Sagrada Família - Wikipedia Sagrada Família This article is about the church. For other uses, see Sagrada Familia ( disambiguation ). This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( August 2017 ) Sagrada Família Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Familia Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family View of the Passion Façade ( Western side ) in September 2009 ( cranes digitally removed ) Basic information Location Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain Geographic coordinates 41 ° 24 ′ 13 '' N 2 ° 10 ′ 28 '' E ﻿ / ﻿ 41.40361 ° N 2.17444 ° E ﻿ / 41.40361 ; 2.17444 Coordinates : 41 ° 24 ′ 13 '' N 2 ° 10 ′ 28 '' E ﻿ / ﻿ 41.40361 ° N 2.17444 ° E ﻿ / 41.40361 ; 2.17444 Affiliation Roman Catholic District Barcelona Country Spain Year consecrated 7 November 2010 Ecclesiastical or organizational status Minor basilica Status Active / incomplete Heritage designation 1969, 1984 Leadership Archbishop Joan Josep Omella Website sagradafamilia.cat Architectural description Architect ( s ) Antoni Gaudí Architectural style Modernisme General contractor Construction Board of La Sagrada Família Foundation Groundbreaking 1882 ; 135 years ago ( 1882 ) Completed 2026 -- 2028 ( 2011 estimate ) Specifications Direction of façade Southeast Capacity 9,000 Length 90 m ( 300 ft ) Width 60 m ( 200 ft ) Width ( nave ) 45 m ( 150 ft ) Spire ( s ) 18 ( 8 already built ) Spire height 170 m ( 560 ft ) ( planned ) Spanish Property of Cultural Interest Official name : Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Familia Type Monument -- Basilica Designated 24 July 1969 Reference no. ( R.I. ) - 51 - 0003813 - 00000 UNESCO World Heritage Site Official name Works of Antoni Gaudí Criteria Cultural : ( i ), ( ii ), ( iv ) Reference 320 - 005 Inscription 1984 ( 8th Session ) ( edit on Wikidata ) The Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família ( Catalan pronunciation : ( səˈɣɾaðə fəˈmiɫiə ) ; Spanish : Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Familia ; English : Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family ) is a large unfinished Roman Catholic church in Barcelona, designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí ( 1852 -- 1926 ). Gaudí 's work on the building is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and in November 2010 Pope Benedict XVI consecrated and proclaimed it a minor basilica, as distinct from a cathedral, which must be the seat of a bishop. In 1882 construction of Sagrada Família commenced under architect Francisco Paula de Villar until 1883, when Villar resigned. Gaudí took over as chief architect, transforming the project with his architectural and engineering style, combining Gothic and curvilinear Art Nouveau forms. Gaudí devoted the remainder of his life to the project, and at the time of his death at age 73 in 1926, less than a quarter of the project was complete. Relying solely on private donations, Sagrada Familia 's construction progressed slowly and was interrupted by the Spanish Civil War, only to resume intermittent progress in the 1950s. Since commencing construction in 1882, advancements in technologies such as computer aided design and computerised numerical control ( CNC ) have enabled faster progress and construction passed the midpoint in 2010. However, some of the project 's greatest challenges remain, including the construction of ten more spires, each symbolising an important Biblical figure in the New Testament. It is anticipated that the building could be completed by 2026 -- the centenary of Gaudí 's death. The basilica has a long history of dividing the citizens of Barcelona : over the initial possibility it might compete with Barcelona 's cathedral, over Gaudí 's design itself, over the possibility that work after Gaudí 's death disregarded his design, and the 2007 proposal to build an underground tunnel of Spain 's high - speed rail link to France which could disturb its stability. Describing Sagrada Família, art critic Rainer Zerbst said `` it is probably impossible to find a church building anything like it in the entire history of art '', and Paul Goldberger describes it as `` the most extraordinary personal interpretation of Gothic architecture since the Middle Ages ''. Contents 1 History 1.1 Background 1.2 Construction 1.3 Construction status 1.4 AVE tunnel 1.5 Consecration 1.6 Fire 2 Design 2.1 Plan 2.2 Spires 2.3 Façades 2.3. 1 Nativity Façade 2.3. 2 Passion Façade 2.3. 3 Glory Façade 2.4 Interior 2.4. 