Tour of le Sagrada Familia

The Sagrada Família is a Catalan Romanesque architecture and sculpture museum-church in Barcelona, Spain. When finished, it will be the tallest church in the world. Construction started in 1882 (with a break from 1884-1902) and is predicted to be finished in 2026 at 98m tall. It is a symbol of Catalan nationalism.

This tour will take you behind the scenes of one of the most famous modern landmarks in Europe - Sagrada Família. You'll see all kinds of exciting details, like models and scale replicas of what the church will look like, sketches and drawings that reveal Antoni Gaudí's vision for the building, and other cool stuff you won't find anywhere else but here! So come with us on this fascinating exploration and find out why it is so special.

Tour duration: 3h

Elevator pitch: You will be in one of the most popular attractions in Barcelona, and you will get to see its secrets!

Tour price: 10€ per person (minimum six people) Meeting point on your arrival day at 3 pm in front of Sagrada Família. The start point is Plaza Catalunya between 9 am and 10 am (depending on the weather). You can directly book the Sagrada familia tour online. Show up on your arrival day between 9 am and 10 am at Plaza Catalunya in front of Sagrada Familia.

The church (favoured in the design by the architect Antoni Gaudí) also has a basilica, majestic crypts, and chapels. The central part of the building (the nave, transept, and choir) is composed of a series of small chapels (rather than large ones like most churches) on either side. There are almost no straight lines, and two huge courtyards are on its eastern and western sides, respectively. It has been called an "architectural miracle." According to architectural historian Cristina Ruiz-Domènech, it is one of the most complex buildings ever designed by any architect.

Because of its unique design it is considered the most critical structural and architectural project since the 16th century. It exhibits in its decoration and details many advanced construction techniques, using innovative materials (steel, concrete, and glass) and methods in sculpting stone not often used nowadays. For instance, the pillars inside the church use a very complex technique in which they are put together without being carved into rock first.

Over 170 varieties of marble from twelve countries are used for interior decoration. In addition, a piece of wood from Noah's Ark was also exposed at Sagrada Família (although it was "controversial" whether this wood was natural or not).

Sagrada Família was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2005.

The architects of Sagrada Família are Francesc Berenguer (first architect), Antoni Gaudí (master builder who continued the construction after Berenguer's death and supervised the work until 1926), Josep Maria Jujol (interior designer), and Oriol Bohigas I Gràcia (director of construction works, 1931-1933). In August 2010, it was announced that Antonio Vilanova I Gurb would take over as director of construction works from Bohigas. Vilanova was born in Barcelona and has been a member of the Foundation's board of directors since 1995.

The building was not started at once (perhaps to allow time for changes to the design, which would otherwise have been too drastic). Instead, the side chapels were built first, including those on the north and south sides. After that, in 1922, the front facade was built. It is dedicated to the Immaculate Concepción. Rows of substantial black pillars are used to divide the nave from transepts and choir.

The building will be opened in stages as each new part is finished, starting from the northeast corner (which will house a restaurant). It will not be completed until 2026.

The design and construction of the church caused a major sensation when it was initially unveiled, especially since most of the details were completed under Gaudí's direction after his death in 1926. Francesc Berenguer, who acted as an advisor to the project from its inception, was replaced as chief architect in 1927 by Josep Maria Jujol I Sabaté, who completed the structure and incorporated some new features while maintaining Gaudí's overall aesthetic.

The main architect of the Sagrada Família is Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926). The first priest to enter was Jaume Hostafé on December 31, 1926.

Antoni Gaudí, born in Barcelona in 1852, died on June 10, 1926. He is buried in October in the crypt of Sagrada Família. He is considered one of the greatest architects of all time and has been called "the Michelangelo of our age."

The Sagrada Família is considered a masterpiece for its detailed design and innovative construction techniques. It is also notable for being an elaborate example (with only 17 consecrated priests) of an early effort at exhibiting advanced construction techniques and materials to be used by architects (rather than just architects building churches).

The central nave is very tall; the main middle is much higher than the side naves. The dome is made of timber and will be covered by a sheet of copper.

The building is mainly based on two themes: natural forms (trees, flowers, seashells) and geometry (pyramids, stars).

To create his design, Gaudí studied natural forms such as trees and flowers for their structure and beauty. In particular, he studied the twisted shape of tree branches. He used this form in many places in the church (such as columns).

He also studied the forms of seashells and other natural objects, such as the "Flower of Life," which he used to decorate the church. He is known to have found a way to create a replica (in plaster) of this form, which was later used by artists such as Salvador Dalí.

Gaudí integrated many new materials into his design. The use of glass in Sagrada Família is remarkably innovative for its time because it is often used for decoration only (rather than structural support). As a result, the walls and floors are covered with glass mosaics. The stone wall around the church is also covered with curved tiles made from iron ore split by hand.

Gaudí also integrated cutting-edge technology into constructing some parts of the church. For instance, a glass elevator was installed to take stairs from the first floor to the sacristy on the second floor.

The main architect and members of his team were: Francesc Berenguer, Josep Maria Jujol i Sabaté, Antoni Gaudí, Josep Maria Jujol i Sabaté and Oriol Bohigas i Gràcia. The first priest to enter was Jaume Hostafé on 31 December 1926.

Engravings and photographs of Sagrada Família were published as early as 1885 (and ever since). The best one is the 1935 black & white reproduction published by Editorial Vergés. No other such good quality photo has been published since then.

Several guidebooks have also been published since the mid-1930s (covers shown below). The most famous one is written in Spanish by Josefina Sala, an author of many books related to Antoni Gaudí.

Since at least the 1970s, when it was reconstructed using contemporary materials, the Colònia Güell Chapel has often been mistaken for a part of Sagrada Família.

Some of the construction photos and other photos are shown below. Only some of them were published in the book "La Sagrada Família" by Josep Maria Jujol (one of Gaudí's assistants, later replaced by Berenguer). The photos below were most probably taken between 1908 and 1914.

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