Bus Tour continues - to Sagrada Familia

We thought we had seen some amazing sights at Castle Mountjuic, but nothing prepared us for our afternoon and evening exploration of the most amazing thing to see in Barcelona - the Sagrada Familia. This is a cathedral that commenced construction in 1883 and is not due to be completed until 2026, the 100th year anniversary of the death of its mastermind architect, one of Spain's most famous geniuses, Antoni Gaudi.

This church remains unfinished because the scale of it is such that is is impossible to imagine without seeing it. Our eyes nearly popped out of our heads when we saw the outside of the building, but we had just managed to ensure they were still in place when our eyesight was again challenged by what we experienced on entering the gigantic edifice.

It is already on UNESCO's list of Heritage sites, without being finished. Can you imagine a church building taking over 100 years to build? When Gaudi (known now to the Spaniards as "God's Architect") was asked why he designed something that would take so long to build, he replied that his client was in no hurry.

Gaudi designed something so ornate and incredibly detailed and fine that there was only one facade and another small part of the church built in his lifetime. He died in 1926. The buildng continues to this day (with a few interruptions for a civil war and a couple of world wars) and they hope to complete it for Gaudi's 100 year anniversary.

It is impossible to describe this building. The inspiration comes from nature. So there are no straight lines anywhere. The columns are reminiscent of trees, and the stained glass windows inside go from bright red through orange, blue and green to represent the seasons. But there is too much to say about this building. A few photos are included here, but those who are keen to see it complete can make an appointment to visit in 2026.

Sacrada Familia means "Holy Family" in Spanish. I am not a huge fan of Catholic churches for obvious reasons, but this one is another level. It puts St Peter's in Rome into the shade.Read more