Lean your head back and look up at the world-famous church, Sagrada Família. Located in the beautiful Barcelona, the church is Gaudí's biggest achievement - and it's not even finished! Sagrada Família embodies both the renowned Catalan architect's ambitious imagination and his religious devotion.
Its slender spires tower over the Catalan capital, and every surface is intricate and significant. The church's design incorporates Christian symbolism in its own unique style. If you pay attention, when you visit the church, you'll discover, that Gaudí was also very much inspired by nature. For example, you can look for the turtle at the base of one pillar, and the tortoise at another. They are designed to show the balance between land and sea. Gaudí was so dedicated to this project that he lived onsite for 16 years (and is buried in the crypt below).
When it's finished in 2026 - on the 100th anniversary of Gaudí's death - it will have taken 144 years to complete the Sagrada Família. The original plan called for eighteen spires, the tallest of which will be 172 meters, thus making it the tallest church spire in the world. It was Gaudí's wish that the construction would be financed by the people, and that the entrance fees went towards the completion of the church - this began in 1882.
The onsite Sagrada Família Museum is well worth a visit while you're there!