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The Basilica of the Sagrada Familia became the main creation of the architect Antoni Gaudi. He worked on it for 43 years, until the last day of his life when, leaving the construction site in the evening, he was hit by a tram and passed away on June 10, 1926. Gaudí referred to his temple as the “Cathedral,” despite the fact that there was no cathedral in it. But the self-confident, brilliant architect was sure that over time, as the poet Maragall predicted, Barcelona would be famous for “his” temple. Time proved him right: today Sagrada Familia has become a symbol of the city, and in 2010, Pope Benedict XVI bestowed the status of basilica upon the temple.

Sagrada Familia Cathedral is a masterpiece of architectural symbolism, where every element tells a story and invites contemplation. The architectural form of the temple has an important symbolic meaning: it is in the shape of a cross, which symbolises Christ’s sacrifice and his salvation of mankind. Each tower of the temple represents one of the four evangelists, and the central tower represents Christ himself.

“Everyone can find something for themselves in the temple. The peasants see the hens; the scientists the signs of the zodiac; the theologians Jesus’ genealogy…” Antoni Gaudi

The Façade of the Nativity

The Nativity façade is the only façade built during Gaudí’s lifetime. It is oriented towards the east, with the sun shining on it first, which Gaudí intended to express the jubilation at the appearance of Jesus Christ to the world: everything is full of life and joy. The three porticos dedicated to the three members of the Holy Family: the left one represents “Hope”, a virtue associated to Saint Joseph, the central one, dedicated to Jesus; represents “Charity”, which is topped by a naturalist pinnacle (the Tree of Life) which competes in height with the towers: and the portico on the right represents “Faith”, personified by the Virgin Mary.

The Charity Portico

For the decoration of the Charity portico Antoni Gaudi devised a clearly defined program that was based on symbolism. The birds, due to their ability to fly, are messengers between Heaven and Earth. The serpent is a symbol of original sin, for the sake of its redemption Christ came to Earth. The abundance of flowers, in contrast, represents the blossoming of springtime, associated with the birth of a new cycle, while the cypress tree that dominates the portico symbolises the passing of time and the doves allude to the presence of the Holy Spirit.

The Column of Jesus Christ is formed by a sheaf of palm leaves linked by a ribbon to Christ’s genealogy. The name of Jesus is engraved on the capitol. The serpent with the forbidden fruit at the base of the column of Christ, behind the grate, is a symbol of original sin, for the sake of its redemption Christ came to Earth.

The choir of angels is accompanied by six other teenage angels of the same ilk. Three play noble instruments and three play folk instruments – as if to indicate that Christ’s message is addressed to all people, of all classes.

The star showed the way to the three wise men of the East. In the architectural ensemble we see them bringing gold (as king), honey (as God) and myrrh (as man) as gifts to Jesus.

On the next level there is a sculptural group framed by rosary beads. Here you can see the symbols of the zodiac: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo and Virgo – the constellations of the month of March, when the Annunciation is celebrated. The constellations also reflect the pagan belief that the stars determine one’s destiny.

Photo from Sagrada Familia.

The figure of a pelican feeding its two chicks is very symbolic in its meaning. In the Middle Ages it was believed that the pelican could feed its chicks with its own blood and was identified with the sacrifice of Christ and Holy Communion. Under the figure of the pelican two angels carry bread and wine – symbols of Communion. In one myth about the pelican tells how this bird with its beak to tear its belly, half a fish to drink and feed its chicks, so in the pelican serves as a symbol of Communion, and sometimes even a symbol of resurrection. The egg, over which the pelican stands, is a symbol of the origin and wholeness of the universe.

The Nativity portal is crowned with another symbolic image – a cypress, a sign of eternity. On either side of it, angels collect the holy blood of Christ to sprinkle it on the world. Frozen drops can be seen all over the surface of the stone around them. And the ladder leading to the very top of the cypress means a mystical aspiration to ascend to the bosom of the Lord.

White doves, the souls of the faithful, are drawn to this tree, a symbol of the eternal life granted by the love of Christ.

At the very top of the portal Gaudi placed the Holy Trinity: the dove – the Holy Spirit; the three-pointed cross in the form of the letter “T” (the first letter of the word “God” in Greek and the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet) in the colour of blood – Jesus Christ; the gilded cross – the symbol of God the Father holding his crucified Son in his arm

The Hope Portico

Dedicated to Saint Joseph and found on the left-hand side of the facade, the Hope portico shows several scenes from the life of the Holy Family that convey the value of this virtue in times of adversity.

The Hope portico combines some marked vertical proportions, which are exemplary for displaying the mountainous surroundings that are inspired by the massif of Montserrat, and a context of flora and aquatic fauna that reminds of the banks of the River Nile, in consonance with one of the main scenes represented: the Holy Family fleeing to Egypt after an angel appears in Joseph’s dreams, warning him of the Slaughter of the Innocents. This last biblical event, also shown on the portico, makes up the most gruesome sculptural group on the entire facade.

To go under the crags that culminate the Hope portico, Gaudi had Llorenc Matamala’s studio create the figure of Saint Joseph navigating a boat, a vessel that symbolizes the passage of the Catholic Church, whose helmsman is the patriarch of the Holy Family and father of the Church. The cave that the boat crosses and the darkness surrounding it represents the difficulties that Saint Joseph will face on his way, while the underground waters that the boat sails through stand for spiritual purity and regeneration.

The Faith Portico

On the far-right hand side of the Nativity facade, the Faith entrance is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, but the key figure in most of the scene is her son Jesus, who is depicted as an infant and an adolescent.

