Barcelona Maritime Museum
Near Barcelona’s harbour is the Maritime Museum. The displays include historic vessels, exhibitions, archived pictures, and maps., .
Previous slide
Next slide
Rotate to landscape to view slideshow
The original design for Sagrada Família by diocesan architect Francisco de Paula del Villar included ogival windows, buttresses, flying buttresses and a pointed bell tower – nothing like you see now.
Gaudi took on the project in 1883, soon after the cornerstone was laid. He transformed the project.
A Lifetime's Work - and Then Some
Architect Antoni Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia Basilica is a magnificent achievement.
The building has a checkered history. Gaudi took over the project when he was 31, making major changes to the proposed design. His accidental death at age 64, in 1926, saw the construction pass on to one of his disciples Domènec Sugranyes. During the Spanish Civil War in 1936, the church was vandalised, Gaudi’s models were destroyed and plans were burnt. Building continued after plans and models were recontructed, and it still continues today with an expected completion date of 2026.
We spent a full day in and around this building. We arrived early to try and beat the crowds, but still they were there. The interior is beautiful, it’s almost like you are in a forest of trees, as the tops of the columns branch out to support the roof. The sun’s rays through the stained-glass windows tinted the stonework and gave everything a life.
While we were there, a visiting choir started to sing in the body of the church. The voices filled the space and gave another dimension to what the building is there for.
A visit to Sagrada Familia Basilica is an uplifting experience.
You can see some virtual tours at the Sagrada Familia Basilica official site – they are well worth exploring.
The Basilica has just been announced as the most visited tourist site in the world for 2023 by Tripadvisor.
Subscribe
Login
0 Comments
Oldest
More from Spain
Park Guell, Barcelona
The park was originally intended as a sub-division for the wealthy and architect Gaudi was hired to design the layout. Now it’s a park.
Poble Espanyol, Bacelona
A great day along car-free streets with plenty of interesting things to see – Poble Espanyol
Other destinations you may like:
Notre-Dame Cathedral, Bayeux
The Notre-Dame Cathedral in the centre of Bayeux was built in 1077 and was the original home of the Bayeux Tapestry. It is known as Cathedral of Our Lady of Bayeux.
Richmond, Tasmania
An easy 24 km drive from Hobart, Richmond is a town that is rich in history. Boasting Australia’s oldest remaining Catholic church, St. John’s, built in 1836, the oldest goal that’s still intact, and the oldest bridge that’s still in use.
Sacre-Coeur
Montmartre’s castle in the sky. You can climb the 90 metre tower for a view over Paris.