Walk down the Carrer de Mallorca in Barcelona, and you'll see it. It's impossible to miss. That giant, stone-carved forest of spires reaching up like frozen prayers. Most people standing in that massive shadow have one simple question: who built the Sagrada Familia? If you're looking for a one-sentence answer, it’s Antoni Gaudí. But honestly? That’s barely half the story. Gaudí didn't even start the project, and he certainly isn't the one finishing it. It has been a messy, multi-generational relay race involving a bookseller, a grumpy first architect, a genius who lived like a monk, and a modern team of engineers using NASA-grade tech to solve 19th-century puzzles.
It’s a miracle it exists at all.
The Architect Nobody Remembers
Most people assume Gaudí laid the first stone. He didn't.
The whole thing actually started with a guy named Josep Maria Bocabella. He was a local bookseller who visited the Vatican and came home obsessed with building a "temple of the poor." He hired an architect named Francisco de Paula del Villar. Villar was a traditionalist. He wanted a standard, Neo-Gothic church. Pointy arches, predictable windows—the usual stuff you see all over Europe.
Construction actually kicked off in 1882.
But Villar and Bocabella didn't get along. They fought over the cost of the materials and the design of the columns. After just a year, Villar quit in a huff. Bocabella needed a replacement, and he found a 31-year-old upstart named Antoni Gaudí.
At the time, Gaudí was a bit of a dandy. He liked nice clothes and the high life. Nobody knew he was about to turn the project into a lifelong obsession that would eventually lead him to sleep on-site in a tiny, dusty room surrounded by plaster models. When Gaudí took over, he basically tossed Villar's plans in the trash. He kept the foundation that was already built but decided everything else needed to look like nature, not like a blueprint.
The Man Who Became the Building
Gaudí was different. He didn't like straight lines because, as he famously pointed out, nature doesn't have straight lines. He looked at trees, bones, and beehives for inspiration.
He spent 43 years on the project.
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As the years went by, Gaudí changed. He stopped caring about his appearance. He became deeply religious. He poured every cent he had into the "Great Cathedral." By the time he died in 1926—hit by a tram while walking to confession—he looked so disheveled that people thought he was a beggar. He was buried in the crypt of the very building he spent his life creating.
But here’s the problem: Gaudí didn't leave behind a stack of detailed blueprints. He worked with 3D models. He knew he wouldn't live to see the finish line, so he built a massive workshop full of plaster casts and scale models to guide the people who would come after him. He wanted the building to grow organically, like a tree.
Then came the fire.
During the Spanish Civil War in 1936, revolutionaries broke into the workshop. They smashed the models. They burned the drawings. They even desecrated the tombs. For a while, the question of who built the Sagrada Familia became a tragic mystery because the "how" had been burned to a crisp.
The Modern Survivors and the Tech Shift
After the war, a group of architects—guys like Francesc Quintana and Isidre Puig-Boada—had to literally glue the pieces of Gaudí’s vision back together. It was like a 10,000-piece jigsaw puzzle where half the pieces were melted.
This is where the story gets controversial.
Some people, including famous architects like Le Corbusier, argued that the building should stay unfinished. They thought it was a crime to try and "fake" Gaudí’s style. But the work continued anyway.
Today, the people building it aren't just stonemasons. They're software engineers and aeronautical experts. Because Gaudí’s geometry is so complex—using shapes called hyperboloids and paraboloids—traditional drawing tools couldn't handle it. In the 80s and 90s, the team started using aeronautical design software (the kind used to design fighter jets) to figure out how the stones should fit together.
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The current lead architect is Jordi Faulí. He’s been on the project since the 1990s. Under his watch, the construction has sped up massively. What used to take ten years now takes two, thanks to CNC milling machines and off-site prefabrication.
- The Builders: * Francisco de Paula del Villar: The original guy who quit.
- Antoni Gaudí: The visionary who reinvented the whole thing.
- Domènec Sugrañes i Gras: The man who took over after Gaudí's death.
- Jordi Bonet i Armengol: A long-time director who introduced computers to the site.
