World Wonders Codexery

The Sagrada Familia

Unfinished Catholic basilica designed by Antoni Gaudí in Barcelona.

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Where it is

Street map of the area around The Sagrada Familia; the red dot marks 41°24′14″N 2°10′26″E
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Coordinates: 41°24′14″N 2°10′26″E (41.4040, 2.1740) · Open in OpenStreetMap

Coordinates and connected clubs: the infobox of Wikipedia: Sagrada Família (CC BY-SA 4.0). Map: drawn by Codexery from OpenStreetMap tiles.

It is the tallest church in the world, with its central tower reaching 172.5 meters.[1][2] The building is not the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Barcelona.[3]

Key facts and history

In 1883, Antoni Gaudí took over as chief architect and radically transformed the design.[4][5] The Spanish Civil War in 1936 caused destruction of Gaudí's workshop and original plans.[6][7] The UNESCO World Heritage Convention lists the Nativity façade and Crypt of Sagrada Família as a World Heritage site.[8] Architect Francisco de Paula del Villar oversaw the start of construction on 19 March 1882.[4]

Pope Benedict XVI performed the consecration of the church on 7 November 2010.[1][9] Pope Leo XIV blessed and inaugurated that tower on 10 June 2026.[2][10]

What the cited sources add

The UNESCO World Heritage Convention states that Gaudí's work on the Nativity façade and Crypt is part of a serial property of seven buildings.[8] The UNESCO description notes that the integrity and authenticity of the part built by Gaudí have been preserved.[8] A 2024 Guardian article by Burgen reports that the basilica has a new completion date of 2026, 144 years after the first stone was laid.[7] The same article states that close to 5 million visitors a year pay €25-40 per visit, financing construction.[7]

A 2014 Catalan News Agency article notes that Japanese sculptor Etsuro Sotoo created the first door of the Nativity Façade.[11] Every Sunday, the Archdiocese of Barcelona celebrates an international mass at the basilica, and an international evening mass is also held there each Saturday.[12]

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Sagrada Família" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Drummer, "Pontiff to Proclaim Gaudí's Church a Basilica", 23 July 2010; "The Pope Consecrates The Church of the Sagrada Familia", 7 November 2010; Delaney, "Pope to visit Santiago de Compostela, Barcelona in November", 4 March 2010; "Works of Antoni Gaudí", UNESCO World Heritage Convention (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Sagrada Família" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Burgen, "'A joyful day': final piece of Sagrada Familia's central tower put in place", The Guardian, 2026-02-20; "Cross lands in sky above Barcelona", sagradafamilia.org, 20 February 2026; "Crowds turn out in Barcelona for pope blessing Sagrada Família's final tower", The Guardian, June 10, 2026 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  3. Wikipedia, "Sagrada Família" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Orie, "Barcelona's famous Sagrada Familia cathedral nears completion as evangelist towers finished", CNN, 2 October 2023 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Sagrada Família" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Works of Antoni Gaudí", UNESCO World Heritage Convention (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Sagrada Família" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Sagrada Família", The Gaudí & Barcelona Club; "Gaudí Begins Barcelona's Sagrada Família Research Starters EBSCO Research", EBSCO (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  6. Wikipedia, "Sagrada Família" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Fraser, "Barcelona's Sagrada Família: Gaudí's 'cathedral for the poor' – a history of cities in 50 buildings, day 49", The Guardian, 3 June 2015; "History of the Basílica", sagradafamilia.org (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  7. Burgen, "Sagrada Familia in Barcelona 'will be completed in 2026'", The Guardian, 25 March 2024. facts only, no text reused. theguardian.com
  8. "Works of Antoni Gaudí", UNESCO World Heritage Convention. facts only, no text reused. whc.unesco.org
  9. Wikipedia, "Sagrada Família" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Montañés, "La Sagrada Familia se abrirá al culto en septiembre de 2010", El País, 2009-03-12; "Pope Benedict consecrates Barcelona's Sagrada Familia", BBC News, 7 November 2010; "Visita histórica del Papa a Barcelona para dedicar la Sagrada Família", La Vanguardia, 7 November 2010 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  10. Wikipedia, "Sagrada Família" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "See Pope Leo inaugurating new spire at iconic Sagrada Familia", USA Today, 10 June 2026 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  11. Sendra, "First door of the Nativity Façade of the Sagrada Família has now been fitted", Catalan News Agency, 2014-07-17. facts only, no text reused. catalannews.com
  12. "Worship at the Basilica", Sagrada Família. facts only, no text reused. sagradafamilia.org

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Sagrada Família (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

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Sources

Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

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