Sagrada Familia

:This article is about the church in Barcelona. For the song by The Alan Parsons Project, see La Sagrada Familia (song).

Related Topics:
The Alan Parsons Project - La Sagrada Familia (song)

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La Sagrada Família in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, more formally Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família or Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family, is Antoni Gaudí's masterwork.

Related Topics:
Barcelona - Catalonia - Spain - Antoni Gaudí

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It is a Roman Catholic basilica (not a cathedral - the cathedral of Barcelona is the Cathedral of Santa Eulàlia, a Gothic building of the late Middle Ages). After disagreements between the founding association and the original architect Francesc del Villar, Gaudí was assigned the project in 1884 and created an entirely new design. He worked on the project for over 40 years, devoting the last 15 years of his life entirely to this endeavour; on the subject of the extremely long construction, Gaudí is said to have joked, "My client is not in a hurry." Upon its completion, it will be the largest basilica in the world.

Related Topics:
Roman Catholic - Basilica - Cathedral - Cathedral of Santa Eulàlia - Gothic - Middle Ages - Architect - Francesc del Villar - 1884

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As the building proceeded higher and higher, the style got more and more fantastic with four spindle-shaped towers that can be likened to termites' nests or children's drip sand castles. They are crowned with geometrically shaped tops that were probably influenced by Cubism (they were finished around 1920). There are also many complicated decorations that are said to be in the style of Art Nouveau.

Related Topics:
Sand castle - Cubism - 1920 - Art Nouveau

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Gaudí died in 1926. The towers were originally intended to be three times higher. Parts of the unfinished building and Gaudí's models and workshop were destroyed during the Spanish Civil War. Gaudí left no further plans and work on the privately owned church has been episodic. Since 1940 the architects Francesc Quintana, Puig Boada, and Lluís Gari have carried on the work. Sculptures by J. Busquets and the controversial Josep Subirachs decorate the fantastical façades.

Related Topics:
1926 - Spanish Civil War - 1940 - Francesc Quintana - Puig Boada - Lluís Gari - J. Busquets - Josep Subirachs

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According to the newspaper El Periódico de Catalunya, 2.26 million people visited the unfinished basilica in 2004, making it the most popular attraction in Spain, before the Museo del Prado and Alhambra.

Related Topics:
El Periódico de Catalunya - Museo del Prado - Alhambra

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