Sagrada Familia

Construction began in 1882 under the architect Francisco de Paula del Villar. Antoni Gaudí took over a year later and devoted the rest of his life to the project; when he died in 1926, less than a quarter of the church was finished. Work has continued ever since. Pope Benedict XVI consecrated the church as a basilica in 2010, and the Nativity façade and the crypt are part of the UNESCO World Heritage site Works of Antoni Gaudí.

Outside, compare the richly carved Nativity façade, built during Gaudí's lifetime, with the bare, angular Passion façade begun in 1954. The Glory façade, the future main entrance, is still being built. Inside, branching columns rise like trees to vaults 45 metres high above the nave and 75 metres above the apse, and the stained-glass windows fill the space with coloured light.

Tickets are sold for a time slot, so book ahead, especially in summer. A fast-track ticket gives access to the basilica; tickets with tower access add a lift up one of the towers for views over Barcelona, so check which tower your ticket includes. A guided tour explains the symbolism that is easy to miss on your own.

The Sagrada Família is a place of worship: no see-through clothing, trousers and skirts must reach at least mid-thigh, and bags are checked at the entrance. Come early in the morning or in the late afternoon, when the low sun shines through the windows on the east or west side.