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A few months ago, chief architect Jordi Fauli announced that an end was in sight for the construction of Barcelona's Sagrada Familia basilica, with a completion date tentatively scheduled for 2026. After over 100 years of ongoing work, Antoni Gaudi's masterpiece is now 70% complete. Within the next decade, the basilica will we dotted with several new towers bringing their total number to 18, the tallest of which — The Tower of Jesus Christ — will soar 170 metres in the city's skies.
Facing east, the Nativity Facade was the first of a series of three to be built, between 1894 and 1930.
Tarnished by time and air pollution, the oldest facade depicts the life of Jesus in intricate detail.
With many decorative elements inspired by fauna and flora, it is highly representative of Gaudi's style.
To the west, the simplicity and angularity of the Passion Facade highly contrasts with the rest of the Art Nouveau edifice.
Construction on this facade started in 1954, with the foundation and the crypt preceding above-ground work.
The remaining facade to the south, known as the Glory Facade, is still heavily under construction. It will eventually become main entrance to the Basilica's nave.
Eventually, 18 towers will represent the twelve apostles, the Virgin Mary, the four evangelists and Jesus Christ.
When complete, the Sagrada Familia will be 170 metres tall, which is just one metre less than the Montjuic Mountain, the tallest point in Barcelona. It will also become the tallest religious edifice in the world.
The inside of the basilica mimics a forest, with slender columns representing tree trunks and branches, and the roof of the nave appearing like foliage.
The tallest vault is 75 metres high. The roof of the edifice was completed 15 years ago.
Ample windows bring large amounts of natural and tinted light to the inside of the church.
Work is still ongoing on the upper parts of the building, where cranes are assembling future towers.
Meanwhile, the finishing touches are brought to the stonework and mosaics pictured below, which represent fruit.
Construction trailers are present throughout the site to provide resting spots for workers and to store some light construction materials and tools.
The towers offer sweeping views of the surrounding city.
More than €25 million are spent annually for the construction of the Sagrada Familia, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Most of it is financed by visitors, who pay an average of €20 to visit the edifice. It is the most visited attraction in Spain.
While the structure of the basilica will be complete by 2026, decorative elements like the mosaics won't be finished until 2030 or 2032.
What do you think of Gaudi's unique style of architecture? Let us know by leaving a comment at the bottom of this page or by visiting the dedicated Forum thread. More information and renderings of the finished Sagrada Familia are also available in the Database file for this building.
