Sagrada Familia in Barcelona
Sagrada Familia or The Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia is among the hot tourist spots of Barcelona and admired unfinished masterpiece attractions. The construction being the important landmark of the Barcelona is under construction and is expected to be complete by 2041. It means "The Holy Family" and it is a huge Roman Catholic Basilica in Catalonia Spain, construction of which began in 1882 by the famous world renowned architect Antoni Gaudi. The idea for the construction of this church was instigated by Devote Organisation with an aim of bringing a final end to the Barcelonese dechristinisation, that was the result of industrialization and accumulating wealth of the city.
The construction of Sagrada Familia began in 1882 by buying a plot in 1877 in New Eixample district. The architect was Francisco de Paula del Villar who designed and started the construction. After one year Modern prime architect Antoni Gaudi took the charge when he was just 32, then after Gaudi's life was devoted in the massive construction work of this Roman Church. Gaudi never stuck to the plans of Francisco and kept changing the original plans and the designs. He concentrated his design on the forms of nature and the neo Gothic styles in the modern way. Gaudi died in 1926 and only single façade, the crypt, one tower and the apse construction was complete. Gaudi was never constant on his plans and designs and kept changing them often for doing it the world class structure.
The present architects have idea of what Gaudi wanted to do for the 60m/197feet wide and 95m/312 feet long Roman Catholic Church. The few designs that were left by Gaudi were obliterated in the 1936 civil war. The Sagrada Familia has huge capacity of accommodating 13,000 people. The structure, as per the plan is supposed to have 18 towers, three facades with four towers on each will be representing the 12 apostles. The towers will be reaching height of 394 feet. The four evangelists will be represented by the remaining four towers surrounding the 170m/558feet tall tower bestowed to Jesus Christ, Last tower will be built over the apse and dedicated to Virgin Mary.
After the death of Gaudi in 1926, the construction was stopped due to civil war and lack of funds. The actual again took its turn in 1950s and eight towers and two facades are complete by now, in 2000 the main nave was roofed. The ongoing construction has been focused on the southern façade called the Glory Facade and on the nave; the façade will be depicting the life and death of man. East facing façade is called the Nativity façade and was constructed first and completed by Gaudi himself. Then is the Passion Façade apposite to Nativity façade constructed in 1954 and the sculpture of Jesus crucification was added in 1987.
But this Passion Façade was considered as abstract and different from the Gaudi's creation and was put under lot of criticisms. This Sagrada Familia is worth visiting. Gaudi's crypt is buried and the museum has a story to tell of its creator and history of itself.