Santa surname Barcelona. The beginning of the construction of the temple

The Sagrada Familia was Antonia Gaudí's main work and life. But from the very beginning, the temple behaved like a demanding host. The Catalan was not only responsible for the design and construction, but also often acted as a fundraiser.

The pace of construction from 1882 to 1918 was by no means fast. The construction of the temple was conceived not only as an intermediary structure between heaven and sinful earth, but also as a field for the struggle of feelings.

The history of the creation of the cathedral

The founder of the cathedral, José Maria Bocabella, was a bookseller, a Catholic and an extraordinary person. He repeatedly visited Rome and considered the temple of Loreto a model of the church. Bocabella often visited Montserrat and, as legend has it, the idea to build the Sagrada Familia came to him during his stay in the monastery, looking at the image of the Holy Family. He founded an association that raised funds for the construction of the Sagrada Familia (Catalan. Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia).

In 1881, the association received a parcel of land on the outskirts of the city from the city. Initially, it was planned to build a not very huge temple due to not too large financial resources. During discussions about the future building, the architect Francisco de Paula del Villar y Lozano offered to work on the project free of charge. And a year later, in March, on St. Joseph's Day, the first stone was laid. At first, the construction was active and successful. But then the relationship between Villar and the church council began to deteriorate and ended in an ugly quarrel. After which it became clear that his further leadership in the construction of the temple was simply unacceptable. And then, as the legend tells, Bokabelya's decision came in a dream. Allegedly, Jose dreamed of a young architect who would soon save the Sagrada Familia. And you can recognize him by his blue eyes. A few days later, on his way to the office of Martorel's architectural consultant, Bocabella met Gaudí. At that moment, he immediately realized that this was the one he needed. Later, Gaudi, as the "chosen one", received complete freedom in working on the cathedral.

In turn, this order instantly ranked the young 31st architect among the leading architects of Barcelona. Antonio Gaudi created a plaster project, according to which it was planned to build a cathedral 110 meters long and 45 meters high. With four bell towers - according to the number of evangelists and twelve towers - according to the number of apostles. The project included the construction of three facades that told about different episodes of the life of Christ - "Christmas", "The Passion of Christ" and "Resurrection". The facades were going to be decorated with huge panels and reliefs on related topics. The church council approved the layout, and the architect began to implement it.

Years passed, workers changed, assistants to Antonio Gaudi, the construction site became the unofficial faculty of the architectural school. The most zealous students came here in the evenings to listen to the respected Don Antonio. And when the Sagrada Familia finally began to take on a tangible shape, it was so impressive that the fame of the extraordinary idea of ​​​​the master - the Catalan scattered throughout the earth. To look at it, and at the same time to take part in the grandiose project came from everywhere. King Alfonso came to watch the construction site, with whom Gaudi spoke exclusively in Catalan, which caused discontent of the monarch. Infanta Isabella also visited here. In addition to her, the Sagrada Familia was also visited by Cardinal Ragonesi, Nuncio of the Pope in Spain, Albert Schweitzer.

Construction work either stopped, then resumed again. Not the last role in stopping the construction was played by financial resources. But at least the temple Sagrada Familia was the main brainchild of Gaudi, in parallel with him, he carried out other projects. But initially the architect promised to finish the cathedral in 18 years. But, alas, it turned out not to be the case, construction continues to this day.

The difficult wartime made its negative contribution. Architects were losing interest in Gaudí. He himself had to go through a lot: the death of close friends, deteriorating health, mental crisis.

Sagrada Familia Cathedral was the main work and life of Antonia Gaudí. But from the very beginning, the temple behaved like a demanding host. The Catalan was not only responsible for the design and construction, but also often acted as a fundraiser. The pace of construction from 1882 to 1918 was by no means fast. The construction of the temple was conceived not only as an intermediary structure between heaven and sinful earth, but also as a field for the struggle of feelings.

Gaudí has ​​always focused in projects on natural masterpieces. So, inside the Sagrada Familia, the vault is supported by very unusual columns resembling the shape of trees.

Gaudi perfectly understood the psychology of impact and the importance of sound in church buildings. He spent years experimenting with the elongated shape of bells. Because the architect designed the structure so that it could function as a large organ. It was assumed that the wind would pass through the openings of the towers and this would create a real choir. Gaudí's idea was also to illuminate the highest (170 m.) central tower with floodlights from twelve towers. Then the cross crowning the tower will radiate light, thereby embodying the symbol of the main postulate of Christ: "I am the Light of the World." But to the greatest regret, this original decision of the master has not yet been translated into reality.

Gaudi himself understood that his life would not be enough to complete his plan. Shortly before his death, he made the remark that "it takes centuries to complete grandiose churches" and cited St. Paul's Cathedral in Rome, Cologne and Reims as examples.

Today, not only world-famous architects are involved in the construction of the temple, but also every tourist visiting the monument. Because the money he pays for sightseeing goes to the building fund. Thus, the sale of entrance tickets and souvenirs annually brings about 10 million euros to the fund of the temple. Experts have calculated that if things continue like this, the construction of the cathedral could be completed in 2022.

How to get there?

Getting to the Sagrada Fimilia is very easy. The metro station of the same name Sagrada Família is very close, the L5 branch passes through it.

Opening hours of the Sagrada Familia:

Entrance fees Sagrada Familia

The most complete ticket includes the Cathedral, towers, museum, crypt and an audio guide in Russian.

Helpful Hints

• Fewer people on weekdays
• For good photos without tourists, arrive before 8 am
• On the facade of the Passion of Christ there is a cryptogram, the age of Christ is written on it
• In the evening, light falls beautifully through the stained-glass windows of the Passion Façade. You can take photos.
• Visit the bell towers of the Nativity façade.

An ingenious architectural creation and one of the main attractions of Barcelona and Spain is the Sagrada Familia. The temple attracts tourists from all over the world, the bizarre forms of the structure and architectural reliefs fascinate the eye and involuntarily take viewers to Biblical times.

The expiatory temple of the Sagrada Familia has been under construction for 130 years and is the most famous long-term construction.

In 2005, the UNESCO organization enrolled a unique object to the heritage of Humanity, thereby confirming the unsurpassed construction.

Historical facts

The idea of ​​erection arose from a bookseller, a literate believer from Barcelona, ​​Bocabella. At that time he was the head of the community of the worshipers of Saint Joseph. In 1872, Josep Bocabelli visited a small town. The famous city of Loreto was the house in which, according to legend, Jesus and Mary lived with her husband Joseph. The bookseller was so fascinated by the beauty of the temple that he decided to definitely create a copy of it in his city.

