The Sagrada Família temple is an iconic building and symbol of Barcelona, located in the heart of the city, it is one of the most admired structures in the world. Ever since construction began in 1882, the Sagrada Família has been baffling experts, and uncovering the amazing features of Antoni Gaudí’s vision. The biggest question that has been plaguing admirers and experts of the temple alike is, how tall is the Sagrada Família in Barcelona?
Three of the eight spires of the temple form part of the tallest tower of the Sagrada Família. Its highest point rises to 170.6 meters, making it one of the tallest churches in the world. The remaining five towers measure from 135–138 meters, respectively. Another impressive feature of the Sagrada Família is its extraordinary shape. Most religious building tend to be mostly square or polygonal, but the Sagrada Família has an unusual pyramidal shape, stretching vertically as it reaches its impressive heights.
The current design of the temple came from the hand of architect Antoni Gaudí, who modified and completed the original design of Francisco de Paula del Villar, who was responsible for the construction of the temple since it was first started in 1882. The project became Gaudí’s life’s work and he devoted the last 12 years of his life exclusively to the project.
What makes Gaudí’s version of the temple truly unique is his passion for organic shapes. Gaudí designed a total of 16 towers reminiscent of a tree trunk, with a central tower that branches out into eight more as it reaches the sky. He also used a revolutionary construction technique to support the loads of the high towers, using iron skeletons and lengthening the architectural span of the columns.
However, this project was intentionally ambitious from its beginning: the building plans were designed with the goal of surpassing the height of the La Seu church, a religious building of the same architectural style located in Palma de Mallorca. Its tower has a height of 55 meters. Gaudí’s greatest challenge was to exceed this structure, as he wanted to to make the Sagrada Família the highest church in the world. He eventually succeeded, reaching heights of up to 170 meters.
Over the years, the temple has become a huge symbol of religion, of modernism and of Barcelona. It serves the purpose of uniting people and cultures through its majestic beauty. A visit to the temple is essential for any Barcelona visitor, as it reveals the immensity, complexity and beauty of Gaudí’s work.
Construction Issue
The Sagrada Família has been under construction for over 130 years and has yet to be finished. The construction of the temple has been periodic, this means that after the death of Antoni Gaudí in 1926 and a stop in the works due to the Spanish civil war, the construction was resumed but halted again several times. The last stoppage happened in the 70´s due to the death of the two successors of Gaudí, and the temple remained nearly untouched until the year of 1984, when works were resumed in full strength. The temple has now passed the half of its projected completion day, which was initially intended to be in the year 2026, the centennial anniversary of Gaudí’s death.
Currently, the majority of the works are happening inside the temple, with plans and sculptures of the apostles being moved in as well as different alterations and restorations of the elements already in place. The works on the outside of temple, mostly consisting in putting sandstone, glass and blocks to the walls, set on a foundation of steel and concrete. This, however, requires the usage of a great amount of pieces, making the process of assembling them quite slow.
The estimated budget for the completion of the temple is of €210 million Euros and so far, the works have cost around €150 million. There are many organizations dedicated to financing the completion, such as the FERSA Foundation, which is a private foundation, and organizations such as the local Catalan and Spanish governments who are helping to financially support the project. With all these investments, it is anticipated that in 2026, the Sagrada Família will be completed, after 142 years away from its completion.
Architectural Symbolism
The Sagrada Família is known for its symbolism, which is constantly present throughout it. Every element of the temple is infused with meaning, even the view from the interior of the church has a great theological symbolism, it conveys the presence of the holy spirit. This is highlighted by the pyramidal shape of the church and its corridors shaped like a cross, with the four arms stretching outwards representing the crucifixion and wings of the trinity.
The design of the temple is a homage to the Christian religion and it’s main events and themes, while also paying tribute to the catalan culture, heritage and nature. Gaudi infused the temple with elements that transmit the mystical aspect of the catalan culture, such as the famous dragon columns of the Nativity façade, which is an iconic element of the city, and the church´s towers, which resemble palm trees and cedar trees, which can be found around the city.
