A wonderful attraction for tourists
Millions of people from all over the world visit Spain, especially Barcelona, with one certain purpose: to visit the outstanding La Sagrada Familia. This Cathedral became the symbol of Barcelona and not only one of the city's main attractions but one of the main attractions of the entire country. It is a piece of work of a unique design, a type of architecture unlike anything else in the world, something really special that attracts the interest of every person who sees it with its painstaking attention to detail.
A short history
The construction of the Cathedral began almost two centuries ago in 1883. The Cathedral, which in English would be called ''The Holy Family'', is still unfinished as the architect, the great Antoni Gaudi, died in 1926 without having the opportunity to finish the work to which he dedicated his entire life. A few plans were left but ten years after his death, a huge fire destroyed them. Some thought that it was the end of the Cathedral and that nobody would be capable of finishing it, but the construction was restarted, this time with money from donations. Gaudi's masterpiece was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and it represents the most exquisite example of surrealist work not only in Spain but in the entire world. As Gaudi was a very religious man, every single part of the Cathedral was designed to represent something: the three doorways represent Charity, Hope and Faith, while the eighteen imposing towers represent Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, the twelve Apostles and the Evangelists. The central piece of the Cathedral does not yet exist, but it will be a 170-meter-high cross.
Because the La Sagrada Familia or parts of it are more than 100 years old, you should expect to see lots of cranes and scaffolding. The Cathedral is a very important monument for Spain and it has generated a lot of controversy, discussions and problems over the last few years. For example, a high speed train that was meant to connect Madrid and Barcelona had parts of its tunnel very close to the Cathedral. Some people tried to stop its construction but the tunnel for the high speed train was completed in February 2008. You should not pass up the opportunity to visit La Sagrada Familia. It will charm you with its unique beauty. It truly is a ''must see'' on the list of things to do in a lifetime.
Martin Wynn