1 Organ 2.5 Geometric details 2.6 Symbolism 2.7 Burials 3 Appraisal 3.1 World Heritage status 4 Visiting 5 Funding 6 See also 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External links History A model of the completed church Background The Basilica of the Sagrada Família was the inspiration of a bookseller, Josep Maria Bocabella, founder of Asociación Espiritual de Devotos de San José ( Spiritual Association of Devotees of St. Joseph ). After a visit to the Vatican in 1872, Bocabella returned from Italy with the intention of building a church inspired by that at Loreto. The apse crypt of the church, funded by donations, was begun 19 March 1882, on the festival of St. Joseph, to the design of the architect Francisco de Paula del Villar, whose plan was for a Gothic revival church of a standard form. The apse crypt was completed before Villar 's resignation on 18 March 1883, when Gaudí assumed responsibility for its design, which he changed radically. Antoni Gaudí began work on the church in 1883 but was not appointed Architect Director until 1884. Construction On the subject of the extremely long construction period, Gaudí is said to have remarked : `` My client is not in a hurry. '' When Gaudí died in 1926, the basilica was between 15 and 25 percent complete. After Gaudí 's death, work continued under the direction of Domènec Sugrañes i Gras until interrupted by the Spanish Civil War in 1936. Parts of the unfinished basilica and Gaudí 's models and workshop were destroyed during the war by Catalan anarchists. The present design is based on reconstructed versions of the plans that were burned in a fire as well as on modern adaptations. Since 1940 the architects Francesc Quintana, Isidre Puig Boada, Lluís Bonet i Gari and Francesc Cardoner have carried on the work. The illumination was designed by Carles Buïgas. The current director and son of Lluís Bonet, Jordi Bonet i Armengol, has been introducing computers into the design and construction process since the 1980s. Mark Burry of New Zealand serves as Executive Architect and Researcher. Sculptures by J. Busquets, Etsuro Sotoo and the controversial Josep Maria Subirachs decorate the fantastical façades. Barcelona - born Jordi Fauli took over as chief architect in 2012. The central nave vaulting was completed in 2000 and the main tasks since then have been the construction of the transept vaults and apse. As of 2006, work concentrated on the crossing and supporting structure for the main tower of Jesus Christ as well as the southern enclosure of the central nave, which will become the Glory façade. The church shares its site with the Sagrada Família Schools building, a school originally designed by Gaudí in 1909 for the children of the construction workers. Relocated in 2002 from the eastern corner of the site to the southern corner, the building now houses an exhibition. Historical photographs of the Sagrada Família 1905 1915 1930. Aerial photograph by Walter Mittelholzer, ETH - Bibliothek. Construction status This article needs to be updated. Please update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. ( August 2017 ) Newly constructed stonework at the Sagrada Família is clearly visible against the stained and weathered older sections. Sagrada Família 's roof under construction ( 2009 ) Chief architect Jordi Fauli announced in October 2015 that construction is 70 percent complete and has entered its final phase of raising six immense towers. The towers and most of the church 's structure are to be completed by 2026, the centennial of Gaudí 's death ; decorative elements should be complete by 2030 or 2032. Visitor entrance fees of 15 -- 20 euros ( $17 -- 22 ) finance the annual construction budget of 25 million euros ( $28.38 million ). Computer - aided design technology has been used to accelerate construction of the building. Current technology allows stone to be shaped off - site by a CNC milling machine, whereas in the 20th century the stone was carved by hand. In 2008, some renowned Catalan architects advocated halting construction, to respect Gaudí 's original designs, which although they were not exhaustive and were partially destroyed, have been partially reconstructed in recent years. Japanese artist Etsuro Sotoo at work in the gypsum workshop AVE tunnel Since 2013, AVE high - speed trains have passed near the Sagrada Família through an underground tunnel that runs beneath the centre of Barcelona. The tunnel 's construction, which began on 26 March 2010, was controversial. The Ministry of Public Works of Spain ( Ministerio de Fomento ) claimed the project posed no risk to the church. Sagrada Família engineers and architects disagreed, saying there was no guarantee that the tunnel would not affect the stability of the building. The Board of the Sagrada Família ( Patronat de la Sagrada Família ) and the neighborhood association AVE pel Litoral ( AVE by the Coast ) had led a campaign against this route for the AVE, without success. In October 2010, the tunnel boring machine reached the church underground under the location of the building 's principal façade. Service through the tunnel was inaugurated on 8 January 2013. Track in the tunnel makes use of a system by Edilon Sedra in which the rails are embedded in an elastic material to dampen vibrations. No damage to the Sagrada Família has been reported to date. Consecration The main nave was covered and an organ installed in mid-2010, allowing the still - unfinished building to be used for religious services. The church was consecrated by Pope Benedict XVI on 7 November 2010 