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Sagrada Familia

Religious and Sacred Architecture

The Sagrada Familia is a Catholic church under construction in the Eixample district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. It is the tallest church in the world. On November 7, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI consecrated the church and proclaimed it a basilica, and in 2005 parts of the building were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the listing Works of Antoni Gaudí.

Facts
Year Created
1518 2
Location
Eixample district, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain 1
Architectural Style
Gothic Revival combined with curvilinear Art Nouveau (Catalan Modernisme) 1
Structural System
Branching, tree-like columns supporting hyperboloid vaults 1
Primary Material
Stone, originally quarried at Montjuïc 1
Building Type
Catholic basilica church 1
Commissioned By
Josep Maria Bocabella's Asociación Espiritual de Devotos de San José 1
Construction
from 1882 1
Height (metres)
172.5 1
UNESCO Inscription Year
2005 1
Current Use
Active basilica under construction, funded by visitor admissions and donations 1
Visitor Access
Open to paying visitors, drawing about 5 million annually as of 2025 1
Classification
Genre
Architecture 1
FAQs

What happened to Gaudí's plans for the Sagrada Familia during the Spanish Civil War?

In 1936 the plans, photographs and plaster models were destroyed, but work resumed in 1939 using what was saved.

The building site was vandalised in 1936, during the Spanish Civil War. Plans and photographs were burnt and the plaster models were smashed. Work was still able to continue: in 1939 Francesc de Paula Quintana took over site management, and the project went on thanks to the material that could be saved from Gaudí's work.
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Created By

Antoni Gaudi, Artists

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Source Sagrada Familia (Wikipedia)Lead sentence 1tier 2
Quote, Lead sentence 1
Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, or simply Sagrada Família, is a Catholic church in the Eixample district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Sources
1. Sagrada Familia (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia
  • History section, first paragraph
    transforming the project with his architectural and engineering style, combining Gothic and curvilinear Art Nouveau forms
  • Lead paragraph
    In 2005, parts of the Sagrada Família (Nativity façade and Crypt) were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, under "Works of Antoni Gaudí".
  • History section, second paragraph
    Sagrada Família was inspired by a bookseller, José María Bocabella, founder of Asociación Espiritual de Devotos de San José
  • Funding paragraph, History section
    Money from tickets purchased by tourists is now used to pay for the work, and private donations are accepted.
  • Visitor access paragraph
    The stone that was originally used in the construction came from Montjuïc
  • Interior section
    The columns of the interior are a unique Gaudí design. Besides branching to support their load, their ever-changing surfaces are the result of the intersection of various geometric forms.
  • Legacy/description paragraph
    drawing an estimated 3 million visitors annually by 1990 and 5 million in 2025
  • Lead section
    Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, or simply Sagrada Família, is a Catholic church in the Eixample district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, it is the tallest church in the world.
  • In Group: Cathedrals, Churches and Abbeys, Lead
    Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, or simply Sagrada Família, is a Catholic church in the Eixample district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
View the Source
2. Wikidata: Sagrada Familia
Wikidata: Sagrada Familia
Wikidata Q48435, corrected from wrong same-titled-painting citation (PlaybookNote 38580)View the Source
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