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No visit to Barcelona is complete without seeing the works of famed architect Antoni Gaudí. From the lampposts in Plaça Reial to Palau Güell near La Rambla to the expansive Park Güell, Gaudí’s fingerprints are all over Barcelona. His masterpiece is still under construction, over 90 years after his death. This massive church, La Sagrada Familia, is an architectural wonder that can’t be missed when visiting Barcelona.
History of La Sagrada Familia
The full name of the Sagrada Familia is Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família. Gaudí took over the church’s construction in 1883 and devoted the rest of his life to the project. When he died in 1926, under 25% of the project was complete. The basilica has continued its sporadic construction in the century since, with interruptions due to the Spanish Civil War & lack of funds.
In recent years, progress has sped up thanks to engineering advancements and consistent funding through visitor entry fees. Many of Gaudí’s original plans were destroyed during the Spanish Civil War. However, La Sagrada Familia has been built as closely as possible to his original vision, incorporating his iconic mix of Gothic and Art Nouveau styles. The church is now planned for completion in 2026, in time for the 100th anniversary of the original architect’s death.
La Sagrada Familia Tickets
The popularity of Gaudí’s famous church continues to grow with each passing year. On my first visit to the cathedral, I went around 11 am on a January Wednesday, so I was able to buy a ticket for immediate entry. Being able to walk up and buy a ticket is now highly unlikely.
Instead, you need to buy La Sagrada Familia tickets ahead of time. There are several different ticket options. The cheapest and most readily available is the ground-level entry ticket. There are also tickets that include a guided tour. The most expensive tickets and tours provide access to the church’s towers. From these vantage points, you can see the ongoing construction.
La Sagrada Familia tickets are available from the official website here. Tickets sell out weeks in advance.
However, if tickets are sold out for the dates you want to visit, you still have hope. Private tour operators offer skip-the-line access and tours via sites such as Viator, Get Your Guide, and Tiquets. Check those sites for wider availability.
You might even consider including a visit to La Sagrada Familia as part of a larger Barcelona tour to ensure you don’t miss it. Tickets aren’t cheap, but honestly, it’s one of the most impressive places I’ve ever visited.
Getting to La Sagrada Familia
It’s easy to get to the Sagrada Familia from central Barcelona. Just take the Metro L2 or L5 lines to Sagrada Familia station. Barcelona has wisely allocated two blocks as parks on either side of the church. These parks make for excellent spots for taking photos of the building.
Since it’s so tall, you’ll want to see it both up close and from across the street. The park’s ponds have nice reflections of the basilica above.
Visiting La Sagrada Familia
After passing through the security near the entrance, you’ll find yourself at a plaza where you can gaze up at the details of the entryway. There is so much here that you could easily spend an hour looking at every detail of the façade. Every little bit has meaning. The entire building tells the story of the Bible. There are religious references to the Nativity at this entrance, but there are also many connections with the natural world.
In addition to being deeply religious, Gaudí also loved nature. He connected the two in this building, which features columns with sea turtles flanking the entryway. Inside and out, there are more references to nature.
Heading inside Sagrada Familia, there is no set path to follow. It’s impossible to not walk inside and immediately crane your neck up to see the high ceilings above you.
It’s truly remarkable just how open it is inside the Sagrada Familia. Comparatively thin columns hold up this massive building. The structure of the columns mimics trees, including a central Tree of Life.
To the right of the entrance is a small alcove where a video plays on repeat. The video is called “Gaudí: God’s Architect” and gives a nice introduction to his life and the building. This piece from “60 Minutes” is not the same video that plays, but it’s similar in theme and goes into even more detail.
The mix of architectural styles means that there’s something for everyone. The simple, cleaner elements of the interior counter the fine details of the façade.
The stained glass windows are both brightly colorful & detailed. The amount of windows allows the Sagrada Familia to be much brighter than you’d expect based on the exterior heft.
While most of the construction is taking place outside, there is still some work being done on the interior as well.
It’s easy to spend hours exploring every element of Gaudí’s masterpiece, especially if you have a camera. It’s truly a breathtaking experience. Around noon, bells chimed & Ave Maria was sung.
I’m not religious, so those aspects of the Sagrada Familia were not important to me. The purpose of the building could have been to celebrate “Star Wars” for all I care (which would be amazing, but I digress). What’s particularly impressive to anyone, both believers & non-believers of Catholicism, is the ingenuity & craftsmanship that has gone into this spectacular church. From an engineering standpoint, Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia is one of the finest buildings ever constructed by mankind. It’s impossible not to be blown away by everything you see around you. I imagine that if you’re religious, it’s even more moving.
If you are doing a La Sagrada Familia tower tour, pay attention to the time so you don’t miss it. There are queues and lockers in two corners of the church, depending on which corner you have booked. The access is self-guided, but you don’t get much time at the top before the next elevator full of people comes up.
The views are incredible, however.
On my first visit to La Sagrada Familia, I just did the general entry tour. When I visited again, I opted for the tower tour. Each time, I spent over an hour inside. When I went back outside, my neck was sore from looking up at the tall ceilings.
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Outside, more details have been carved into the building’s façade. This exterior portion is newer, both in construction & architectural influence.
Above you, towering cranes swing as construction continues.
In one of the corners of the churchyard is a model of what the completed Sagrada Familia will look like. It’s here that you realize that even though the basilica’s interior is now mostly complete, there is still a lot of work to be done outside.
Back outside the grounds, I visited the second park on the other side of the church to take in a final view in the bright winter sun. The park has kiosks, musicians, and artists. In total, I spent over two hours both inside and outside the church.
Despite being incomplete the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona is a modern wonder. Antoni Gaudí’s vision is still being fully realized, but what has been constructed so far is truly magnificent. If you have any interest in architecture whatsoever, if you’re visiting Barcelona, the Sagrada Familia can’t be missed.
