La Sagrada Familia – Christina’s Journey Journal

I am overdue writing this post as we have been back for a couple of weeks. But the memories of my 3rd time in Barcelona will last forever—as cliche as it sounds, Barcelona is unforgettable.

Let me begin by saying that I haven’t been to Barcelona in 37 years. While a lot has changed (including progress on La Sagrada Familia), there’s so many things that are exactly the same (Gothic Quarter).

Let’s start with La Sagrada Familia, the absolutely breathtaking basilica by the famous architect, Antoni Gaudí. I pulled out the old photo album from my studies in Spain. My first trip to Barcelona was before the Olympics in the early fall 1987. In fact, they were selling Olympic gear at that time and I still have a T-shirt that has the 1992 Summer Olympic emblem—that I bought in 1987! There was a lot of work preparing for those Olympics and that result is still present today.

Here is a picture that I took in the fall ‘87. I wrote next to this picture that it wouldn’t be ready for at least another 70 years. It’s been 37 and they’re now saying no longer than 5. I remember going inside and viewing the model of how it would look when completed. More redesign has been done based on the picture I took. I also remember taking the stairs and going up on another floor inside the church, which we were not allowed to do now. Sadly, I have no pictures inside except the below where I took a picture of the model inside the Basilica.

**THEN** – Fall 1987
This is a picture I took when we spent a long weekend in Barcelona.
Construction on La Sagrada Familia started on March 19, 1882 under another architect (Francisco de Paula del Villar). When he quit the following year, Gaudí took over and remained committed to this basilica until he died in 1926. It’s since been named a UNESCO World Heritage site. Looks like there were only four spires in 1987.

**NOW** – April 2025.
There are 14 spires today and when completed there will be 18 to represent the Twelve Apostles, Virgin Mary, the four Evangelists, and Jesus Christ. Covid delayed the completion date, which was supposed to be 2026. They’re saying within the next five years. It’s currently the largest unfinished Catholic Church in the world.

This picture (from 1987) was taken inside the church and was a model of how it would look upon completion. You’ll see how things have changed compared to the picture above and below!

Gaudí is known as “God’s Architect”, and has been put on the path to sainthood by the Vatican.

Let’s move to the inside…

Pictures don’t begin to capture the genius of the Catalán architect and designer, Gaudí, who was part of the Modernista movement. Gaudí’s style is stamped all over Barcelona and his use of architecture, nature, and religion are abundant are trademarks of his work. Last I checked, his masterpiece, La Sagrada Familia, is the most visited monument in España. 🇪🇸