A Tour of Sagrada Família Basilica in Barcelona, Spain

Sagrada Família is at the top of everyone's lists for a must-visit location in Barcelona, Spain. That is for a good reason, too. It was one of the most interesting, beautiful, and historic locations I visited while studying abroad. It is rich in history, spanning over 100 years of its construction. Every part of the church is carefully thought out and has meaning behind it.

The basilica is beautiful and can be seen from miles around, all across Barcelona. Pictures do not do this place justice. It is truly breathtaking. When walking up to Sagrada Familia, pause and take it all in. The facade is covered in intricate details that tell a story. The front details the birth and life of Jesus. Looking at all of the sculptures present, you can see the bible stories you've heard come to life. The back of the basilica outlines the suffering of Jesus. Each side was designed by different artists, with Antoni Gaudí being the architect who created the front as well as most of the building via his original plans. The back of the building was created by Josep Maria Subirachs following Gaudí's general ideas. Both are beautiful works of art that lean into each artist's style. Subirachs' is more geometric, while Gaudí's leans into the vibe of nature, as many of his works do.

When I visited Sagrada Familia, my group had a tour guide who walked us through all of the intimate details of this wonderful location. I would recommend that you do the same so as not to miss out on any interesting details about this wonderful location. I will be outlining some of the interesting things that I found out on my visit.

At the start of construction, when they were deciding the dimensions and layout of the basilica, it was stated that it should be shorter than Montjuic in Barcelona (which is 173 meters) because no man-made building should be higher than what God made. Therefore, Sagrada Familia was built to be 172.5 meters.

Once you make your way inside, the view is breathtaking. The precise geometric carvings lead your eyes up to the beautiful ceiling, and the stained glass windows are stunning. You can't see the stained glass from the outside, but it casts a gorgeous glow across the room. The colors in the windows also hold meaning: red for the blood of Christ, yellow for the light of God, green for nature, and blue for purity.

This basilica isn't just there as a historical place to view; it also still functions as a church. We were told that they still hold mass daily in the basement of Sagrada Família. They also hold mass in the main portion of the basilica on Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings, as well as on special days. Space, however, is limited.

Antoni Gaudí spent the last bits of his life working on Sagrada Família. He had a house on the church grounds where he lived during construction, and even built a school for the children of the church workers to attend. It's clear to see that the natural inspiration of Gaudí's work is visible throughout the basilica, and it's the work that he spent most of his life on. He was even buried inside the church.

Sagrada Família is a must-see location that is on everyone's Barcelona bucket list for a good reason. It's a beautiful place to visit and the home of many noteworthy photos. When you look into the history and meaning of the location, it is so much more interesting than simply taking it all at face value. You should definitely add it to your list. You will not regret visiting this place.