Almost everyone I know who has been to Barcelona has raved about the La Sagrada Familia and after going there myself, I can fully understand why.  I am typically a tepid enthusiast of history and architecture but this building captivated both Kingsley and I.  I especially recommend getting the audio guide as you go through the church.

Some interesting facts that I learned:

The foundation stone for the cathedral known as La Sagrada Família ("The Holy Family") was laid in 1882. A year after the project started, the original architect resigned because of disagreements with the cathedral's developers, and the commission was given to the renowned Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, who abandoned the original neo-Gothic design envisioned for the building and set out to create a more monumental and unique work, packed with symbolism, detail and extraordinary artisanal craft.

Gaudí worked on the building until his death in 1926, devoting almost all of his time to the project in the last years of his life.  After Gaudí's death, work proceeded under the management of his close associate, Domènec Sugrañes, and would pass through the hands of others who knew the master.





Current estimates suggest that construction will not be complete for another 15 years. Gaudí himself seemed unconcerned about the amount of time it would take to finish his masterpiece. "The master of this work," he once famously said, "Is in no great hurry."


In my opinion, the interior of the church is actually even more beautiful than the exterior.  The windows are a focal point of the construction, with some stretching more than two stories high. They are designed to draw the eye upwards and inspire meditation on the divine.  The roof is held up by a forest of extraordinary angled pillars. As the pillars soar towards the ceiling, they sprout a web of supporting branches, creating the effect of a beautiful forest canopy which was exactly how Gaudi intended it to look.