Let’s not forget what Gaudí said about not being able to finish the construction himself.
“It is not a disappointment that I will not be able to finish the temple. I will grow old, but others will come after me. What must always be preserved is the spirit of the work; its life will depend on the generations that transmit this spirit and bring it to life.” A. Gaudí
Is the Sagrada Familia under construction since 1882?
Yes, dear friends, we are still working on the construction of the Sagrada Família.
It all started back in 1866 when Mr. Josep Maria Bocabella founded the Catholic Association, “the Devotees of Saint Joseph.” A few years later, they began to campaign to construct an Expiatory Temple dedicated to the Holy Family.
They bought a plot of land in 1881, and in 1882, under the direction of the architect Francisco de Paula del Villar, construction began. Mr. del Villar resigned one year later, and this was when everything changed. The Association then chose as the new architect a young man called Antoni Gaudí i Cornet, who would devote around 43 years of his life to this unique project.
While he was building all the other fantastic projects that we can see in the city, he always had some time for the Sagrada Família, and for the last 12 years of his life, he worked almost exclusively here.
He was able to finish the Crypt, the apse wall, and one of the façades (the one you can see in the picture).
All Barcelonians above the age of 30 have clear memories of the church without a ceiling or an inside structure.
Gaudí died in 1926 without having finished the whole design, and 10 years later, at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War, his workshop was completely burned out, and most of the paper plans he kept there were lost. Luckily, some information and plaster models survived.
In 1954, work began on the construction of the Pasion Façade, but the most crucial date in the 21st century was November 7, 2010, when Pope Benedict XVI consecrated the church.
Most of the work is now focused on constructing the 6 towers on the rooftop of the Basilica. At the end of 2023, the Virgin Mary Tower and the 4 towers of the Evangelist, Matthew, Marc, Luc, and John, have already finished. Once the architectural part of the Sagrada Família is complete, there will be an incredible 540-foot tower representing Jesus in the central part of the church.
Enjoy this video about the construction of the towers.
Testimonials
Great tour of Barcelona
I was in Barcelona for two weeks with two different groups. I booked Skip the Line Barcelona at the last minute just hoping for some generic info and no standing in line. What we got instead was two very good guides, great information, very professional, and a tour that far exceeded my expectations! This is a small company and now I know two of the three employees! I highly recommend it!
I got quick responses to my questions via email, it was easy to pay in advance and they chose a very easy meeting place– especially since we were coming by Metro. Would definitely use it again!
Highly recommended tour of the Sagrada Familia!
Very good organization. Everything went according to plan. 1.5 hour tour in English. The microphone system with headphones is very practical and discreet.
Our guide Alberto was passionate and thrilling! Thanks again to him for this very complete visit, and all the details on Barcelona, Gaudi, the Sagrada Familia. We have seen it all …
We were able to stay afterwards and continue to stroll, noses in the air …
Much emotion in this magical place, and for the genius of Gaudi.
Exciting tour of Sagrada Familia with a passionate guide
1 hour 30 minutes of happiness!
The commentaries in perfect English provided all the insights needed to understand, appreciate and taste the technical, religious and architectural feats desired by Gaudi. Visit to do absolutely.