La Sagrada Familia

Gaudi's masterwork is what will become the Barcelona's grandest cathedral - La Sagrada Familia. Construction has been going on for over 100 years, and they have finally just completed the Nave.



There are still over 25 more years to go to complete the last portion of it.













The vision for the Cathedral has survived the Spanish Civil War and Franco's dictatorship.






Though many of the plans were lost or destroyed, Gaudi's vision for the cathedral has remained, and been carried on by other artisans to see it through to completion.








Tony and I got up early and headed directly there to get in before the crowds did. It is easily Barcelona's main attraction.

It is an impressive building, with a considerable amount of sculpture on the outside, which is basically devided into three facades: The Passion facade, the Nativity facade, and the yet to be built Glory facade.






The Nativity facade is the only side that Gaudi saw completed in his lifetime. It is filled with naturalistic animals and shepherds and of course adoring people surrounding the Baby Jesus and his family.

This side was completed first as a means to help raise the funds to build the rest of the church.

The Passion facade was completed in the 1980s. It is in stark contrast to the natural shapes in the nativity facade and is much harsher and angular intentionally. It is constructed in the Expressionist (fascist) style to give it a colder harder look.




Tall spires that resembled ears of corn to me rise up on both sides. There are still the massive central spires yet to be built.












Underneath the cathedral are models showing the ongoing developement for the construction. Gaudi is also aptly buried here in the vault.




The inside of the cathedral is magnificent. It is amazingly inviting for such a large cement structure. The arches rise up in Gothic fashion, but Gaudi transforms them into symbolic trees. And with light filtering down from windows above, one gets the impression of wandering through a forest.








The stainglass windows are finally going in, and as of the time we were there, they were preparing for a Mass where the Pope would come to bless the Nave and open it for services. They were madly cleaning and testing out the organ.

It really will be a magnificent building when completed.

Sadly, Gaudi, a very devote catholic, who was living in the church like a monk during the period that he was working on the church was runover by a streetcar before too much of the construction was completed. It is great to see his vision nearing completion. I hope to be able to live to see it finished and perhaps visit it again at that time.