The idea of ​​building such a church grew into a decision to erect an unusual structure. At first it was planned to build a cathedral in the central part of Barcelona, ​​​​but due to lack of funds, Bocabel bought land only on the outskirts of the city.

The official date of the appearance of the Sagrada Familia Cathedral, which is exactly what Russian-speaking tourists often call, although it is correct to call the Sagrada Familia temple (full name in Catalan - Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia), 03/19/1882 (veneration of the memory of St. Joseph the Betrothed).

The opening of the construction was a major event, which was attended by the city authorities and representatives of the clergy of Barcelona. The laying of the first stone was made at the base of the structure, the author of the project was the architect Francisco del Villar.

It was Villar who conceived the idea of ​​building a church in the Neo-Gothic architectural style that was fashionable at the time. During construction, the architect had disagreements with the technical staff, and he stepped back from further participation in the project.

Brilliant Antonio Gaudi

From 11/03/1883, the construction of the Sagrada Familia was headed by the architect Gaudi (emphasis on the last vowel "I"). He made significant changes to the design and conceived to erect a gigantic temple with wide transepts and long naves. According to his project, covered arches will be erected around the outer part of the church, stone columns in the form of majestic trees, and benches for parishioners will be made with narrow aisles.

According to the plans of the Catalan, the Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona was designed to receive 14,000 believers.

As a child, Antonio Gaudi was distinguished from his peers by an extraordinary fantasy. The boy had a special connection with the outside world and the value of everything that nature has created. Antonio loved to spend hours looking at the clouds in the sky and imagine them in the form of trees, animals or fairy-tale characters.

Dew drops on the grass or the trembling of a delicate flower from the breath of the wind caused the young man an unusual attraction. Everything he observed, he immediately transformed in his thoughts into something extraordinary.

Interesting fact: Antonio had a congenital visual anomaly, one eye was nearsighted, and the other was farsighted.

For Gaudi, improvisation at the construction site was a priority. His subtle flair for creation never referred to the abstraction of forms. His sculptures are natural and beautiful. The stone forest of columns with branches and openwork cobwebs always complied with engineering rules. He used the latest engineering ideas of the time, was an innovator of everything new.

Who can boast that he knows / remembers the sopromat at the university course? He knew at that time everything about this science. The structure goes underground for two dozen meters, it is not afraid of either a storm or an earthquake.

In order to emphasize the greatness of the Sagrada Familia, Gaudí indicated in the sketches that the height of the central tower of Christ would be a meter lower than Montjuic (173 m).

The religious Antonio believed that human creation can in no way be higher than the mountain, God's creation.

According to his plans, the facades will be decorated with relief scenes on the themes of the birth, death and resurrection of Christ.

Gaudi managed to realize from his project: the construction of the facade of the Nativity, the construction of a crypt, an apse and one tower.

In his address, he heard repeated criticism about the slow pace of construction. To which he answered with humor: "My client is in no hurry."

Initially, it was decided that Sagrada Familia will be built with donations. Antonio was so obsessed with the realization of his project that he invested all his savings in the construction. There were not enough funds, I had to go home.

At the beginning of the summer of 1926, the life of a brilliant architect was tragically cut short. Gaudi was hit by a tram, at that time he was 74 years old. From 1954 to the present day, the construction of an architectural creation continues.

Followers of the great architect

In the mid-90s of the last century, the architect Subirax began to work on the creation of the facade of the Passion of Christ. At the same time, he was an atheist, unlike the pious Gaudi. At this time, the artist received an offer to make sculptures for the design of the facade of the Passion. Subirax spent a year familiarizing himself with the work of Antonio Gaudi, and in 1987 he completely plunged headlong into the work of carving figures.

José Maria Subirax is currently working with other architects on the choirs, patio and naves.

All elements of the decor of the building contain Christian symbols. When examining an architectural creation, it seems that you are turning over the pages of the Bible.

Upon completion of construction, 18 towers will be located at different heights: the tower of Christ will rise above everyone, crowned with a huge cross on a spire; a little lower - the tower of the Holy Virgin Mary; further 4 towers as the personification of the evangelists; and 12 bell towers - a symbol of the number of apostles. Photo of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona hereinafter.

At the end of 2000, the unfinished Sagrada Familia was consecrated by Pope Benedict XVI and deemed suitable for church service.

Facade of the Nativity

The building is located opposite the Passion Facade, through which the entrance to the temple is made. Antonio Gaudi participated in the construction, the building was built first, divided into three entrances to the cathedral. It has 4 bell towers with pointed spiers - the veneration of the apostles of St. Matthew, Simon, Barnabas, Judas. On the top of the towers one can see the signs of the apostles: a cross, myrrh, a rod, a ring.

The open structure of the towers was built taking into account the release of the scattered sound of the bells and therefore looks like blinds. Below you can see the records "Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus" (Holy ...); "Hosanna excelsis" (Hosanna in heaven); "Sursum corda" (Raise your hearts).
In this part of the temple, there is a sharp contrast against the background of the previous building.

The riot of rejoicing of nature and the festivity of life are reflected in the relief panels, because the Savior came into this world. The magnificent ornament in the scenery emphasizes all the details in the sculptures.

Portico of Mercy

The portico of Mercy is divided by two doors under the spine of Christ, made in the form of a palm tree, which supports the statue of the Nativity. The column contains a ribbon inscribed with the names of Jesus' ancestors from Abraham to Jacob.

If you look higher, a Nativity scene opens before us, there is a happy Virgin Mary with a baby in her arms, her husband Joseph, and a mule and an ox lie on the sides.

A choir of angels is placed even higher, they sing a hymn, the text of the Gospel was beaten out in Latin.

Above them is a picture of the Annunciation: the Archangel Gabriel informs Mary of the conception of the Son of God. Around the choir and the Annunciation are 15 branches of roses, corresponding to 15 mysteries.

The final statue at the top shows the coronation of the Virgin Mary as Queen of Heaven.

On the right side - the worship of the shepherds, on the left - the worship of the Magi.

The location of the four angels with trumpets, their direction in 4 directions (heaven, earth, light, sea) speaks of the inevitable Last Judgment that can come from these elements. In this part of the architectural creation, the cypress crown of Christ surrounded by white doves attracts attention.

The tree means the inexhaustible love of the Savior for people, and the doves - religious parishioners. At the top of the cypress is the sign of the Holy Trinity, a red cross entwined with a golden cross.

At the foot of the tree is a nest in the form of a crown and an egg, the female pelican feeds her cubs with her own blood. According to the legend, it is this bird that is capable of such a sacrifice for the sake of the life of the chicks. The entire front part is decorated with figurines of birds and animals, angels and Christian symbols.

