Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain

Sagrada Familia, the #1 Place on Any Barcelona Itinerary

The Sagrada Familia is one of Antoni Gaudi's most famous works in Barcelona and is an absolute must-see. The building is a giant basilica that has been under construction since 1882, and it's not expected to be completed at any time soon.

The construction of the basilica continues to be financed based on anonymous generous donations from millions of people and is thus known as an "expiatory" church. The Sagrada Familia is a symbolic expression in stone of the Christian faith. In this temple, an exaltation of the Family of Nazareth as a model for a united family, Christians, especially Roman Catholics, can recognize the tenets of their faith.

Likewise, it is an international center for spirituality which invites people of all beliefs and religions to share the sense of life-based on love, harmony, good, generosity and peace.

Gaudi worked on the design of the Sagrada Familia and played an active role in directing the construction for 43 years until his death in 1926. His intention was to express Christian belief through the architecture and the beauty of the building and deliver the message of the Evangelists. Gaudi achieved a symbiosis between form and Christian iconography, with a personal architecture generated via new but thoroughly logical structures, forms and geometries inspired by nature, with light and color also playing a central role.

The various architectural elements are imbued with hierarchically organized Christian symbolism. Thus, each of its 18 towers has a special significance. The one in the middle is dedicated to Jesus Christ, around it are four towers representing the books containing his life and teachings, and the rest are in honor of Virgin Mary and the Apostles.