The structure of the Sagrada Família temple has also been used to represent other religious symbols such as the rose window, which is composed of 72 petals, each one of which symbolizes one of the 72 names of god according to Kabbalah. The eight spires represent the seven days of creation and the eighth representing the morning star. The temple also contains four façades, each representing a specific theme, The Nativity Façade, The Glory Façade, The Passion Façade and The Apse Façade.
The Nativity Façade is inspired by the birth of Jesus and presents the joy of the event. The Glory Façade, is a representation of Heaven and its glory. The Passion Façade is dedicated to the Passion of Christ and lastly, the Apse Façade celebrates the power of faith.
Interior Design
The interior design of the Sagrada Família reflects Gaudi’s innovative perspective of combining nature with religious elements. The church’s columns twist, branch and branchless like trees, while being connected by large beams of stone and topped with star-shaped glass. This creates an effect of light, which provides a unique and beautiful experience. There are also stained glass windows, which bring a unique light to the space and give an impression of stars in the night sky.
The altar of the temple is also a masterpiece, it stands in the center of the cathedral and is surrounded by two alcoves. There are also two columns that divide the space between the area reserved for worship and the other for mass. The wall at the back of the temple is made of natural stone and its carved decorations represent the catalan culture.
The Sagrada Família is a place of beauty, it is filled with elements that awe us and leave us in awe. Inside the temple, we can feel the religious and spiritual energy that was used to create this masterpiece. The Sagrada Família is a unique building and it is a symbol of religion and culture, it is one of the only churches in the world to be still under construction and its completion is an even bigger accomplishment.
Artistic Influence
The Sagrada Família is one of the most discussed buildings in the world, due to its unique shapes and its strong symbolic meaning. Its influence can be felt in many other constructions around the world, as it pushed the boundaries of architects trying to achieve the highest beauty in their creations. It is also an inspiration for many artists and artworks that relate to the symbolisms found in the construction.
Gaudí’s work has influenced many architects from the modernist movement and his drawing techniques, use of new materials and designs are still being used as inspiration. His use of natural shapes and organic shapes is a great source of inspiration for many Barcelona’s new constructions and even its façades. The Sagrada Família has also been a source of inspiration for many painters and sculptors, including Spanish painter Joan Miró who used it as the theme of some of his paintings.
The Sagrada Família is indeed a masterpiece of architecture that has left its mark in history and that will continue inspiring and influencing artists, architects and people in general, thanks to its unique shape, symbolism and meaning.
Building Technology
The Sagrada Família was built using innovative techniques and the latest technology for its time. Gaudi used a variety of materials to build the church, ranging from trencadis (broken tiles), metals and glass to stone, concrete and reinforced concrete. He also used a revolutionary technique to support the weight of the towers, which is called the pillar-ring system, this technique consists in increasing the span of the columns in order to support weight at high levels. He also employed the latest technology available, in order to make sure that the walls, towers and overall structure would endure the test of time.
Gaudi wanted to build a temple that would be in harmony with nature, so he decided to avoid straight lines and embrace curves and natural shapes. He sought to use the right combination of materials and shape to create the most harmonious structure possible. Gaudi also used a variety of techniques, such as reinforced concrete, stone throwing and iron structure support, to form the structure of the building.
To make the construction of the temple more efficient, Gaudi developed new construction methods, such as the iron skeleton and the use of windows to support the structure. He also used a variety of decorative elements, such as facial sculptures, which he designed himself. He also used ceramic and stone on the façades and archways, glass in the windows, limestone and marble on the floors, and porcelain and mosaics.
Due to the ambitious and innovative nature of the construction, it is expected to take a while before the temple can be considered completely finished. In the meantime, the construction of the Sagrada Família remains as a testimony of creativity and hard work, as one of the best examples of bespoke architecture ever made, and one of the highest architectural landmarks in the world.