Portico of Faith

The Portico of Faith is located to the right of the Portico of Mercy. There are sculptural groups on both sides of the doors: on the left is Mary's visit to her barren sister Elizabeth, who later became pregnant with John the Baptist.

On the right is the work of Jesus as a carpenter, in the center is a display of the twelve-year-old Christos, showing a deep knowledge of God's Law.

Above our eyes, magnificent stone performances open up: the sinless conception of the Virgin Mary, the female leg throws back the twisted asp, this is a symbol of the weakness of Evil against the Mother of God;

Showing the temple, in this scene Simon holds the little Jesus in his arms; God's providence, imprinted as an all-seeing eye in the palm of your hand; a bunch of wheat signifies the sacrament of Communion.

Portico of Hope

The third portico of the Nativity facade, called the portico of Hope, is located on the left. The plots fascinate and disturb the soul, are presented in this architectural group: the escape of Joseph and his family from Israel to Egypt after an angel warned about Herod's decision to destroy the newborn Jesus; the scene of the Massacre of the Innocents by order of King Herod; in the center of the statue of Christ and Joseph.

Closer to the spire, scenes of the Betrothal of Mary and Joseph are opened, above them is a priest with outstretched arms and a stone picture of the powerful Montserrat mountain.

All the details of the decoration of the cathedral are united by a logical chronological chain. You will not find anything superfluous in the decor. During the Civil War many statues on the front of the temple were damaged or were completely destroyed.

An interesting fact: since the late 80s, an ardent admirer of Gaudi's work, the Japanese master Etsuro Sotoo, who converted to the Catholic faith, has been restoring them.

Facade of Glory

The building is located on Calle Mallorca, its name is associated with church service. The elements of the building will make you philosophize over the fall and virtue. A display of hell, death and the offering of the gifts of the Holy Spirit will all crown Trinidad Augusta.

The building faces south towards the sea, so the sun's rays fall on it all day. And this makes sense, for: "Glory is light, light brings joy, and joy brings spiritual happiness."

The construction of this part of the cathedral began not so long ago. It is planned to reunite the three entrances and frame the portico, consisting of seven columns, which symbolize the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In the lower part, pictures of hell will appear; above are people of different professions, a sign that any physical labor is a virtue.

Closer to the top will be the Holy Trinity, as well as the Holy Spirit in the guise of a flying dove. Above the bird are statues of the Father with the Son and the inscription on Latin which will be illuminated at night. The structure will be enveloped in stone clouds, with texts from the plot of the Creation of the World carved on them. At the top of the Facade of Glory, bell towers will be built to commemorate the memory of Saints Peter, Andrew, Paul, and James.

Passion Facade

Emotions overwhelm when examining the facade of the Passion of Christ. His modern vision was still in the drawings of Gaudi in 1911, he deliberately did not want to use ornamental decor. The task of the architect was based on riveting the attention of the audience to sculptures that show the events of the last earthly days of Christ.

The naked slanted columns are like huge tree trunks. Cold stone structures without decorations symbolize inconsolable grief. The statues of Subirax seem rough, as if carved with an axe. The magnificent sculptures have great emotional intensity and are located along the S-shaped path.

It is located at the bottom left and indicates the path of Jesus to Calvary. Along the line we see Via Crucis: scenes of the Last Supper, in which Christ foreshadows his death and resurrection. Slightly to the right are the sculptures of Peter and the soldiers, further on the level is the kiss of Judas. In the background of the disciple of Jesus is the image of a serpent, a symbol of the devil's instigation to betray his teacher.

A cryptogram with numbers that, when added vertically, horizontally or diagonally, give the number thirty-three, i.e. the age of the Savior when he accepted death. The statues of three women point to Peter's three-time denial of Jesus.

The pose of Peter and his body wrapped in a sheet is a metaphorical sign of shameful cowardice. Ecce Homo: on the lower level, a sculpture of the Son of God, on whose head a wicker wreath of thorns. Around the guard soldiers playing dice on the robes of Jesus. At the trial, Pilate washes his hands before the people and refuses to make a decision about the further fate of the Savior.

On the first bend at the bottom of the letter S, three Marys bowed over Christ, who could not bear the weight of the cross and fell on the road to Golgotha; Simon carries the Cross of Jesus. In the center, above the gate, a scene of a repeated fall is depicted.

Holy faceless Veronica emphasizes the miraculous face of Christ, an imprint on the cloak. The level is completed by a statue of the soldier Longinus, the shape of his helmet resembles a chimney.

They say that the warrior pierced the ribs of Jesus with a spear, and later Longinus converted to Christianity and was martyred in the name of the Church.

The next bend of the line of the letter S to the right, where the death of Christos is depicted. To the left, the Virgin Mary mourns Jesus on her knees, and John comforts her, in the background you can see Mary Kleopova.

The crucifixion of Christ is depicted on a black iron cross, it consists of two beams. This gives a sharp contrast against the background of a stone body located horizontally. From the end of the beam, painted in red, the inscription INRI. The image of the moon is a symbol of the night, the skull is a sign of death. Above the crucifix is ​​a torn curtain that separated the Jerusalem sanctuary from other rooms.

During the martyrdom of Christ, the veil itself was torn into two parts, and many bodies of the dead were resurrected and appeared before the eyes of the people. At the top right, the rich Arimathean Joseph and Nicodemus are depicted in the burial scene. They carry the body of the Savior, wrapped in a shroud, to the rock. Mary Magdalene knelt before the entrance to the tomb. Above her head is a symbol of resurrection, holiness - an egg.

Work on the construction is ongoing, and the tourists who visited the Sagrada Familia from July 2, 2018 were lucky to see how a new element was installed on the Passion Facade in the composition - a cross weighing more than 18 tons and a height of 7.5 meters (it can be see in the early sketches of Gaudi, which he did at the end of the 19th century).

Passion Façade Gate

On the doors of the gate, a fragment of the Gospel text was carved out of bronze, which tells about the last earthly days of the Son of God. Between the letters are symbols: a pelican tears its heart; the key to eden; cryptogram. 16 digits of the cryptogram have three hundred combinations, in summation they always give Christ's age - 33.

On both sides of the gate on the columns reproduced in a mirror image the Greek sign alpha - the beginning and the symbol omega - the end.

In the foreground of the gate is a huge 5-meter statue of the scourging of the Savior at a shameful pillar with a cane at his feet, mounted on an uncultivated stone. The marble stone for carving the sculpture was found with an imprint of a palm leaf, it is believed that it was sent from heaven. The statue is between the kiss of Judas and the denial of Peter, which indicates the loneliness of Christ.

There are doors on both sides of the facade. Some depict the torments of the Savior, on their surface are written excerpts from Dante's work "The Divine Comedy", others are the Gethsemane doors, they depict Christ's prayer in the garden before the arrest.

