Not Gaudí's project at first
The first architect, Francisco de Paula del Villar, planned an ordinary neo-Gothic church. After a dispute he left, and in 1883 the job went to a 31-year-old Gaudí, who reimagined the whole building.
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Sagrada Família: a church built over 140 years
Begun in 1882 and taken over by a young Antoni Gaudí a year later, the Sagrada Família has been under construction for more than 140 years. When it's finished, its central tower will be the tallest church tower in the world.
Begun1882
ArchitectAntoni Gaudí, from 1883
Towers planned18
Tallest tower172.5 m (planned)
Hear the Sagrada Família story, in the app's voice
A short preview. The full story plays on its own when you walk up to it with Urban Tales.
Three stories most visitors miss
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A quarter finished
From 1914 Gaudí worked on nothing else. When he died in 1926, after being hit by a tram, less than a quarter of the basilica was built. Others have continued from his models and drawings ever since.
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A stone forest
Inside, the columns branch like trees and the stained glass turns the light green and blue on one side and red and orange on the other. It was consecrated as a basilica in 2010.
TipBook tickets online well in advance; same-day tickets often sell out. The light inside is best in the late afternoon, through the western windows. With Urban Tales running, the basilica's story plays as you arrive.
Nearby landmarks
Sagrada Família: common questions
Why is the Sagrada Família still not finished?
It has been paid for mostly by donations and ticket sales, Gaudí's design is enormously complex, and work stopped during the Spanish Civil War, when part of his workshop was destroyed.
How long did Gaudí work on the Sagrada Família?
From 1883 until his death in 1926, and exclusively from 1914.
How tall will the Sagrada Família be?
Its central Tower of Jesus Christ is planned to reach 172.5 metres, which will make it the tallest church tower in the world.