Probably the single greatest symbol of Barcelona is the
unfinished basilica of Sagrada Familia, the Holy Family, an ongoing project
designed most by Catalan modernist architect Antoni Gaudi and under
construction since 1883 . Obviously that construction hasn’t been moving along
very fast, but in 2008 it was considered to be nearing the halfway mark with a
tentative completion date of 2026. So it would appear that progress is
accelerating.

Even though it isn’t finished, it’s obvious to anyone who
sees it that Sagrada Famailia is architecturally a cathedral like no other on
earth, clearly inspired by Gothic but largely in Gaudi’s particular form of Art
Nouveau or Modernismo. Looking at it
from either outside or a tour through the construction site, it’s hard to
believe that it’s considered only half complete since most of the structure
seems to be up and work on the main facades, the Nativity Façade and the
Passion Façade were completed long ago.

I took the full walking tour of the interior of the
cathedral and work site the first time I was in Barcelona in November 2002.
There was enough work going on at the time it seemed to make you wonder why it
would take another quarter century to finish it . The tour at the time went to
several levels and around the outside walls for a good view of what was taking
place and an idea of what it might look like once it’s completed. I would have
loved to have taken the tour again to see the progress after more than five
years, but this time I was in Barcelona in July in the heart of tourist season
and lines were extremely long for all sites including Sagrada Familia. So this
time I only admired and photographed it from the outside in the bright summer
light.