Monastery

The monastery is located outside the boundaries of the Sagrada Familia. The plan of its construction provides for framing the temple with a ring, which is interrupted at the places of the gate and apse. This is a kind of protective shield from street noise. At the intersection with the facade, decorative doors were installed with prayers to St. Mary, the Madonna of Mercy, the Virgin Mary of the Rosary, the Virgin of Montserrat.

The Glory Façade door leads to the Chapel of Remorse. Decorative elements on the doors consist of olive branches, flowers and palm leaves. Obelisks will be made in the corners of the monastery, signifying good deeds, fasts and cardinal directions. Tourists do not yet have the opportunity to see the main part of the facade, because work on it has not yet been completed.

Apse

If you go around the cathedral, between the facade of the Nativity and the facade of the Passion appears Apse. This part was reproduced one of the first, built in the architectural Gothic style. The apse honors the memory of the Mother of God, the construction of the front part is under construction. Seven chapels with images on outside cathedral, gargoyles that take the form of toads and snakes. They watch with contempt and anger the good symbols of the gargoyles, presented in the form of amphibious turtles.

The latter symbolize the earth and the water element, their figures coincide with the stairs. This is a sign that with patience, each person is able to rise up and fulfill his cherished dream. The project takes into account the erection, from the inside of the Apse, statues of the founders of a religious order. At the top they will make the dome of St. Mary, crowned with a star with 12 ends (morning star).

The interior of the temple

Non-standard solution of Antonio Gaudi's vision of the Sagrada Familia inside.

To distribute the load on the columns and arches, he decided to use branched tree columns, this was a brilliant idea. Striking effect The beauty of the design was obtained in the light falling on it through colored glass.

Plan of the Sagrada Familia

Inside the cathedral, construction continues, but visitors still have something to admire. Sagrada Familia inside photo.

Parabolic arches surmounted by prickly stars are like huge flowers; palm leaves, and in the middle there is a hole through which, according to the plan of the architect, light should enter.

Gaudi was inclined to believe that bright lighting inside the temple would disrupt the harmony of the architectural decor and would not create the desired peace of mind, therefore glow through the colored stained glass windows created an unreal atmosphere.

In the center of the nave is a statue of St. George, this work of the Catalan patron was made by Subirax.

After standing in a 10-minute queue, you can take the elevator to the top of the bell tower, which are connected to each other by bridges.

Inside each are narrow spiral staircases located between the outer walls of the towers. Places for bells are provided in the spans. The top is decorated with mosaics and Venetian glass, and episcopal symbols have been installed on it.

In the basement of the temple there is an exposition-museum, which demonstrates all stages of reconstruction and construction.

Museum

After the completion of work on the crypt, the museum was opened in 1961. Be sure to go there after visiting the temple itself. You will see priceless exhibits, including authentic drawings and drawings by Antonio Gaudí. They are stored in separate rooms, with very low lighting, in order to protect the paper from external influences as much as possible.

Also in the museum you can see in the photo the stages of the construction of the Sagrada, a few photos of Gaudi, because it is known that he really did not like to be photographed.

On the shelves you can see numerous plaster casts and models of the architectural details of the cathedral, people, animals, flora, as well as other interesting exhibits that are dedicated to the historical, artistic and symbolic aspects of the design and construction of the Sagrada Familia Expiatory Church.

In addition, you can see reproductions of other creations of Gaudí. The famous architect was an ardent supporter of Catalonia and worked exclusively on its territory and very rarely traveled abroad.

Of the 18 works of Gaudi architecture, all are located in Spain, 14 in Catalonia, 12 in Barcelona.

How to get to the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona

It is more profitable to get to the temple by metro, Sagrada Familia station (2 and 5 lines). The route of city buses No. 50, 34, 43, 19 will allow you to get to the desired stop. You can also get to the sights by tourist buses City Tour and Bus Turistic.

• Address of the Sagrada Familia: Barcelona, ​​401, Mallorca. There is no localization of the official website of the Sagrada Familia into Russian.

The amazing acoustics, thought out by Antonio Gaudi, will allow, upon completion of construction, 2.5 thousand chanters to perform the liturgy accompanied by several organs.

It will be a divine sound! Spanish architect Fauli is confident that the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona will be fully completed in 10 years. The grandiose creation of world architecture is impressive, it makes one bow down to the greatest genius who created such a miracle.

Tickets

You can buy a ticket to the Sagrada Familia for a visit at the box office and online. Tickets cost from 15 euros (there is different variants excursions).

Please note that during the tourist season there are long queues at the box office, there are especially many people who want to visit the temple at this time, so you can stand for more than one hour for tickets, which is not very good if you came on an excursion with children or you yourself do not tolerate hot weather. The Spanish sun in summer spares no one.

Schedule:

It is better to purchase tickets that include the presence of a Russian-language audio guide, where in an hour you will be told the history of the construction of the temple, about Gaudi's ideas and their implementation.
It is better to buy tickets to the Sagrada Familia online and in advance.

Advantages:

• You calmly book tickets for the desired date without fuss and stress;
• You do not have to stand in a long line of tourists under the scorching sun;
• There is an instant confirmation of the booking;
• Guaranteed money back if you change your mind;
• Russian speaking guide.

Payment:

• Visa/Mastercard;
• Sberbank Online;
• Alpha click;
• WebMoney;
• Yandex money;
• Cash at Svyaznoy or Euroset branches.

If you are in Barcelona for the first time, then pay attention to sightseeing tours of the city (walking or bus). Be sure to visit the Gothic Quarter - the heart of the city with absolutely majestic architecture! We strongly advise you to purchase excursions with a qualified guide; in no guidebook, no matter how detailed it was, you will not find so many stories, subtleties and nuances that a resident of Barcelona knows.

The Expiatory Cathedral of the Sagrada Familia (cat. Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia), often called the Sagrada Familia, is a famous church in Barcelona designed by the famous Catalan architect Antonio Gaudi. The temple is located in the Eixample district, its construction began in 1882 and has not yet been completed.

The first draft of the cathedral was developed by the architect Francisco del Villar (cat. Francisco de Paula del Villar y Lozano), in whose place at the end of 1883 A. Gaudi was invited, who significantly changed the original project. According to the decision of the initiators of the construction of the temple, the financing of the work should be carried out exclusively at the expense of donations from the parishioners, which is one of the reasons for such a long construction.

