothic Quarter. I should probably write a post about it… There’s a nice viewpoint there — and geese grazing in the courtyard.
The Facade of the Sagrada Família
A few photos from outside.
The church has three main facades, each symbolizing key moments in the life of Jesus Christ:
The Nativity Facade — depicts the birth of Jesus. It’s the only facade that was almost completed during Gaudí’s lifetime. It’s richly decorated with scenes from nature and dedicated to joy and hope. This facade faces east, toward Plaça de Gaudí.
The Passion Facade — tells the story of Christ’s suffering and death. It has a much more austere and minimalist look, with sharp lines and dramatic figures meant to emphasize the tragedy of the events. This facade faces west, toward Carrer de Sardenya and Plaça de la Sagrada Família.
The Glory Facade — symbolizes the Resurrection and the future Second Coming. It will be the largest and most majestic of the three, but it’s still under construction. This facade faces south, onto Carrer de Mallorca.
The Eighteen Towers of the Basilica
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12 towers represent the Apostles;
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4 represent the Evangelists (authors of the four canonical Gospels of the New Testament, which tell the story of Jesus’s life, teachings, death, and resurrection);
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one tower is dedicated to the Virgin Mary;
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and the tallest central tower will represent Jesus Christ.
When all the towers are completed, the basilica will reach a height of 172.5 meters, making it the tallest religious building in Europe. Gaudí intentionally designed it to be slightly lower than Montjuïc Hill, believing that human creation should never surpass that of nature.
An attentive reader might notice that in the next photo, the towers look different. Indeed, the previous facade shots were taken two years ago. Since then, the towers of the Evangelists have been completed, along with their decorative details.
Only one tower left to finish!
Where to take photos with a view of the Sagrada Família
There’s a park next to the basilica with a small pond. It’s the best spot for photos, because on all other sides the church is tightly surrounded by buildings, and you simply can’t step back far enough to fit it all into the frame.
The park itself is tiny — there are homeless people sleeping around and tourists taking pictures. Just a reminder, the Nativity Facade faces the park. Walk around a bit and find the angle you like most. I recommend the spot near the playground, behind the pond. Just make sure to come in the first half of the day or close to sunset. After sunset, it doesn’t look good — like in this photo I took back in 2019.
It’s already 2025, and this photo is from the same spot. Spot the difference — see what has been built over the past few years.
Climbing the Towers of the Sagrada Família
As I mentioned before, there are two types of tickets: entrance only, and entrance + towers. You can climb one of the two towers. I finally managed to get to the very top, having bought tickets for the right date. I even carefully chose which tower to climb, checking where the sun would be before noon and looking at the map to see the view.
And honestly — I have to tell you — it’s a complete waste of time and money. Don’t go up the towers. It’s an absolute rip-off.
First, you take the elevator to the very top. You step out — there’s a small construction area, with building work on one side and a partial view of Barcelona on the other. You look around for a minute, then descend the long, narrow spiral staircase back to the hall. That’s it. You went up by elevator and walked down. That’s the whole “attraction.”
And this is the very pond I mentioned earlier — the one behind which you should take photos.