in front of a congregation of 6,500 people. A further 50,000 people followed the consecration Mass from outside the basilica, where more than 100 bishops and 300 priests were on hand to offer Holy Communion. Starting on 9 July 2017, there is an international Mass celebrated at the basilica on every Sunday and holiday of obligation, at 9 a.m, open to the public ( until the church should be full ). Occasionally, Mass is celebrated at other times, where attendance requires an invitation. When Masses are scheduled, instructions to obtain an invitation are posted on the basilica 's website In addition, visitors may pray at the Chapel of the Holy Sacrament and Penitence. Fire On 19 April 2011, an arsonist started a small fire in the sacristy which forced the evacuation of tourists and construction workers ; the sacristy was damaged, and the fire took 45 minutes to contain. Design Nativity façade ( 2017 ) The style of la Sagrada Família is variously likened to Spanish Late Gothic, Catalan Modernism and to Art Nouveau or Catalan Noucentisme. While the Sagrada Família falls within the Art Nouveau period, Nikolaus Pevsner points out that, along with Charles Rennie Macintosh in Glasgow, Gaudí carried the Art Nouveau style far beyond its usual application as a surface decoration. Plan While never intended to be a cathedral ( seat of a bishop ), the Sagrada Família was planned from the outset to be a cathedral - sized building. Its ground - plan has obvious links to earlier Spanish cathedrals such as Burgos Cathedral, Leon Cathedral and Seville Cathedral. In common with Catalan and many other European Gothic cathedrals, the Sagrada Família is short in comparison to its width, and has a great complexity of parts, which include double aisles, an ambulatory with a chevet of seven apsidal chapels, a multitude of towers and three portals, each widely different in structure as well as ornament. Where it is common for cathedrals in Spain to be surrounded by numerous chapels and ecclesiastical buildings, the plan of this church has an unusual feature : a covered passage or cloister which forms a rectangle enclosing the church and passing through the narthex of each of its three portals. With this peculiarity aside, the plan, influenced by Villar 's crypt, barely hints at the complexity of Gaudí 's design or its deviations from traditional church architecture. Spires Gaudí 's original design calls for a total of eighteen spires, representing in ascending order of height the Twelve Apostles, the Virgin Mary, the four Evangelists and, tallest of all, Jesus Christ. Eight spires have been built as of 2010, corresponding to four apostles at the Nativity façade and four apostles at the Passion façade. According to the 2005 `` Works Report '' of the project 's official website, drawings signed by Gaudí and recently found in the Municipal Archives, indicate that the spire of the Virgin was in fact intended by Gaudí to be shorter than those of the evangelists. The spire height will follow Gaudí 's intention, which according to the report will work with the existing foundation. The Evangelists ' spires will be surmounted by sculptures of their traditional symbols : a winged bull ( Saint Luke ), a winged man ( Saint Matthew ), an eagle ( Saint John ), and a winged lion ( Saint Mark ). The central spire of Jesus Christ is to be surmounted by a giant cross ; its total height ( 170 metres ( 560 ft ) ) will be one metre less than that of Montjuïc hill in Barcelona as Gaudí believed that his creation should not surpass God 's. The lower spires are surmounted by communion hosts with sheaves of wheat and chalices with bunches of grapes, representing the Eucharist. The completion of the spires will make Sagrada Família the tallest church building in the world. Façades The Nativity façade This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( August 2017 ) The Church will have three grand façades : the Nativity façade to the East, the Passion façade to the West, and the Glory façade to the South ( yet to be completed ). The Nativity Façade was built before work was interrupted in 1935 and bears the most direct Gaudí influence. The Passion façade was built according to the design that Gaudi created in 1917. The construction began in 1954, and the towers, built over the elliptical plan, were finished in 1976. It is especially striking for its spare, gaunt, tormented characters, including emaciated figures of Christ being scourged at the pillar ; and Christ on the Cross. These controversial designs are the work of Josep Maria Subirachs. The Glory façade, on which construction began in 2002, will be the largest and most monumental of the three and will represent one 's ascension to God. It will also depict various scenes such as Hell, Purgatory, and will include elements such as the Seven Deadly Sins and the Seven Heavenly Virtues. Nativity façade The scene of the birth of Jesus Constructed between 1894 and 1930, the Nativity façade was the first façade to be completed. Dedicated to the birth of Jesus, it