By 1918, Gaudi had become a completely isolated figure, he had only one sponsor left - the Catholic Church. He had to go through a deep spiritual crisis alone, the deterioration of health and the death of many close friends. In 1910, his first teacher, José Villasec, died, in 1911, Maragall, the eccentric sculptor Mani and his assistant, in 1914, Berenguer, followed by Bishop Campis, and in 1916, Bishop Torras. With the death of Eusebio Güell in 1918, all work in the park and colony Güell finally ceased. Nevertheless, by 1918 he had only one project left, the work of his whole life - the Sagrada Familia Cathedral. Having created his own unique style in architecture, towards the end of his life he devoted himself completely to this building and to God.

Final view of the Sagrada Familia (project)
Gaudi was engaged not only in the design of the building, but also in collecting donations for construction, the pace of which in the first thirty-six years, from 1882 to 1918, could not be called fast. The crypt, which inherited its neo-Gothic forms from Paulo del Villara y Lozano, was completed in 1891.

By 1900, the first transverse façade was completed, called the Nativity façade, part of the inner wall and the chapel.
Eighteen years later, Gaudi's team, with the greatest care and attention to detail, continued to improve the designs and layouts of the central nave and passage, as well as the drawings of the opposite transverse facade of the Passion of the Lord. All this time, four bell towers slowly rose above the facade of the Nativity. The first, completed in 1918, has a honeycomb brick exterior with asymmetrical windows that spiral upward from base to top. From afar, it resembles an enlarged many times over copy of a fragile sea shell, which are found on the coast of Catalonia. The tower of St. Barnabas, covered with broken glass mosaics, was the only tower completed during Gaudí's lifetime.

For decades, Gaudi built and improved a certain liturgical order of the symbolic content of the space of the Sagrada Familia. Thanks to experiments in the Guell colony, which proved the effectiveness and reliability of the parabolic arch, a constructive solution as a whole had already been found. But in his workshop at the temple, Gaudí worked tirelessly on the details.

Obelisks were placed at the four corners of the construction site, symbolizing the four posts of the Catholic calendar circle. In addition, they were supposed, according to Gaudí, to "praise the Holy Family and preach the virtues of repentance." The composition was completed by a fountain and a lamp, symbolizing purification by fire and water. Inside the cathedral, Gaudi planned to place pews for thirteen thousand parishioners, while the central columns corresponded to the main apostolic missions of Spain, which included Valencia, Granada, Santiago de Compostela, Burgos, Seville, Toledo, Segovia and even small dioceses like Burgo de Osma with a population of only five thousand souls.

Throughout his life, Gaudí did what Goya and El Greco did before him - he skillfully used the plasticity and suppleness of the spiritual world. He said that “hearing corresponds to faith, and sight to glory, since glory is the image of God. From the point of view of the sensation of light, space and plasticity, vision is the infinity of space; it sees what is and what is not.” Gaudí was aware of the powerful psychological effects of sound, especially in places of worship. He experimented for years with the shape of the elongated bells for the Sagrada Familia. In addition, the entire structure of the building was designed to sound like a grandiose organ.

Color also played a special role. The irony lies in the fact that for many, Gaudi's work was associated with "black Spain", that is, the Inquisition, while he was the author of more impressive creations than the sparkling HOSANNA mosaic, soaring to the top of the bell tower. Gaudi imagined the interior of the Sagrada Familia as a bright multi-colored psalm to the glory of God.

Gaudi completed only one of the two chapels located at the corners of the churchyard - the chapel of the Rosary of Our Lady. It is a very small building, topped with a dome, thanks to which a sufficient amount of daylight penetrates inside, and it seems as if rich lace is woven along the walls with an abundance of flowering roses and rose bushes associated with Christian symbols. In addition to the Virgin and Child, there are images of Saint Domingo and Saint Catalina of Siena, as well as figures of the Magi and prophets from the New Testament: David, Solomon, Isaac and Jacob.

The facade of the Nativity of the Sagrada Familia struck terror into the hearts of honest parishioners. When you step under a giant sculptural frieze, it seems that the building is about to collapse and bury all life under it.
The central entrance, divided in the middle by a column, is crowned by a sculptural group depicting the Holy Family. All figures are life-size. At ground level, two columns in the form of palm trees, visually dividing the space, rest on the backs of two turtles: the sea one from the sea side and the land one from the mountains. Turtles symbolize stability, the immutability of the world. At the same time, the figures of chameleons on both sides of the facade symbolize the constant change in natural forms.

At a thirty-meter height, under the canopy of a giant Christmas tree, surrounded by the apostles Barnabas, Simon, Thaddeus and Matthew, the glorification of the Madonna takes place.

Portico of Mercy, coronation of Mary

Portico of Hope

Nativity of Jesus

Portico of Hope, Massacre of the Innocents

While designing the façade, Gaudí constantly kept an eye on the parishioners in search of suitable models. He considered copying the Creator's creations the highest form of his praise and evidence of his own modesty. The watchman of the cathedral, the alcoholic Josep, who later died of delirium tremens, became Judas. The fat goatherd was the model for Pontius Pilate. The six-fingered giant, encountered in one of the bars, posed for the figure of a centurion in the scene of the massacre of babies. When there were difficulties in finding models, Gaudí found them among his employees. So the sculptor became Saint Peter, the transporter of building material became the Apostle Thaddeus, and the plasterer became King David.
The next stage of work was even more unusual. Chickens and turkeys were euthanized with chloroform, smeared with fat, and a plaster cast was quickly made from them. The donkey was tied and hung on its harness so that it would be easier to take measurements from it. A dead owl found at a construction site has become a symbol of the night. And only once, when Gaudi decided to make a life-size casting with Ricardo Opisso, and he lost consciousness, the architect realized the eccentricity of his method.
The facade of the Nativity of Christ is decorated with a spire in the form of a cypress crowning three porticos: Mercy, Faith and Hope. Above the cave of the Coronation of the Holy Virgin is an anagram of Jesus, quite complex and expressive. In the center of it is a cross with the letters Α and Ω along the edges, denoting the beginning and end of all things. The cross itself serves as a symbol of the birth and end of world life.

A little higher, another rarely mentioned symbol can be seen - an egg covered with gold and red icing, also marked with a personal anagram of Jesus: JHS. Probably, we are talking about the egg as a symbol of integrity. The figure of a pelican above it refers to the primitive iconography of Christianity, it is also found in the mythology of previous eras. According to myths, this bird tears open its belly full of fish with its beak to feed its chicks, and therefore serves as a symbol of Jesus, as well as a symbol of the resurrection from the dead.

