La Sagrada Família or (The Holy Family) is a large Roman Catholic basilica still under construction in Barcelona Spain. Antoni Gaudí worked on the project for over 40 years, devoting the last 15 years of his life entirely to this construction; on the subject of the extremely long endeavour, Gaudí is said to have joked, "My client is not in a hurry." After Gaudí's death in 1926, work continued under the direction of Domènech Sugranyes until interrupted by the Spanish Civil War in 1935.


Parts of the unfinished building and Gaudí's models and workshop were destroyed during the Spanish Civil War by Catalan anarchists. The design, as now being constructed, is based both on reconstructed versions of the lost plans and on modern adaptations. Since 1940 the architects Francesc Quintana, Isidre Puig Boada, Lluís Bonet i Gari and Francesc Cardoner have carried on with the work. The current director and son of Lluís Bonet, Jordi Bonet i Armengol, has been introducing computers into the design and construction process since the 1980s. Sculptures by J. Busquets, Etsuro Sotoo, and the controversial Josep Subirachs decorate the fantastical façades.


According to the newspaper El Periódico de Catalunya, 2.26 million people visited the partially built basilica in 2004, making it one of the most popular attractions in Spain, alongside the Museo del Prado and Alhambra. The central nave vaulting was completed in 2000 and the main tasks since then have been the construction of the transept vaults and apse. Current work concentrates on the crossing and supporting structure for the main tower of Jesus Christ as well as the southern enclosure of the central nave which will become the Glory facade.


So really when you visit Barcelona this is somewhere that must be included on your sight-seeing check list.


The Sagrada Familia is situated in Mallorca, 401 · 08013 Barcelona
They can also be contacted by phone or fax with the following numbers:

Tel +34 93 207 30 31 · Fax +34 93 476 10 10

Or by Email at the following address:info@sagradafamilia.org