Sagrada Familia
"Sagrada Familia 03" — Photo by Bernard Gagnon / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
The eternal masterpiece that refuses to be finished up to recently.
This iconic basilica is a dizzying forest of stone and light, masterminded by the legendary Antoni Gaudí. Despite its century-long construction, it remains the crown jewel of Barcelona's skyline.
Did you know?
The construction is primarily funded by private donations and entrance ticket sales, which is why it has taken so much longer to build than the Great Pyramids of Giza. Pope Leo recently visited it - describing it as a masterpiece of stones, colour and light.
“Nature’s geometry meets a choir of stones.”
“A forest of pillars defies the need for flying buttresses, inspired by the light of a Catalan dawn.”
“Its facade was once described as 'a house built by termites,' much to the architect’s chagrin.”
“Construction relies on the slow accumulation of private penance rather than government coin.”
“A towering masterpiece in Barcelona that has remained a permanent work-in-progress for over 140 years.”