is decorated with scenes reminiscent of elements of life. Characteristic of Gaudí 's naturalistic style, the sculptures are ornately arranged and decorated with scenes and images from nature, each a symbol in its own manner. For instance, the three porticos are separated by two large columns, and at the base of each lies a turtle or a tortoise ( one to represent the land and the other the sea ; each are symbols of time as something set in stone and unchangeable ). In contrast to the figures of turtles and their symbolism, two chameleons can be found at either side of the façade, and are symbolic of change. The façade faces the rising sun to the northeast, a symbol for the birth of Christ. It is divided into three porticos, each of which represents a theological virtue ( Hope, Faith and Charity ). The Tree of Life rises above the door of Jesus in the portico of Charity. Four towers complete the façade and are each dedicated to a Saint ( Matthias the Apostle, Saint Barnabas, Jude the Apostle, and Simon the Zealot ). Originally, Gaudí intended for this façade to be polychromed, for each archivolt to be painted with a wide array of colours. He wanted every statue and figure to be painted. In this way the figures of humans would appear as much alive as the figures of plants and animals. Gaudí chose this façade to embody the structure and decoration of the whole church. He was well aware that he would not finish the church and that he would need to set an artistic and architectural example for others to follow. He also chose for this façade to be the first on which to begin construction and for it to be, in his opinion, the most attractive and accessible to the public. He believed that if he had begun construction with the Passion Façade, one that would be hard and bare ( as if made of bones ), before the Nativity Façade, people would have withdrawn at the sight of it. Some of the statues were destroyed in 1936, and subsequently were reconstructed by the Japanese artist Etsuro Sotoo. Passion façade Passion facade of the Sagrada Família in 2016 In contrast to the highly decorated Nativity Façade, the Passion Façade is austere, plain and simple, with ample bare stone, and is carved with harsh straight lines to resemble the bones of a skeleton. Dedicated to the Passion of Christ, the suffering of Jesus during his crucifixion, the façade was intended to portray the sins of man. Construction began in 1954, following the drawings and instructions left by Gaudí for future architects and sculptors. The towers were completed in 1976, and in 1987 a team of sculptors, headed by Josep Maria Subirachs, began work sculpting the various scenes and details of the façade. They aimed to give a rigid, angular form to provoke a dramatic effect. Gaudí intended for this façade to strike fear into the onlooker. He wanted to `` break '' arcs and `` cut '' columns, and to use the effect of chiaroscuro ( dark angular shadows contrasted by harsh rigid light ) to further show the severity and brutality of Christ 's sacrifice. Facing the setting sun, indicative and symbolic of the death of Christ, the Passion Façade is supported by six large and inclined columns, designed to resemble sequoia trunks. Above there is a pyramidal pediment, made up of eighteen bone - shaped columns, which culminate in a large cross with a crown of thorns. Each of the four towers is dedicated to an apostle ( James, Thomas, Philip, or Bartholomew ) and, like the Nativity Façade, there are three porticos, each representing the theological virtues, though in a much different light. The scenes sculpted into the façade may be divided into three levels, which ascend in an S form and reproduce the Via Crucis of Christ. The lowest level depicts scenes from Jesus ' last night before the crucifixion, including The Last Supper, Kiss of Judas, Ecce Homo, and the Sanhedrin Trial of Jesus. The middle level portrays the Calvary, or Golgotha, of Christ, and includes The Three Marys, Saint Longinus, Saint Veronica, and a hollow - face illusion of Christ on the Veil of Veronica. In the third and final level the Death, Burial and the Resurrection of Christ can be seen. A bronze figure situated on a bridge creating a link between the towers of Saint Bartholomew and Saint Thomas represents the Ascension of Jesus. Glory façade Glory Façade under construction ( October 2011 ). This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( August 2017 ) The largest and most striking of the façades will be the Glory Façade, on which construction began in 2002. It will be the principal façade and will offer access to the central nave. Dedicated to the Celestial Glory of Jesus, it represents the road to God : Death, Final Judgment, and Glory, while Hell is left for those who deviate from God 's will. Aware that he would not live long enough to see this façade completed, Gaudí made a model which was demolished in 1936, whose original fragments were base for the development of the design for the façade. The completion of this façade will require the