On the day of November 30, 1925, the construction of the tower of St. Barnabas, the first tower on the left side of the facade of the Nativity of Christ, was completed. This is the only tower that Gaudí saw completed.
The inside of the tower is just as striking as the outside. At the bottom of each tower, a spiral staircase begins, almost without railings (due to the steepness), when climbing it, it begins to seem to a person as if he is rotating around its axis. When looking at these stairs from the bottom up or from the top down, a stunning optical effect arises. The stairs of some towers are twisted in one direction, the stairs of others - in the opposite direction. Climbing up, you can go from one tower to another. Many transitions form a delightful vertical labyrinth. Inside one of the four towers there is an elevator that allows you to rise from ground level to a place where openings with stone shutters open in the walls. Here the stairs rest on the outer walls.

In subsequent years, the architect Domenic Sugranes, a follower of Gaudi, rebuilt three more towers. Later, four almost identical towers of the Passion façade were erected, their construction was completed in 1977. According to the project, the four towers of the Glory facade should be much higher than all existing ones.
The towers are dedicated to the twelve apostles. On the four oldest ones - the outer ones, ninety-four meters high, and the inner ones, one hundred and seven meters high - the names and corresponding figures of the apostles Barnabas, Simon, Judas Tadeo and Matthew, sitting on pedestals, and the inscription "Sursum corda" (Ascend with your heart) are carved in Latin. Towers with square bases above have a circular section. The flow of one form into another occurs at the top level of the facade. There are many church towers with a square section and very few with a round one, but there is not a single tower, except for the towers of the Sagrada Familia, which combines both types of sections. Gaudi did not leave any explanation for the reason for the transition from square to round, while critics are limited to saying that this is a technique that is extremely successful from an aesthetic point of view.

On Monday June 7, 1926, at five thirty in the afternoon, Gaudi left the Sagrada Familia to walk three kilometers to the church of San Philip Neri. Following the usual path, he went down the street to a crossroads and was hit by a tram there. Later, the driver of route number 30 claimed that Gaudi did not look where he was going, and, stumbling on the tram tracks, hit his head on a lamppost. Two passers-by rushed to help the victim of the incident, but did not recognize him as a famous architect. He had no documents with him, only a handful of raisins and nuts were found in his pockets. The hat is also missing. Four times they tried to stop a taxi to take the victim to the hospital, but each time they were refused. Finally, with the help of the National Guard soldiers, they managed to get a taxi driver to take the wounded man to a free dispensary for the poor. There, Gaudi was quickly diagnosed with rib fractures plus a head injury, and they decided to send him to the clinic.
The next morning, “the patient regained consciousness after a night of unconsciousness and asked to be unctioned, having fervently accepted the last communion.” Soon the news of Gaudí's sorry state spread throughout the city. By Tuesday evening, he was transferred to a separate ward, his ribs were set, but life was barely glimmering in him. Church prelates, friends and admirers filled the hospital corridors. Proposal to transfer the architect to expensive private clinic was rejected. Gaudí wanted to die among the people. He said almost nothing, and his heavy breathing was only occasionally interrupted by a whisper of “Lord Jesus!”, And his pale hand, lying on top of the blanket, tightly gripped the crucifix. On Thursday, June 10, 1926, at five o'clock in the afternoon, Antonio Gaudí passed away.

After the death of Gaudí in 1926, the construction of the temple was headed by Domenique Sugranes and Francis de Quintana, under whom the first four bell towers were completed. In 1939, the construction of the cathedral was undertaken by Isidre Puig Boada and Lewis Bonet y Ghali. Lewis Bonet y Ghali became the project's chief architect in 1971. In 1985, Jordi Bonet y Armengol took charge, and a year later, the sculptor José Maria Subirax began work on the Passion of Christ façade.

“If we started construction from this facade, people would prevent it,” Gaudi explained his decision to postpone the construction of the Portal of Passion. This statement demonstrates the depth of drama that the architect was striving for. In 1911, in the city of Puigcerda, being seriously ill, he wrote a will and at the same time composed the composition of this portal, which depicts the events of the last week of the earthly life of Jesus.

crucifixion

The fact that Subirax was the very master who had to realize his idea confirms the great respect with which the Catalan art researcher Sirisi Peliser writes in his work Modern Art of Catalonia (1970): “Subirax creates an exceptional sculpture that makes you think of Gaudí. He creates in typically unfavorable conditions that accompany all bearers of fire in their clashes with nonentities. Nevertheless, the appointment of the sculptor Subirax by the Governing Council was sharply criticized from the very beginning and was accompanied by sharp controversy. After a year of careful study of the architectural and sculptural heritage of Gaudí, Subirax took up his duties. On a peculiar stage with three plans, the sculptor depicted the story of the Passion, starting with the Last Supper and ending with the Crucifixion.

On November 28, 2000, the unfinished temple was consecrated. José María Subirax and other architects are currently working on the naves, choirs and patio. When the construction is completed, eighteen towers will rise above the city - in honor of the twelve apostles, four evangelists, the Mother of God and Christ. The towers of the evangelists will be decorated with their symbols, and the central tower of Christ will be decorated with a giant cross. In height, the central tower will be only one meter lower than Montjuic, the mountain that dominates Barcelona. Gaudi believed that his creation should not rise above the mountain that God created. He was a religious man who, despite everything, had a peculiar sense of humor. To criticisms about the pace of construction, the famous architect replied: "My client is in no hurry."

Many considered the work of Gaudi prophetic. Fearing that humanity is once again slipping into medieval obscurantism, Subirax once said: “If this is true, and everything that we are seeing today is not accidental - the revival of Islam, the AIDS epidemic, the simultaneous degeneration of local power and the collapse of great ideological blocs, a new form of piracy in the form of international terrorism and the flowering of esotericism - then Gaudi, as in many other cases, prophesied, saying: Sagrada Familia is not the last of the cathedrals, but the first in a new era.

The Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava, who can be considered Gaudi's heir in terms of the unique ability to feel and discover new forms, most accurately described Gaudi's work: “People tried to interpret Gaudi's creations in terms of paganism, Freemasonry, Buddhism and even atheism. I think it was a man who really served the religious idea. But this god, or rather goddess, whom Gaudí bowed to, was architecture itself.”

The idea of ​​\u200b\u200berecting (Sagrada Familia) belongs to Joseph Maria Bocabella, a well-known book publisher in Barcelona. Bocabella was the president of a religious organization dedicated to Saint Joseph.

In 1872, Bokabella visited, where he testified his respects to the head of the Roman Catholic Church. On the way back Bocabella visited the Italian village in which, according to tradition, Joseph, Mary and Jesus lived, and in which there was a famous basilica dedicated to Joseph.

Bocabella was amazed by the basilica and decided to build a copy of it. However, he later changed his mind. Bocabella decided to build a new temple in Barcelona dedicated to the Holy Family -.

