Sagrada Familia: tips before visiting

This famous project of architect Antoni Gaudi is astonishing in scale, beauty of forms and makes you swoon with delight. The history and symbolism of the temple touch to the core.

Sagrada Familia: interesting facts

• The idea of creating a redemptive temple dedicated to the Holy Family arose back in 1874. And the foundation stone was laid in 1882. Gaudi worked on this greatest project for 40 years of his life. When the architect died, only a quarter of the structure was completed.
• The Sagrada Familia is one of the most famous "long-buildings" in the world. "My clientis in no hurry,Antonio Gaudi often said, implying that Godhas plenty of time.
• The temple is built solely at the expense of donations. About 25 million euros a year are spent on the work. In 2018, the cathedral was visited by 3 million people. Now the project is on the finish line. Construction is planned to be completed in 2026.

• The creator of the Sagrada Familia is buried inside the cathedral. Antoni Gaudi died a few days after being hit by a streetcar and rests in a tomb on the underground level of the building. The tomb is in a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
• There are elevators in the cathedral. They allow you to see the lowest and highest parts of the structure. Getting out of the elevator, you have to navigate along thin paths and stairs to reach the towers, which offer a magnificent view of the city
• When completed, the temple will have 18 towers. 12 of them will represent the apostles, four will represent the evangelists, one will be for the Virgin Mary, and the last, tallest spire in the middle will represent Jesus Christ. Now only eight towers are ready.
• When completed, the temple will be the tallest religious building in all of Europe. The central tower in the middle will reach 170 meters.

Tips for visiting the Sagrada Familia

Purchase your ticket in advance

Although, this is not even a tip for visiting the Sagrada Familia - it is the responsibility of every tourist who values his time and money. You can buy tickets to Sagrada Familia online on the official website of the temple. Tickets online cost from €17 to €32. A ticket at the box office will cost €4-5 more.

Some types of tickets include a climb up the tower, a visit to the Gaudi Museum and an audio guide service (tourists are offered a 45-minute tour in 12 languages).

Free to visit the cathedral can:

• children under 10 years old;
• disabled people + 1 accompanying person;
• Students under 30 and pensioners get a discount on tickets.
• To get a discount or to enter for free, you need to show a document confirming the right to benefits.

Avoid cruise time

This is the period when excursions and schools arrive. This is usually around 10 am. At this time, there are especially many people inside. The best time to visit the Sagrada Familia is the first or last hour of opening.

Mode of operation of the Shrine of the Holy Family:

• November through February: 09:00-18:00.
• March: 09:00–19:00.
• April through September: 09:00-20:
• October: 09:00–19:00.
• March: 09:00–19:00.
• October: 09:00–19:00.
• December 25, 26, January 1, 6: 09:00-14:00.

Choose a sunny day to visit

Of course, this is not easy, especially if you are an early planning guru. But take into account that light and color are extremely important components of a temple. Gaudi said that "color is the expression of life" and paid special attention to it.

On sunny days, the Sagrada Familia does look magical. But don't feel too bad if the weather lets you down. Even a leaden sky will not spoil the impression of visiting this extraordinary place.

Observe the religious dress code

Sagrada Familia is a religious site, so your closet should be decent. The concept is fuzzy, we understand, but there's a list of things you're not likely to be allowed inside in. These are mini-skirts, shorts, T-shirts, tops, transparent dresses and things with deep necklines. And you can't go barefoot in the cathedral. You probably weren't planning on it, but just in case, be warned.

No noise, food and drink are also prohibited in the Sagrada Familia.

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If you have your ticket in hand, go through without waiting in line

Just show your ticket to the woman in the booth at the entrance. Then go all the way to the right and take the audio guide. The "1" button will thank you for your visit and welcome you to the temple, so you can immediately press the two and start the educational tour.

Climb the towers

Many do not do this, because Barcelona has other, no less cool viewing platforms. But if you want your visit to the Gaudi temple to be high-quality and as complete as possible, do not ignore this part of the structure. We are sure that you will appreciate the view of the city.

Climbing is done by elevator. Please note that children under the age of 6 and visitors with limited mobility and visual impairments are not allowed on the towers.

How to get to Sagrada Familia:

The temple is located in the Eixample neighborhood. You can reach the main attraction of Barcelona by public transportation:

• by metro lines L2 and L5;
• by buses No 19, 33, 34, 43, 44, 44, 50, 51, B20 and B24 or by tourist bus.

The main thing is not to miss your stop - "Sagrada Familia".

Planning to go by car? Then keep the coordinates of the temple - 41.4036, 2.17443.