demolition of the complete block with buildings across the Carrer de Mallorca. To reach the Glory Portico the large staircase will lead over the underground passage built over Carrer de Mallorca with the decoration representing Hell and vice. It will be decorated with demons, idols, false gods, heresy and schisms, etc. Purgatory and death will also be depicted, the latter using tombs along the ground. The portico will have seven large columns dedicated to spiritual gifts. At the base of the columns there will be representations of the Seven Deadly Sins, and at the top, The Seven Heavenly Virtues. Interior See also : Cathedral floorplan and for definitions of the architectural terms Interior of the Sagrada Família Standing in the transept and looking northeast ( 2011 ) Detail of the roof in the nave. Gaudí designed the columns to mirror trees and branches. The church plan is that of a Latin cross with five aisles. The central nave vaults reach forty - five metres ( 150 ft ) while the side nave vaults reach thirty metres ( 100 ft ). The transept has three aisles. The columns are on a 7.5 metre ( 25 ft ) grid. However, the columns of the apse, resting on del Villar 's foundation, do not adhere to the grid, requiring a section of columns of the ambulatory to transition to the grid thus creating a horseshoe pattern to the layout of those columns. The crossing rests on the four central columns of porphyry supporting a great hyperboloid surrounded by two rings of twelve hyperboloids ( currently under construction ). The central vault reaches sixty metres ( 200 ft ). The apse is capped by a hyperboloid vault reaching seventy - five metres ( 250 ft ). Gaudí intended that a visitor standing at the main entrance be able to see the vaults of the nave, crossing, and apse ; thus the graduated increase in vault loft. There are gaps in the floor of the apse, providing a view down into the crypt below. 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. The simplest example is that of a square base evolving into an octagon as the column rises, then a sixteen - sided form, and eventually to a circle. This effect is the result of a three - dimensional intersection of helicoidal columns ( for example a square cross-section column twisting clockwise and a similar one twisting counter-clockwise ). Essentially none of the interior surfaces are flat ; the ornamentation is comprehensive and rich, consisting in large part of abstract shapes which combine smooth curves and jagged points. Even detail - level work such as the iron railings for balconies and stairways are full of curvaceous elaboration. Organ In 2010 an organ was installed in the presbytery by the Blancafort Orgueners de Montserrat organ builders. The instrument has 26 stops ( 1,492 pipes ) on two manuals and a pedalboard. To overcome the unique acoustical challenges posed by the church 's architecture and vast size, several additional organs will be installed at various points within the building. These instruments will be playable separately ( from their own individual consoles ) and simultaneously ( from a single mobile console ), yielding an organ of some 8000 pipes when completed. Geometric details Further information : Mathematics and art Alpha and Omega carving at Sagrada Família entrance The towers on the Nativity façade are crowned with geometrically shaped tops that are reminiscent of Cubism ( they were finished around 1930 ), and the intricate decoration is contemporary to the style of Art Nouveau, but Gaudí 's unique style drew primarily from nature, not other artists or architects, and resists categorization. Gaudí used hyperboloid structures in later designs of the Sagrada Família ( more obviously after 1914 ), however there are a few places on the nativity façade -- a design not equated with Gaudí 's ruled - surface design -- where the hyperboloid crops up. For example, all around the scene with the pelican there are numerous examples ( including the basket held by one of the figures ). There is a hyperboloid adding structural stability to the cypress tree ( by connecting it to the bridge ). And finally, the `` bishop 's mitre '' spires are capped with hyperboloid structures. In his later designs, ruled surfaces are prominent in the nave 's vaults and windows and the surfaces of the Passion façade. Symbolism Detail of a tower of the Passion Façade decorated with the word Sanctus Themes throughout the decoration include words from the liturgy. The towers are decorated with words such as `` Hosanna '', `` Excelsis '', and `` Sanctus '' ; the great doors of the Passion façade reproduce words from the Bible in various languages including Catalan ; and the Glory façade is to be decorated with the words from the Apostles ' Creed. The three entrances symbolize the three virtues : Faith, Hope and Love. Each of them is also dedicated to a part of Christ 's life. The Nativity Façade is dedicated to his birth ; it also has a cypress tree which symbolizes the tree of life. The Glory façade is dedicated to his glory period. The