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Basilica of the Sagrada Familia

Name: Basilica of the Sagrada Familia
Price range: $$$
Rating: 4.8

4.8 ·

Step inside Gaudí's Sagrada Familia, a basilica still rising after more than a century of work. Wander beneath tree-like stone columns as stained glass washes the nave in shifting color, then compare the lush Nativity façade with the stark Passion façade.

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Reasons to go

Antoni Gaudí took over the design in 1883 but died in 1926 with less than a quarter of the basilica built.
Construction has been funded entirely by ticket sales and private donations for over a century, with no government financing.
The Nativity and Passion façades were carved by different sculptors in contrasting styles, one organic and lush, the other stark and angular.

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Full description

Antoni Gaudí took over the project in 1883 and worked on it until his death in 1926, by which point less than a quarter of the building was complete; construction has continued ever since, funded entirely by ticket sales and private donations, with completion now targeted for the coming years. Inside, tree-like columns branch upward to support a ceiling meant to evoke a forest canopy, while stained glass floods the nave with shifting color through the day.

The facades tell contrasting stories, the Nativity façade lush and organic, the Passion façade stark and angular, reflecting different phases and sculptors across the decades. It's an essential, if often crowded, stop for anyone visiting Barcelona, rewarding those who linger over the details rather than rushing through.

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Address

Carrer de Mallorca, 401, Eixample, 08013 Barcelona, Spain · Eixample

Website

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Hours

🎫

Booking

Booking required

Duration

1h30

Best time

morning, lunchtime, afternoon, early evening or evening

Intensity

Moderate walking

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Good to know

Book tickets online well in advance, ideally weeks ahead in peak season, as on-site tickets often sell out
add the tower access ticket separately if you want elevator views over the city
visit around midday for the best light through the stained glass on the sunnier façade.

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Reviews

It was an impressive tour. We had downloaded the audio guide, and everything worked out great. It was a great and educational experience.

Marion – Germany

1/5

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