Temple construction

The first architect of the Sagrada Familia was Francisco de Paula del Villara, who developed the design of the temple in the neo-Gothic style. In 1884, Villar left the project due to disagreements with customers. new architect Sagrada Familia was appointed Gaudi

The construction of the temple continues today. Such terms of construction are explained by the huge size, as well as the decision of the initiators of the construction - the Association of the Admirers of St. Joseph - that its construction should be financed exclusively by donations from parishioners. Therefore, work was suspended several times due to lack of funds, and even Gaudi was forced to participate in the collection of donations.

Gaudi himself managed to complete the crypt, apse and part of the porch corresponding to Portal of the Holy Virgin of the Rosary. Gaudi also supervised the construction of the building of the parish school in 1909-1910, on the site of the main facade as a temporary prototype of a permanent structure.

After Gaudí's death were completed façade bell towers Temple of the Sagrada Familia. Civil War in Spain, which began in the thirties, prevented the continuation of construction: during the fire, many drawings and plaster models that were stored in Gaudi's workshop were destroyed.

Work on the construction of the Sagrada Familia resumed in 1954. Nowadays, the naves and ceilings of the temple have been erected, and internal work is also underway.

Architecture Sagrada Familia

According to the project, the Sagrada Familia has the shape latin cross and is formed by three longitudinal and three transverse naves. The apse of the temple consists of seven chapels and a bypass gallery behind the kliros.

The porch surrounding the building will have to connect all three monumental facades churches. Gaudí retained the original layout of the temple, but abandoned the building's placement diagonally and modified Villar's neo-Gothic design with regard to the aesthetics and scale of the building.

The monumentality of the Sagrada Familia is given 18 towers. Twelve of them (98 and 112 meters high) are dedicated to the apostles; four surround the 170 meter tower of Jesus, and a slightly smaller bell tower of the Virgin Mary- located above the apse.

Gaudí finished crypto in 1885. He continued the already begun construction of Villar and erected more high vault, which allowed the windows to be opened outward, and also decorated it with a stone with a relief on the theme of the Annunciation. The crypt is surrounded by a shallow moat, which protects it from moisture and facilitates the penetration of additional lighting.

Apse was completed in 1891-1895. Most interesting feature the apses are the decorative pinnacles of the turrets and the gutters of the downspouts, inspired by the local flora and fauna.

But the most magnificent part of the Sagrada Familia is temple facade. It consists of three sculptural portals symbolizing Christian virtues - Faith, Hope and Mercy. Above the left portal of Hope are scenes of the Betrothal of Mary and Joseph, the Flight into Egypt and the Massacre of the Infants, and its top depicts the famous mountain of Montserrat.

On the right is located Faith Portal- decor, which consists of the sculptural compositions “Visit to St. Elizabeth by the Mother of God” and “Jesus and the Scribes”.

Above central portal there are sculptural groups “The Birth of Jesus” and “The Adoration of the Magi”, and above them are the figures of trumpeting angels announcing the birth of Jesus.

Today, work is also underway on two other façades that were conceived to celebrate the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus: the Passion Facade (construction began in 1954) and the Glory Facade, which is under design.

Useful information for tourists

• The address of the Sagrada Familia is Carrer de Mallorca 401,
• The nearest metro station to Sagrada Familia is Sagrada Familia,
• Opening hours - from April to September from 9:00 to 20:00, the rest of the time the cathedral is open until 18:00,
• Entrance to the Sagrada Familia is paid, tickets to the cathedral are sold at the entrance

View of the Sagrada Familia at night

Sagrada Familia on the map of Barcelona

Coordinates : 41°24′13″ N. sh. 2°10′28″ E d. /  41.403611° N. sh. 2.174444° E d.(G) (O) (I)41.403611 , 2.174444

Church of the Holy Family(full title: Expiatory Church of the Holy Family, cat. Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia), sometimes in Russian inaccurately called cathedral Sagrada Familia - a church in Barcelona, ​​in the Eixample district, built on private donations since 1882, the famous project of Antonio Gaudi.

The first project was designed by the architect Francisco del Villar (cat. Francisco de Paula del Villar y Lozano), in the place of which at the end of 1883 A. Gaudi was invited, who significantly changed the original project. According to the decision of the initiators of the construction of the temple, the financing of the work should be carried out exclusively at the expense of donations from the parishioners, which is one of the reasons for such a long construction.

Construction history

1882-1926

The idea of ​​creating an expiatory temple dedicated to the Holy Family arose in 1874 and, thanks to generous donations, in 1881 a land allotment was acquired in the Eixample district, which was located at that time a few kilometers from the city. The first stone in the foundation of the new temple was laid on March 19, 1882, and this day is considered the date of commencement of construction. According to the original design of the architect del Villar, it was supposed to create a neo-Gothic basilica in the form of a Latin cross, formed by five longitudinal and three transverse naves. A huge apse was designed, consisting of seven chapels and a bypass gallery behind the choirs, and the cloister surrounding the building was intended to connect the three monumental facades of the church. However, shortly after the start of construction, at the end of 1882, del Villar left the project due to disagreements with customers, and A. Gaudi was entrusted with the management of the work instead.

In 1883-1889, Gaudí completed the crypt begun by his predecessor. A higher vault was erected over the previously created del Villar building, which allowed the windows to be opened to the outside. The vault is adorned with an amazingly beautiful capstone with a relief on the theme of the Annunciation, and the crypt itself is surrounded by a shallow moat that protects the walls from dampness and improves access to daylight.

In 1892 the architect began work on the Nativity façade. He started with this facade, because he was afraid to scare away the inhabitants of the city by implementing the plan of the Passion facade, frankly and harshly talking about the crucifixion of Christ. In 1895, work on the neo-Gothic apse was completed. One of its features are the decorative tops of the turrets and the gutters of the drainpipes, inspired by the local flora and fauna, lizards and snails, which could be found in abundance in the surroundings. Around the same time, a part of the cloister was built, corresponding to the portal of the Virgin of the Rosary, decorated with rich ornamentation, full of symbolism. The portal of the Holy Virgin of the Rosary itself was completed in 1899.

Parish school near the church

In 1909-1910, the building of a temporary parochial school was built on the site of the future main facade. It was created by Gaudi for the children of the parishioners of the church under construction and, as a temporary structure, did not have load-bearing walls. Despite its ephemeral nature, this school has a unique design. The strength of the building is achieved through the use of curved partitions and roofing, and the division of classrooms with weight-bearing partitions allows you to easily change the layout of the interior space.

In 1911, A. Gaudi created a project for the second facade - the Passion Facade, although the final architectural solution for the naves and vaults appeared only in 1923, and the construction of this facade began after Gaudi's death. The creation of sketches of the third facade - the facade of Glory - also dates from the beginning of the 10s of the 20th century. Unfortunately, only structural-volumetric analyzes and sketches of a symbolic-iconographic nature have come down to us from this work. The design of the naves and ceilings of the facade included surveys implemented in the crypt of the Güell colony, and the end result, according to the architect, should look like a “forest of tree-like columns”, flooded with light penetrating through stained-glass windows of different heights.

