The Sagrada Familia
The start of the building of the Church took place in 1881 however it was not Anthoni Gaudi who started the works. When two years later in 1883 the project seemed to fail Gaudi took over and started from scratch, designing the world famous Sagrada Familia. One of the reasons why it has all taken so long to finish the church is because since the beginning Gaudi had decided that it was going to be a church for the people and to guarantee this it had to be paid by people by gifts.
The church nor the government or multinationals never have been allowed to make donations. Around 4 million people visit the Sagrada Familia on a yearly base resulting in a big budget to finish it. It is said that the church will be finished in 2026, it will be than the 100th anniversary of Gaudi´s death. If Gaudi was asked if he did not worry to never see the church finished he used to say, that the church is for God and that God has all the time. If you like to visit the Sagrada Familia it is recommended to buy your tickets at least one day in advance, on the day itself it is most of the time sold out. For tickets click here
Today there are 8 towers finished and 10 more to build. Every tower will represent someone. There will be 12 towers for the Apostles, 4 towers for the Evangelists, one tower for Maria and the highest one is for Jesus. Gaudi wanted the highest tower to reach 250m but he changed his mind as he had the feeling he wanted to prove himself to much. He then decided he was not going to build the tower higher than the highest natural point of Barcelona that being the Montjuick mountain with a height of 173m. He took a half meter of so the tower for Jesus will be 172,5m when finished.
In 1882 there were no other structures in the surrounding. It is said that some of the buildings standing there today should be removed to give the Sagrada Familia the space that it deserves.
Anthoni Gaudi Cornet died at the age of 73 after being hit by a tram, he became badly injured. As he was most of the time dressed in his working outfit, he was not recognized and considered a poor man. Eventually, a police officer took him to the hospital in the Raval area. After he arrived Gaudi refused to be taken to the hospital for the wealthy. He died 3 days later at the hospital de San Pau del Crue on June the 10th 1926.