- Jordi Faulí: The current Chief Architect overseeing the final towers.
Why It’s Taking 140+ Years
You’ve probably heard the joke that the Sagrada Familia is the world's longest-running construction site. It’s true. It has taken longer to build than the Great Pyramids.
Why?
Money. Well, and geometry.
The Sagrada Familia is an "Expiatory Temple." That’s a fancy way of saying it’s funded entirely by private donations and ticket sales. No government money. No Vatican bankroll. When the economy dips or a pandemic hits (like in 2020), construction stops.
The sheer complexity of the "Nativity Facade" is another reason. Look closely at it. It looks like it’s melting. Gaudí actually used real people and animals to make the plaster casts for those statues. He once tied a donkey to a pulley system to hoist it up so he could get the proportions right for a sculpture. You can't rush that kind of madness.
The Secret Geometry You Can't See
If you stand inside and look up, the columns look like giant trees. That’s intentional. Gaudí wanted the interior to feel like a forest. But the engineering behind those "trees" is wild.
The columns are made of different materials depending on how much weight they carry. The biggest ones are red porphyry, one of the hardest stones on Earth. As they go up, they branch out. This isn't just for looks—it allows the roof to stay up without the need for those "flying buttresses" you see on Notre Dame.
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Gaudí basically invented a new way of distributing weight that defied centuries of architectural tradition.
What’s Left to Do?
The goal was to finish by 2026, the centenary of Gaudí’s death. But thanks to the recent global delays, that date has slipped.
The main thing left is the Tower of Jesus Christ. When it’s done, it will be the tallest part of the church, topped with a massive four-armed cross. At that point, the Sagrada Familia will be the tallest church in the world.
There's also the "Glory Facade." This is the part that causes the most local drama. To finish it according to the original plan, the city might have to demolish a whole block of apartments to make room for a giant staircase. The people living there aren't exactly thrilled.
How to Actually Experience It
If you’re going to Barcelona to see who built the Sagrada Familia’s legacy, don't just take a selfie and leave.
- Look at the Nativity Facade first. This is the only part Gaudí actually saw mostly finished. It’s messy, organic, and full of life.
- Compare it to the Passion Facade. This was built later by Josep Maria Subirachs. It’s controversial because it’s harsh, bony, and angular. People hated it at first. They said it didn't look like Gaudí. But that was the point—it represents the pain of the crucifixion.
- Go inside between 5 PM and 6 PM. The stained glass is designed so that the "cold" blues and greens catch the morning light, and the "warm" reds and oranges catch the sunset. The whole building turns into a literal rainbow.
- Visit the Museum downstairs. This is where you see the reconstructed plaster models. It’s the only way to understand how they’re building it today without the original drawings.
Actionable Insights for Your Visit
Planning a trip to see this marvel requires more than just showing up. Because it's a functioning construction site and a massive tourist draw, you need a strategy.
- Book tickets at least two weeks out. If you try to buy them at the gate, you will fail. They don't even sell them at a physical window anymore; it's all QR codes and time slots.
- Download the official app. The audio guide is actually decent and explains the symbolism of the towers, which is impossible to guess on your own.
- Check the tower access. You can take an elevator up the towers, but you have to walk down. It’s narrow. If you’re claustrophobic, skip it and stay on the main floor. The view from the bottom is better anyway.
- Respect the dress code. It’s still a church. No hats, no short shorts, no tank tops. They will turn you away at the gate and they won't give you a refund.
The Sagrada Familia isn't just a building. It's a living organism that has survived wars, fires, and the death of its creator. It’s being built by everyone who buys a ticket and every architect who dares to try and think like Gaudí. When it's finally done, it won't just be a monument to a single man, but to a century of people who refused to let a "crazy" dream die.
Next Steps for Your Barcelona Trip
Check the official Sagrada Familia website for the current "Phase 2" construction updates. If you want to see the specific towers being worked on right now, aim for a morning visit when the cranes are most active. For a deeper dive into Gaudí’s other works, head to Casa Batlló or Park Güell—both offer a much more intimate look at his personal style before he went "all-in" on the cathedral.