La Sagrada Familia

The Sagrada Familia

The Barcelona audio-guided tour brings you before the Sagrada Familia, the most famous work of Antoni Gaudi and one of the city's emblematic monuments. A basilica still under construction, this place of worship is discovered with respect, in the contemplation proper to such a building.

A timeless building site

Begun in 1882, this colossal building site evokes the work of the cathedral builders, who devoted their lives to works they would never see completed. The tower of Jesus, now crowned, rises to 172.5 metres and makes the Sagrada Familia the tallest church in the world. Gaudi had nonetheless made sure that it would not exceed the hill of Montjuic, the natural high point of Barcelona, so that the work of man would not surpass that of nature.

What there is to see

A masterpiece of Catalan modernism, the basilica unfolds its slender spires, its sculpted facades and an interior bathed in coloured light, where the columns evoke a forest of stone. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, it is visited with respect for the place of worship. The facades of the Nativity and the Passion, as well as the towers, are among the most striking elements.

Practical information

The Sagrada Familia is in the Eixample district of Barcelona. The visit is ticketed and subject to hours that vary by season; as it is very busy, it is best to plan well in advance. An active place of worship, the basilica requires proper dress and silence.

When was the Sagrada Familia begun ?

Construction began in 1882 and still continues today; the basilica is the most famous work of Antoni Gaudi.

Why does the basilica not exceed Montjuic ?

Gaudi wanted the human work not to exceed the hill of Montjuic, the natural high point of the city.