It's Christmas, the big J's birthday, so what better time to show you five photos I took way back in September of one of the more famous churches in the world - Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.
Let me kick it Wikipedia style with a few facts about the church, some of which you'll know some maybe not.
It's is famously unfinished, in fact it was started in 1882 and they are still working on it, it's not unfinished in a 'oh we ran out of money so we didn't build the second tower sort of way, this is actively still being built - there is scaffolding everywhere, this makes it very very difficult to get a expansive shot of it, so you'll note this all all zoomed in detail shots. FYI they are claiming they will be finished in 2026 (or maybe 2040 depending on what you read)
Although considered a Gaudi building, the reality is the project started under a different architect - Francisco de Paula del Villar but he quit after a year. Gaudi then spent the next 43 odd years working on it until he died, and finished, a quarter of it. Now I don't want to be mean but that is just terrible planning, I mean was the original timeline about 160 years? If they do finished in 2026 it'll be 144 year since they started.
It is one of those buildings that I was a little like - my guess is this is overrated - it is not, it is weird and beautiful, and unlike anything else you will see. You likely know what Gaudi architecture looks like, blobby and fluid and gothic and even a little art deco and you may or may not like it (I edge towards the latter) but you still stand in awe of what they are trying to do here, the scale is astounding.
Also my tip for visiting, the outside is easier enough to see there are a lot of people around, but there is also a lot of space so you'll be fine. If you want to go inside you need to pre-book and not pre-book a couple of days ahead think at least a week and longer for a 'good' time of entry. We didn't do this and I regret it.
Maybe I'll go back in 2026 or 2040 see it finished and go inside.