On November 30, 1925, the 100-meter bell tower of the Nativity facade, dedicated to St. Barnabas, was completed. It turned out to be the only bell tower completed during the lifetime of the architect, who devoted more than forty years of his life to the construction of the Temple.

after 1926

Final view of the Sagrada Familia (project)

After Gaudi's death, his closest associate Domenech Sugranes (cat. Domènec Sugrañes i Gras), who worked with Gaudi since 1902 and helped in the construction of the Sagrada Familia and many other famous buildings (for example, Batllo's house and Mila's house) took over the work. Before his death in 1938, D. Sugranes managed to complete the construction of the three remaining belfries of the Nativity facade (1927-1930), completed work on the ceramic cypress crowning the central entrance of the facade, and also conducted a series of studies on the rigidity of structures. The outbreak of the Spanish Civil War prevented the construction from continuing. To top it off, during a fire in 1936, many of the drawings and models stored in Gaudí's workshop were destroyed. Fortunately, some of them were later restored. The construction of the Nativity facade was continued only in 1952. In this year, the staircase was completed and the facade was illuminated for the first time, which has become permanent since 1964.

In 1954, the construction of the Passion façade began. The work was based on the developments and surveys carried out by Gaudi in the period from 1892 to 1917. After the completion of the crypt in 1961, a museum was opened in it, dedicated to the historical, technical, artistic and symbolic aspects of the project. In 1977, four towers of the Passion façade were erected, and in 1986 work began on sculptures to decorate this façade, completed at the beginning of the 21st century. Around the same time, stained glass windows dedicated to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and a bronze sculpture of the Ascension of the Lord were installed.

In 1978-2000, the main nave and transepts were erected, as well as their vaults and facades. In the first decade of the 21st century, the vaults of the gallery were completed, and by 2010 a crossroads and an apse should appear. Two towers will be erected on them: a 170-meter tower of the central lantern, crowned with a cross, and an apse tower dedicated to the Virgin Mary. According to the plan, this part of the structure should contain four more towers in honor of the Evangelists. The expected completion of all construction work is the first third of the 21st century, when the creation of the Glory facade, which began in 2000, should also be completed.

Temple Architecture

outdoor device

Schematic representation of the individual elements of the Sagrada Familia

The illustration shows the relative position of the main elements of the Sagrada Familia. This five-nave church is planned in the form of a Latin cross, formed by the intersection of the main nave with a three-aisled transept. The unusually large apse, under which the crypt is located, includes seven chapels and a bypass gallery behind the choir. The cloister surrounding the building will have to connect all the facades of the church: the south facade of the Passion of Christ, oriental facade of Glory and northern facade of the Nativity. The structure will be crowned with eighteen towers. Twelve of them, four on each facade (in the illustration, all towers are shown in white circles), from 98 to 112 meters high, will be dedicated to the twelve apostles. Four 120-meter towers above the crossroads in honor of the Evangelists will surround the central 170-meter tower of Jesus, and a slightly smaller bell tower of the Virgin Mary will be located above the apse. According to the project, the towers of the Evangelists will be decorated with sculptures of their traditional symbols: a calf (Luke), an angel (Matthew), an eagle (John) and a lion (Mark). The central spire of Jesus Christ will be crowned with a giant cross. The height of the Temple, as conceived by Gaudi, is not accidental: his creation should not exceed the creation of God - Mount Montjuic. The rest of the towers will be adorned with sheaves of wheat and bunches of grapes, symbolizing Holy Communion.

On the left is the portal of Passion, on the right is the portal of Glory (not finished). 2011

The facade of the Nativity, most of which was created during the life of Gaudí, is formed by three portals glorifying the Christian virtues - Faith, Hope and Mercy. The portals are decorated with realistic sculptures dedicated to the earthly life of Christ. So, above the left portal of Hope are scenes of the betrothal of Mary and Joseph, the flight to Egypt and the beating of babies, and its top symbolically depicts Mount Montserrat with the inscription " save us". The right portal of the Faith contains the sculptural paintings "The Meeting of Elizabeth with the Mother of God", "Jesus and the Pharisees", "Entrance into the Temple" and "Jesus Working in the Carpenter's Workshop". Above the central portal, under the Christmas star, there are sculptural groups “The Birth of Jesus” and “The Adoration of the Shepherds and Magi”, and above them are the figures of trumpeting angels announcing the birth of Christ, the scenes of the Annunciation and the Wedding of the Holy Virgin, etc. High above the portal rises a symbolic church and her flock a cypress tree crowned with a cross surrounded by birds.

Internal organization

Interior of the Sagrada Familia

Realizing that during his lifetime the work on the Temple would not be completed, Gaudí planned many of the interior details. The desire to avoid straight lines, together with the desire to simplify the design, led to the principle decision to use geometric figures with a ruled surface, such as hyperboloid, hyperbolic paraboloid, helicoid and conoid. All these surfaces can be obtained by moving a straight line, therefore their intersection is a straight line, which greatly facilitates the articulation of various parts of the structure. Another one was used in the design geometric figure- ellipsoid.

Geometric shapes appeared in the project after about 1914. The master's earlier experiments with the form of columns and other interior details do not yet contain the above-mentioned strict geometric surfaces, but indicate the architect's desire to find certain spatial solutions known to him alone. So, when decorating the inside of the facade of the Nativity, Gaudí used round columns with a helicoidal or double helicoidal pattern in the upper part of the trunk, and in the portal of the Rosary, twisted columns with flutes twisted in the form of one or more helicoids are used.

Everything in the interior is subject to strict geometric laws. Round and elliptical windows and stained-glass windows, hyperbolic vaults, helicoidal stairs, numerous stars that appear at the intersection of various ruled surfaces and ellipsoids decorating the columns - this is an incomplete list of the geometric details of the Temple decoration.

The main load-bearing element in the construction of the main volume of the church are the columns that distribute the weight of the towers and vaults. Depending on the magnitude of the load, the columns differ in section thickness and height. The sections of the base of the columns have the shape of stars with a different number of vertices (from 4 to 12, which is determined by the load on the column) with a slight parabolic rounding of the rays on the inner and outer diameters. With height, the sectional shape of the columns gradually turns from a star into a circle, which occurs due to an increase in the number of grooves, achieved by simultaneously turning the original star template to the left and right. As you approach the vaults, the columns branch out, creating a never-before-seen structure in the form of a forest. This unusual architectural solution was originally dictated by a structural necessity: the search for