The Sagrada Família is Antoni Gaudí’s best-known creation and Barcelona’s most iconic landmark. Construction began in 1883, and today it is one of the world’s most unique basilicas. It covers an entire block in the Eixample district, and its towers are visible from much of the city. The crypt and the Nativity façade have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Gaudí spent more than forty years working on it and devoted himself to it exclusively during the last fifteen years of his life. The fact that it is his final resting place speaks volumes about the importance this work held for him.

He envisioned the temple as a grand synthesis of architecture, nature and religion. Its basilica floor plan features a Latin cross layout with three major façades (Nativity, Passion and Glory) and eighteen towers representing the apostles, the evangelists, the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ. The interior resembles a vast stone forest, featuring columns that branch out like trees and filter the light through the stained-glass windows.

For a long time, Barcelona's residents regarded the Sagrada Familia as a perpetually unfinished project. Following Gaudí's death in 1926, construction continued according to his plans and models, despite the destruction of some of the original materials during the Spanish Civil War. Over the years, various architects have continued the project right up to the present day.

On 20 February 2026, a major milestone was reached when the upper arm of the cross was placed on the Tower of Jesus Christ, marking the temple’s highest point. Thanks to the accelerated pace of work in recent years, completion of this iconic building is drawing ever closer. Construction is expected to be completed within the next decade.