Sagrada Familia Cathedral: Barcelona’s Top Tourist Attraction

Sagrada Familia Cathedral is Antoni Gaudi’s masterpiece in Barcelona, Spain. He started constructing the building in 1883 and worked on it until he died in 1926.

Although Sagrada Familia Cathedral is still under construction, tourists from all over the world flock to Barcelona to see this building. The projected completion date is the year 2040.

The cathedral is one of the most important religious buildings in the world; in fact, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site even before its completion.

Architecture

Sagrada Familia Cathedral may be a modern building, but it follows the traditions of early great cathedrals. The temple is based on Gothic and Byzantine architectural design, with a heavy emphasis on Christian symbolism.

Virtually every element of the temple is imbued with meaning. The height of the cathedral symbolizes Christ elevating the faithful people towards him.

The facades of Sagrada Familia Cathedral each has a story to tell about Christ. The first tells of his birth, the second of his death and resurrection, and the third of his present and future glory.

The 18 magnificent towers represent Christ, the Virgin Mary, the Four Gospels, and the 12 Apostles.

History of Sagrada Familia Cathedral

Sagrada Familia Cathedral was conceived in 1866 by Josep M. Bocabella who started working on the project in 1874. Antoni Gaudi created a grand design for the building and worked hard to see his design executed.

The cathedral was designed to display the life and gospel of Christ in its walls. When Antoni Gaudi died in 1926, the work was carried on by Domènec Sugrañes.

Gaudi’s successors were able to continue the steady growth of the building; they repaired the vandalism sustained during the Spanish Civil War. By the turn of the millennium, the vaulting in the central nave was completed and artistic work to the building came alive.

Tours at Sagrada Familia Cathedral

A standard ticket costs 15 Euros. An audio guide and ticket combo can be purchased for 22 Euros. For 24 Euros, you can choose either a live guided tour or the audio tour with admittance into the workshop of Gaudi. At an extra cost, you will have access to the tower where you will be mesmerized by the views of the city of Barcelona.

You can purchase your tickets online or at the entrance gate. I would advise you to purchase your tickets online and in advance; the ticket line is ridiculously long at the gate, you will waste precious time.

Please know that if you are only interested in viewing the outside of the cathedral you do not need to buy a ticket as the cathedral stands in plain view; you will be able to take nice pictures from Sagrada Familia Metro Station.For more information on entry fees click here. Another stunning place in Barcelona you must see is Ciutadella Park.

Getting there & Opening Hours

By metro: Lines 5 and 2 will take you there; the nearest station is Sagrada Familia. The second you walk out of the station you will see the cathedral right there in front of you (so ladies, you can wear those nice shoes reserved for short distances when you are determined to travel with style!)

By bus: Buses 19, 33, 34, 43, 44, 50, 51, B20 and B24 go there.

Sagrada Familia Cathedral is open at 9 am, closing time varies depending on the four seasons. Click here for actual opening hours. The address is Carrer de Mallorca, 401, 08013 Barcelona, Spain. Here is a map of the Sagrada Familia grounds. For more information on Sagrada Familia Cathedral visit their Official Website.