Photo from Sagrada Familia.

In homage to the Virgin, Gaudi had the groups of the Immaculate Conception and the Visitation of Mary to Saint Elisabeth sculpted, paradigms of the faith shown by Mary towards the divine design, the main symbolic motif of the portico. Other sculptural groups describe scenes related to the Son of God: the presentation of Jesus in the Temple of Jerusalem (an initiation ritual that Hebrew par- ents undertook with their newly born children) and the preaching of Jesus in the same temple, inciting the admiration of his own parents, who are depicted observing him from lower down. However, the sculpture that arouses the most compassion, for its size, simplicity and naturalness, is the representation of Jesus working as a carpenter.

The right hand with the image of an eye is a symbol of Divine Providence, all the acts of the Lord for the salvation of mankind, in which Christians believe.

Pinnacle of the portico is formed by intertwined ears of wheat symbolising, together with the vine at the base of the pinnacle, the Holy Communion: bread and wine transformed into the body and blood of Christ.

The bronze doors by the Japanese sculptor Etsuro Sotoo (@sotooetsuro) fit perfectly with the idea of celebrating life that Gaudi wanted to embody in this facade. The Door of portico of Charity presents the leaves of ivy, the symbol of conjugal love. In some places they are reddened and colour the initials of Joseph and Mary. Another door dedicated to Joseph have reeds and Nile lilies. They are present throughout the portico to signify the flight to Egypt. And the Hope portico, which dedicated to Mary, is full of thornless roses, a symbol of the chastity of the Holy Virgin.

The Passion Façade

In the early 1890s, Gaudí intended to give the Passion Portal a gloomy atmosphere, but he thought starting his iconographic project with this portal might prove counterproductive. Therefore, he decided that the Nativity facade, joyful and festive, should be constructed first. Twenty years later, in 1911, when the Nativity facade was still unfinished, the architect fell ill with Maltese fever and moved to the Pyrenean town of Puigcerdà. Gaudí was seriously ill, and this close encounter with death inspired him when he worked on designing the facade depicting the final days of Jesus’ life. Immersed in a spirit of pain and suffering, the architect later admitted that this facade was intended to disturb its viewers. In 1954 on this facade, with Gaudí having only outlined its decorative details, leaving future generations with the task of interpreting the actual sculptural scheme. This challenge was taken up in 1986 (after the completion of the portico structure and the four bell towers) by the sculptor Josep Maria Subirachs, who endeavored to convey all the agony and sorrow depicted on this facade, which was full of symbolism and faced the sunset.

The events of the Passion of Christ and the Death of Jesus itself are shown under an atrium with sloping columns. The sequence is lined up and read from bottom to top in an S shape. The arrangement of the figures, the execution of the sculptural groups and the entrance doors are all the work of Josep Maria Subirachs.

A large two-storey atrium protects and provides light distribution for the 12 sculptural groups and for the doors. The 6 columns of the lower tier and 18 of the upper tiers, shaped like bones, add up to a total of 24 – the number of human rib bones.

The Romans placed the inscription INRI on the cross in mockery of the Saviour. Here it can be read verbatim: Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum (Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews) with a Chrismon – the monogram of Christ – at the top centre.

The figures on the pediment are the work of sculptor Lau Feliu. The one on the far left is the lion of Judah, which has conquered death. In the Old Testament it was one of the symbols of Christ. The gable figure on the far right is Abraham’s lamb, another symbol of Jesus in the Old Testament, in this case a symbol of his sacrifice.

The top of the pediment is crowned with a 40 metre high (according to the number of days of Lent) Cross of Glory, it is a symbol of the victory of life over death, so there is no Christ here. At the foot of the cross, three angels look up with love and reverence.

The sculptures of Judas’ kissing scene show how Judas made it clear to the soldiers which of those gathered in the Garden of Gethsemane was Christ.

At Judas’ feet the animals are spread out. When he kisses Jesus, there is a snake, a symbol of temptation and betrayal. At the Last Supper, a dog, a symbol of loyalty, a vivid contrast the opposite of his meanness and duplicity.

A magic square with numbers in the sum of which diagonally and horizontally results is the number 33 – the number of years the Son of God lived among us.

The letters Alpha and Omega above the column dividing the door of the Gospel into two leaves signify the totality of all things. “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the First and the Last,” says the Apocalypse.

The labyrinth in medieval churches was usually depicted on the floors of the nave, symbolising Jesus’ journey to the cross.

The sculpture of the woman holding the cloth with which she wiped the sweat and blood from Jesus’ face is devoid of features because she’s not mentioned in the Gospels. Subirachs molded the handkerchief as a negative, to emphasise the imprint on the of the cloth. The Evangelist, who records everything that happens, to the left of this woman is Gaudí’s portrait. This is how Subirachs honoured the memory of the great architect.

The sculptor interrupts tradition by suspending Christ horizontally from the cross.  The skull under the cross is a reference to the meaning of the word “Golgotha” in Hebrew. The name of the place where Christ was crucified is translated as “skull”. According to tradition, Adam was buried here – it is his skull that lies at the foot of the cross, symbolising the atonement of original sin and the victory of the Holy Cross over death.

The ascension of Jesus into heaven is represented by a statue standing on the bridge between the two central bell towers as a sign that Christ is the real Pontifex (bridge builder) who bridged the distance between men and God.

The Sagrada Familia is not only a magnificent structure but also a sacred space where architecture becomes a symbolic language of faith, speaking to everyone who enters its sacred confines.

Architecture is a field where creativity meets functionality, and where visionaries like Antoni Gaudi leave a lasting mark on the world’s skyline.