Passion façade is symbolic of his suffering. The apse tower bears Latin text of Hail Mary. All in all, the Sagrada Família is symbolic of the lifetime of Christ. Areas of the sanctuary will be designated to represent various concepts, such as saints, virtues and sins, and secular concepts such as regions, presumably with decoration to match. Burials Josep Maria Bocabella Antoni Gaudí Appraisal The art historian Nikolaus Pevsner, writing in the 1960s, referred to Gaudí 's buildings as growing `` like sugar loaves and anthills '' and describes the ornamenting of buildings with shards of broken pottery as possibly `` bad taste '' but handled with vitality and `` ruthless audacity ''. The building 's design itself has been polarizing. Assessments by Gaudí 's fellow architects were generally positive ; Louis Sullivan greatly admired it, describing Sagrada Família as the `` greatest piece of creative architecture in the last twenty - five years. It is spirit symbolised in stone ! '' Walter Gropius also praised the Sagrada Família, describing the building 's walls as `` a marvel of technical perfection ''. Time Magazine called it `` sensual, spiritual, whimsical, exuberant '', George Orwell called it `` one of the most hideous buildings in the world '', James A. Michener called it `` one of the strangest - looking serious buildings in the world '' and British historian Gerald Brenan stated about the building `` Not even in the European architecture of the period can one discover anything so vulgar or pretentious. '' The building 's distinctive silhouette has nevertheless become symbolic of Barcelona itself, drawing an estimated 2.5 million visitors annually. World Heritage status Together with six other Gaudí buildings in Barcelona, part of la Sagrada Família is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as testifying `` to Gaudí 's exceptional creative contribution to the development of architecture and building technology '', `` having represented el Modernisme of Catalonia '' and `` anticipated and influenced many of the forms and techniques that were relevant to the development of modern construction in the 20th century ''. The inscription only includes the Crypt and the Nativity Facade. Visiting Visitors can access the Nave, Crypt, Museum, Shop, and the Passion and Nativity towers. Entrance to either of the towers requires a reservation and advance purchase of a ticket. Access is possible only by lift ( elevator ) and a short walk up the remainder of the towers to the bridge between the towers. Descent is via a very narrow spiral staircase of over 300 steps. There is a posted caution for those with medical conditions. As of June 2017, on - line ticket purchase has been available. As of August 2010, there had been a service whereby visitors could buy an entry code either at Servicaixa ATM kiosks ( part of `` La Caixa '' ) or online. During the peak season, May to October, reservation delays for entrance of up to a few days are not unusual. Funding Construction on Sagrada Família is not supported by any government or official church sources. Private patrons funded the initial stages. Money from tickets purchased by tourists is now used to pay for the work, and private donations are accepted through the Friends of the Sagrada Família. The construction budget for 2009 was € 18 million. See also Catholicism portal Architecture portal Spain portal List of basilicas List of Gaudí buildings List of Modernista buildings in Barcelona Sagrada Família metro station References Jump up ^ Tremlett, Giles ( 22 September 2011 ). `` Sagrada Família gets final completion date -- 2026 or 2028 ''. The Guardian. 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Retrieved 7 July 2010. ^ Jump up to : Minder, Raphael ( 3 November 2010 ). `` Polishing Gaudí 's Unfinished Jewel ''. The New York Times. ^ Jump up to : Schumacher, Edward ( 1 January 1991 ). `` Gaudí 's Church Still Divides Barcelona ''. The New York Times. Jump up ^ Burnett, Victoria ( 11 June 2007 ). `` Warning : Trains Coming. A Masterpiece Is at Risk. ''. The New York Times. Jump up ^ Rainer Zerbst, Gaudí -- a Life Devoted to Architecture., pp. 190 -- 215 Jump up ^ Goldberger, Paul ( 28 January 1991 ). `` Barcelona ''. National Geographic. Archived from the original on 7 February 2010. ^ Jump up to : The Gaudí & Barcelona Club Sagrada Família ^ Jump up to : Hornblower, Margo ( 28 January 1991 ). `` Heresy Or Homage in Barcelona ? ''. Time. Jump up ^ Gladstone, Valerie ( 22 August 2004 ). `` ARCHITECTURE : Gaudí 's Unfinished Masterpiece Is Virtually Complete ''. The New York Times. Jump up ^ `` A Completion Date for Sagrada Família, Helped by Technology ''. Architect. Retrieved 9 November 2015. Jump up ^ Wilson, Joseph. `` Barcelona 's La Sagrada Familia Basilica enters final years of construction ''. Toronto Sun. Retrieved 9 November 2015. Jump up ^ Daniel, Paul ( January 2009 ). Diamond tools help shape the Sagrada Família Archived 1 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine. ( PDF ). Industrial