The Sagrada Familia, an unfinished masterpiece

La Sagrada Familia is a Roman Catholic basilica located in the city of Barcelona. The history of this monument began in 1874, when a local organisation decided to campaign for the construction of a church in honour of the holy family. Gaudí was not the original master builder of the church; it was in fact Francisco de Paula del Villar, a diocesan architect, who began the design and construction in 1882 before entrusting the project to Gaudí a year later. He completed his sketch in 1923, which is still under construction today. Since Gaudí's death, many other architects have taken up the project where he left off. This work of art was listed as one of Europe's must-see tourist attractions in January 2020, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Built as an expiatory temple, the Sagrada Familia was financed from the outset exclusively by private donations, as is still the case today thanks to the gifts received from the many admirers of Gaudí's masterpiece.

A warning for architecture fans! The Sagrada Familia is a feat of architecture that earned its reputation thanks to the artist Gaudí. What makes this monument so incredible is not just its exterior, but also its interior, with its height providing a beautiful illumination of the interior thanks to the stained glass windows. Its exterior is extravagant thanks to its three façades: the Nativity façade to the east, the Passion façade to the west and the Glory façade to the south, which is still under construction and will be the building's main façade, giving access to the church's central nave.

For some, seeing the outside of the Sagrada Familia is enough to satisfy their interest in Barcelona's main attraction, but many queue up, sometimes for hours, to have a look inside. Entrance to the Sagrada Familia expiatory temple allows you to visit, in addition to the construction site, the crypt where Gaudí is laid to rest, as well as a museum where you can observe the past, present and future of the temple through models, photographs, plans and decorative objects.

A visit to the towers takes you on a dizzying spiral inside a gigantic stone snail. The most courageous will climb the 426 steps of the spiral staircase to the top, from where you can admire a breathtaking panorama of Barcelona. Alternatively, you can take the lift.

📍 Location: C/ de Mallorca, 401, 08013 Barcelona, Spain

🚌 Getting there: located in the Eixample district, the Sagrada Familia is easily accessible by transport or on foot from the city centre. Nearby, there are two metro lines: line 2 and line 5, and you can get off at the Sagrada Familia stop, which is a 2-minute walk away. It is also accessible by bus

⏰ Timetable:

The Sagrada Familia is open all year round, every day from Monday to Sunday, it's just the opening hours that change

• March to October: 09:00 - 19:00.
• April to September: 9am - 8pm.
• November to February: 9.00 am - 6.00 pm.

On 25 and 26 December and 1 and 6 January, it can be visited from 9.00 am to 2.00 pm.

👛 Rates:

• Adults (over 30): €26.
• Students under 30: €24.
• Seniors (over 65): €21.
• Free for children under 11.

A word of advice, buy your tickets online, you'll be able to wait in a special, shorter queue, or even without a queue for some tickets with a guide.

🕑 On-site time: a visit to the Sagrada Familia is essential to discover the history of the city of Barcelona. Please allow 2 hours for the visit.