In less than a year and a half, the cenÂteÂnary of Antoni GaudĂ’s death will be here. Faced with this fact, espeÂcialÂly dedÂiÂcatÂed enthuÂsiÂasts of CataÂlan archiÂtecÂture may already be planÂning their fesÂtivÂiÂties. But we can be sure where the real presÂsure is felt: the BasĂliÂca i TemÂple ExpiÂaÂtori de la SagraÂda FamĂlia, GaudĂ’s most famous buildÂing, which — as of tomorÂrow — has been under conÂstrucÂtion for 142 years. When it first broke ground in 1882, GaudĂ wasÂn’t involved at all, but when he took over the project the folÂlowÂing year, he re-enviÂsioned it in a disÂtincÂtive comÂbiÂnaÂtion of the GothÂic and Art NouÂveau styles. The rest, as they say, is hisÂtoÂry: a trouÂbled, unpreÂdictable hisÂtoÂry conÂtinÂuÂing to this day, explained by archiÂtecÂture-and-hisÂtoÂry YoutuÂber Manuel BraÂvo in the video above.
Though it isn’t yet comÂplete, you can visÂit SagraÂda FamĂlia; indeed, it’s long been the most popÂuÂlar tourist attracÂtion in Barcelona. The expeÂriÂence of marÂveling at the catheÂdral’s astonÂishÂing degree of detail and not-quite-of-this-Earth strucÂture is worth the price of admisÂsion, which has helped to fund its ongoÂing conÂstrucÂtion. But you’ll appreÂciÂate it on a highÂer levÂel if you go with someÂone who can explain its many unusuÂal feaÂtures, both archiÂtecÂturÂal and reliÂgious — someÂone with as much knowlÂedge ad enthuÂsiÂasm as BraÂvo, whom we’ve preÂviÂousÂly feaÂtured here on Open CulÂture for his videos on PomÂpeii, Venice, the Great PyraÂmids of Giza, and the DuoÂmo di FirenÂze.
With SagraÂda FamĂliÂa’s pyraÂmiÂdal shape, BraÂvo explains, Gaudà “hoped to sugÂgest a conÂnecÂtion between the human and the divine.” Its three façades are dedÂiÂcatÂed to the birth, death, and eterÂnal life of Jesus Christ, to whom the cenÂtral and tallest of its planned eighÂteen towÂers will be dedÂiÂcatÂed. The catheÂdral’s exteÂriÂor alone conÂstiÂtutes an “authenÂtic Bible of stone,” but it can hardÂly preÂpare you to step into the inteÂriÂor, with its “beauÂtiÂful play of space, light, and colÂor.” As BraÂvo puts it, “the proÂtagÂoÂnist here is the space itself,” enviÂsioned by GaudĂ as “a huge forÂest” involvÂing no un-nature-like straight lines. All of it showÂcasÂes “the comÂbiÂnaÂtion of aesÂthetÂics and effiÂcienÂcy” that defines the archiÂtecÂt’s work.
Bravo’s video runs a bit over twenÂty minÂutes, but you could spend much, much longer appreÂciÂatÂing every aspect of SagraÂda FamĂlia, those comÂpletÂed in GaudĂ’s lifeÂtime as well as those comÂpletÂed by the many devotÂed artiÂsans who have conÂtinÂued his work for almost 100 years now. The archiÂtect “knew quite well that he would not live to see the temÂple comÂpletÂed,” says BraÂvo, hence his havÂing “left behind so many modÂels and drawÂings” for his sucÂcesÂsors to go on. They’re workÂing on a 2026 deadÂline, but as BraÂvo notes, givÂen the interÂrupÂtions inflictÂed by COVID-19, “that date seems unlikeÂly.” But then, has there ever been as unlikeÂly a buildÂing as SagraÂda FamĂlia?
RelatÂed conÂtent:
Take a High Def, GuidÂed Tour of PomÂpeii
What the Great PyraÂmids of Giza OrigÂiÂnalÂly Looked Like
Based in Seoul, ColÂin Marshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities, lanÂguage, and culÂture. His projects include the SubÂstack newsletÂter Books on Cities, the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles and the video series The City in CinÂeÂma. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall or on FaceÂbook.