The Sagrada Familia cathedral
Pope Benedict XVI is due in Barcelona on Sunday 7th November 2010 to perform the opening ceremony on the Expiatory Church of the Holy Family (La Sagrada Familia.). The Queen and spanish King Juan Carlos, their son and princess Letizia did attend the ceremony.
The previous day he will be in Santigao de Compostela in Galicia.
The Sagrada Familia has never been a cathedral. Barcelona’s cathedral is the one in the gotic area , called La Seu. The church was named after Barcelona’s patron saint Eulalia. Its official name – Catedral de la Santa Creu i Santa Eulalia – is Catalan for Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia. The commonly used name La Seu refers to the status of the church as the seat of the diocese.
The pope gave to the Sagrada Familia the honorary titel of a Basilica de la Sagrada Familia : The Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família.
Address : Carrer Mallorca 401
Metro : Sagrada Familia orVerdaguer Good tips: Avoid queue , buy your entrance tickets in one of the bank Caixa terminal
Phone : 93 207 30 31
Web Sagrada Familia
Open from: October to March 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
April to September 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Entrance fee : 12,50 € with audioguide 16,50 € (2011)
Buy your ticket online to avoid queue.
Good Tip : if you want to go up into a tower, there is usually a big queue waiting for the elevator. Go to the back door entrance of the church , there is also a lift on side of the back door and less people will be waiting for the lift !!!
Fee for the elevator : 2,50 €
La Sagrada Família is under construction since 1882 and it should get finished by 2040. Its real name is the Expiatory Temple of the Sagrada Familia. Gaudi was very religious.
Architect Gaudi (1852-1926) devoted much of his life to working on the building. At the time of his death only the Nativity Facade with one tower and the crypt were complete.
Today visiting the building is visiting a construction site, the admission fees are paying for the building of the church.
The church as designed will have 18 towers, four on each facade, symbolising the 12 apostles and a massive central tower (560 feet high) over the nave crossing symbolising Christ. The other 5 towers will symbolise the 4 evangelists and the Virgin Mary. The three major facades will depict : the Nativity, the Passion and the Glory of Christ. The building will be three hundred and ten feet long by hundred and ninety seven feet wide. Finished it will seat 13,000 people.
When the church is finished, it will have 18 towers: 12 dedicated to the apostles, 4 to the evangelists, one to Jesus and another to Mary.
As for his entire work, Gaudi had taken much of his inspiration from nature : there are giant turtles supporting the columns on the Nativity Facade, and giant shells on the apse.
The work has continued over the years leaving the building with different colours and different sculptural treatments. The work on the Passion Facade started in 1954, and the nave was roofed over in 2000. The interior of the church is breathtaking in its size and design.
Since 2003, the catholic church is considering Gaudi becoming a Holy Saint .
Definitely worth a visit!
Entrance door , called the Passion. Below, the inside of the cathedral
Related Barcelona posts:
- SAGRADA FAMILIA: How to avoid the queue to buy your ticket
The Sagrada Familia is Gaudis most famous building and certainly the most popular monument in Barcelona. The cathedral, which is still under construction and said to be finished in 2026, is defenitely a “must see” when visiting Barcelona. Like Critic Rainer Zerbst says “it is probably impossible to find a... - Barcelona Gothic Cathedral La Seu
Barcelona Gothic Cathedral La Seu Adress: Plaza de la Seu (Metro Jaume) Entrance door on Plaza de la Seu and on carrer de la Bisbe (very nice old street) Barri Gothic district Entrance fee : free... - Basilica Sagrada Familia Barcelona
Opening ceremony of the Sagrada Familia by Pope Benedict XVI.... - Casa Batllo Gaudi Barcelona
Casa Batlló from architect Gaudi is on the Passeig de Gracia 43 Website Casa Batló Entrance fee : 20,35 € (2012) audio guide included in the price. Children under 7 years : free entrance. You can purchase tickets online. Skip the line! Priority access buying online tickets. Schedule : everyday from... - The Güell Palace – Palau Güell from Gaudi
Palau Güell carrer Nou de la Rambla 3-5 Metro L3 Liceu or Drassanes +34 934725775 Website Palau Güell Open Tuesday to Sunday Summer (April 1st to September 30th) from 10 am to 8 pm Winter (October to March 31st) from 10 am to 5.30 pm Entrance fee : 10 €...