Diamond Review. Retrieved 7 July 2010. Jump up ^ Fancelli, Agustí ( 4 December 2008 ). `` ¿ Por qué no parar la Sagrada Familia ? '' ( Why not stop the Sagrada Familia ? ) ( in Spanish ). Retrieved 7 July 2010. ( English tr. ) Jump up ^ Burry, Mark ; Gaudí, Antoni ( 2007 ). Gaudí Unseen. Berlin : Jovis Verlag. ISBN 978 - 3 - 939633 - 78 - 5. ^ Jump up to : Comorera, Ramon ( 13 October 2010 ). `` La tuneladora del AVE perfora ya a cuatro metros de la Sagrada Família '' ( The tunnel boring machine of the AVE is already excavating four meters from the Sagrada Família ). El Periódico de Catalunya ( in Spanish ). Retrieved 9 November 2010. Jump up ^ ADIF ( Administrator of Railway Infrastructures ). `` Madrid -- Zaragoza Barcelona -- French Border Line Barcelona Sants - Sagrera -- high - speed tunnel ''. Archived from the original on 21 June 2010. Retrieved 9 November 2010. Jump up ^ `` El AVE alcanza Girona ''. El Periódico de Catalunya ( in Spanish ). 8 January 2013. Retrieved 8 January 2013. Jump up ^ Comorera, Ramon ( 12 March 2012 ). `` Doble aislante de vibraciones en las obras de Gaudí '' ( Double Isolation of Vibrations at the Gaudí constructions ). El Periódico de Catalunya ( in Spanish ). Retrieved 12 March 2012. ^ Jump up to : Montañés, José Ángel ( 13 March 2009 ). `` La Sagrada Familia se abrirá al culto en septiembre de 2010 ''. El País ( in Spanish ). Retrieved 19 June 2009. ( English tr ) Jump up ^ `` Pope Benedict consecrates Barcelona 's Sagrada Familia ''. BBC News. 7 November 2010. Jump up ^ `` Visita histórica del Papa a Barcelona para dedicar la Sagrada Família ''. La Vanguardia. 7 November 2010. Jump up ^ `` Worship at the Basilica ''. Sagrada Família. Retrieved 5 September 2017. Jump up ^ Woolls, Daniel ( 19 April 2011 ). `` Fire in Barcelona church sees tourists evacuated ''. The Star. Toronto. Jump up ^ ( s.n. ) ( 19 April 2011 ). Fire by suspected arsonist at Sagrada Familia. The Telegraph. Accessed September 2013. ^ Jump up to : Nikolaus Pevsner, An Outline of European Architecture, Penguin Books, ( 1963 ), pp. 394 -- 5 Jump up ^ Note : the two Apostles who are also Evangelists are left out and replaced by St. Paul and also St. Barnabas. Jump up ^ Bergós i Massó, Joan ( 1999 ). Gaudí, l'home i l'obra. Barcelona : Ed. Lunwerg. p. 40. ISBN 84 - 7782 - 617 - X. Jump up ^ Barral i Altet, Xavier ( 1999 ). Art de Catalunya. Arquitectura religiosa moderna i contemporània. Barcelona : L'isard. p. 218. ISBN 84 - 89931 - 14 - 3. Jump up ^ `` La Sagrada Familia abrirá al culto en 2008, según sus responsables '' ( The Sagrada Familia opens for worship in 2008, according to its leaders ). El Mundo ( in Spanish ). Mundinteractivos, SA. Europa Press. 2 June 2005. Retrieved 7 July 2010. ( English tr. ) Jump up ^ Zerb, p. 30 Jump up ^ Blancafort Orgueners de Montserrat, ( 1 ) ( in Catalan ) Jump up ^ Burry, M.C. ; Burry, J.R. ; Dunlop, G.M. ; Maher, A. ( 2001 ). `` Drawing Together Euclidean and Topological Threads '' ( PDF ). The 13th Annual Colloquium of the Spatial Information Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 25 June 2008. Retrieved 5 August 2008. The paper explores the assemblies of second order hyperbolic surfaces as they are used throughout the design composition of the Sagrada Família Church building. ^ Jump up to : David Mower, Gaudí, Oresko Books Limited, 1977, ( p. 6 ) ISBN 0905368096 Jump up ^ Orwell, George ( 1938 ). Homage to Catalonia. Secker and Warburg. ( the anarchists ) showed bad taste in not blowing it up when they had the chance. ^ Jump up to : Delaney, Paul ( 24 October 1987 ). `` Gaudí 's Cathedral : And Now ? ''. The New York Times. Jump up ^ `` Tickets ''. Basílica de la Sagrada Família. Jump up ^ Fletcher, Tom. `` Sagrada Família Church of the Holy Family ''. Essential Architecture. Retrieved 5 August 2008. Further reading Zerbst, Rainer ( 1988 ). Antoni Gaudi -- A Life Devoted to Architecture. Trans. from German by Doris Jones and Jeremy Gaines. Hamburg, Germany : Taschen. ISBN 3 - 8228 - 0074 - 0. Nonell, Juan Bassegoda ( 2004 ). Antonio Gaudi : Master Architect. New York : Abbeville Press. ISBN 0 - 7892 - 0220 - 4. Hernandez SJ, Jean - Paul ( 2007 ). Pardes, ed. Antoni Gaudi : La Parola nella pietra. I simboli e lo spirito della Sagrada Familia. Bologna, Italy. p. 114. ISBN 978 - 88 - 89241 - 31 - 8. Crippa, Maria Antonietta ( 2003 ). Peter Gossel, ed. Antoni Gaudi, 1852 -- 1926 : From Nature to Architecture. Trans. Jeremy Carden. Hamburg, Germany : Taschen. ISBN 3 - 8228 - 2518 - 2. Schneider, Rolf ( 2004 ). Manfred Leier, ed. 100 most beautiful cathedrals of the world : A journey through five continents. Trans. from German by Susan Ghyearuni and Rae Walter. Edison, New Jersey : Chartwell Books. p. 33. ISBN 978 - 0 - 7858 - 1888 - 5. AA. VV. ( 2001 ). Lunwerg, Barcelona, ed. Modernisme i Modernistes. ISBN 84 - 7782 - 776 - 1. Barral i Altet, Javier ( 2001 ). L'isard, Barcelona, ed. Art de Catalunya. Arquitectura religiosa moderna i contemporània. ISBN 84 - 89931 - 14 - 3. Bassegoda i Nonell, Joan ( 1989 ). Ed. Ausa, Sabadell, ed. El gran Gaudí. ISBN 84 - 86329 - 44 - 2. Bassegoda i Nonell, Joan ( 2002 ). Criterio, Madrid, ed. Gaudí o espacio, luz y equilibrio. ISBN 84 - 95437 - 10 - 4. Bergós i Massó, Joan ( 1999 ). Ed. Lunwerg, Barcelona, ed. Gaudí, l'home i l'obra. ISBN 84 - 7782 - 617 - X. Bonet i Armengol, Jordi ( 2001 ). Ed. Pòrtic, Barcelona, ed. L'últim Gaudí. ISBN 84 - 7306 - 727 - 4. Crippa, Maria Antonietta ( 2007 ). Taschen, Köln, ed. Gaudí. ISBN 978 - 3 - 8228 - 2519 - 8. Flores, Carlos ( 2002 ). Ed. Empúries, Barcelona, ed. Les lliçons de Gaudí. ISBN 84 - 7596 - 949 - 6. Fontbona, Francesc ; Miralles, Francesc ( 1985 ). Ed. 62, Barcelona, ed. Història de l'Art Català. Del modernisme al noucentisme ( 1888 -- 1917 ). ISBN 84 - 297 - 2282 - 3. Giralt - Miracle, Daniel ( 2002 ). Lunwerg, ed. Gaudí, la busqueda de la forma. ISBN 84 - 7782 - 724 - 9. Gómez Gimeno, María José ( 2006 ). Mundo Flip Ediciones, ed. La Sagrada Familia. ISBN 84 - 933983 - 4 - 9. Lacuesta, Raquele ( 2006 ). Diputació de Barcelona, Barcelona, ed. Modernisme a l'entorn de Barcelona. ISBN 84 - 9803 - 158 - 3. Navascués Palácio, Pedro ( 2000 ). Espasa Calpe, Madrid, ed. Summa Artis. Arquitectura española ( 1808 -- 1914 ). ISBN 84 - 239 - 5477 - 3. Permanyer, Lluis ( 1993 ). Ed. Polígrafa, Barcelona, ed. Barcelona modernista. ISBN 84 - 343 - 0723 - 5. Puig i Boada, Isidre ( 1986 ). Ed. Nou Art Thor, Barcelona, ed. El temple de la Sagrada Família. ISBN 84 - 7327 - 135 - 1. Tarragona, Josep Maria ( 1999 ). Ed. Proa, Barcelona, ed. Gaudí, biografia de l'artista. ISBN 84 - 8256 - 726 - 8. Van Zandt, Eleyearr ( 1997 ). Asppan, ed. La vida y obras de Gaudí. ISBN 0 - 7525 - 1106 - 8. Zerbst, Rainer ( 1989 ). Taschen, ed. Gaudí. ISBN 3 - 8228 - 0216 - 6. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sagrada Família. External video Gaudí, Sagrada Família, Smarthistory Official website of the Construction Board of La Sagrada Família Foundation Barcelona landmarks Buildings and interesting places Ancient synagogue Arc de Triomf Avinguda Diagonal Barcelona Cathedral Barcelona Pavilion Barcelona Royal Shipyard Basilica of Our Lady of Mercy Basilica of Saint Joseph Oriol Basilica of Saints Justus and Pastor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception Bellesguard Casa Amatller Casa Batlló Casa Bonaventura Ferrer Casa Calvet Casa de les Punxes Casa Lleó Morera Casa Martí Casa Milà Casa Vicens Castle of the Three Dragons Columbus Monument Dona i Ocell Els Quatre Gats Estació de França Fabra Observatory Font de Canaletes Forum Building Fossar de les Moreres Habitat Sky Hospital de Sant Pau Hotel Arts Jonqueres Monastery La Boqueria Magic Fountain of Montjuïc Mercat del Born Monastery of Pedralbes Montjuïc Castle Montjuïc Communications Tower National Library of Catalonia Old Hospital de la Santa Creu Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya Palau Güell Palau Nacional Palau Reial de Pedralbes Palau Reial Major Palau Robert Parliament of Catalonia Poble Espanyol Port Olímpic Port Vell Sagrada Família Santa Maria del Mar Santa Maria del Pi Temple Expiatori del Sagrat Cor Torre de Collserola Torre Glòries Venetian Towers Virreina Palace World Trade Center Barcelona Streets and squares Avinguda Diagonal Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes La Rambla Passeig de Gràcia Plaça de Catalunya Plaça d'Espanya Plaça de Francesc Macià Plaça d'Ildefons Cerdà Plaça del Rei Plaça Reial Plaça Sant Jaume Rambla de Catalunya Museums Archaeology Museum of Catalonia Barcelona City History Museum Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art CaixaForum Barcelona Can Framis Museum Centre d'Art Santa Mònica Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona CosmoCaixa Barcelona Davis Museum Fundació Antoni Tàpies Fundació Joan Miró Gabinet de les Arts Gràfiques Gaudi House Museum Jardí Botànic de Barcelona Maritime Museum Museu Barbier - Mueller d'Art Precolombí Museu de les Arts Decoratives Museu Frederic Marès Museu de la Música Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya Museu Picasso Museu Tèxtil i d'Indumentària Museu de la Xocolata Olympic and Sports Museum Joan Antoni Samaranch Perfume Museum Vil la Joana Sports Anella Olímpica Camp de Les Corts Camp Municipal Narcís Sala Camp Nou Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys Mini Estadi Palau Blaugrana Palau dels Esports Palau Sant Jordi Sarrià Stadium Performing arts Coliseum Gran Teatre del Liceu L'Auditori Palau de la Música Catalana Teatre Grec Teatre Lliure Teatre Nacional de Catalunya Teatre Principal Parks Montjuïc Mossèn Costa i Llobera Gardens Oreneta Park Parc de la Ciutadella Parc de la Creueta del Coll Park Güell Parc Joan Miró Parc del Laberint d'Horta Zoos Aquarium Barcelona Barcelona Zoo Beaches Barceloneta Sant Sebastià Somorrostro World Heritage Sites in Spain For official site names, see each article or the List of World Heritage Sites in Spain. 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Question: when did they start to build the sagrada familia
Answer: 1882