Introduction

Welcome to the Expiatory Church of the Holy Family – the Sagrada Familia. This is the great dream that was to mark my life… Oh! I’m so sorry, how rude of me! First let me introduce myself. I am Antoni Gaudi i Cornet, architect, and a man who loves this region and my people. A God-fearing man, who built the church you are about to enter.

In life, I was able to show the progress of my work to monarchs, politicians and bishops, who all came to view this sacred building. Some admired the project, others were appalled. Yet I always preferred to surround myself with less powerful people, who were more inclined to be fascinated by it. So, if you will allow me, I will accompany you on your visit and, as we proceed, I will check what sort of state the building work is in. You see, when the Lord called me to him, after more than 43 years of devoting myself body and soul to erecting this cathedral, only one tenth of what you see today had been finished.

But as I get older, my memory is failing me… What’s more, everything has changed so much since the last time I was here. I will need a little help to remember the specific details. I am sure this kind tour guide will accompany us. She will remember all the technical details better than I can. I was never very keen on putting my projects down on paper. Almost everything was in my head, but of course, with time, things are a bit more vague. Please be patient, and wait a moment before we enter, so we can listen to what she has to say.


(c) (R) 2013, MUSMon com S.L.
Text (a) Diego Laforga Marcos (2013)

Picture: Gaudi´s portrait (1878)
Source: Wikipedia
Author: AA.VV., Gaudí 2002. Misceŀlània, Ed. Planeta, Barcelona (2002), ISBN 84-9708-093-9
Licence: This image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired. This applies to Australia, the European Union and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 70 years.

Picture: Gaudí and the nuncio Ragonesi visiting the Sagrada Familia (1915)
Source: Wikipedia
Author: Ana Mª Férrin, Gaudí, de piedra y fuego, Ed. Jaraquemada, Barcelona (2001), ISBN 84-932015-0-2
Licence: This image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired. This applies to Australia, the European Union and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 70 years.