The Church of the Sacred Family, or Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Familia as it is known locally, is one of Barcelona’s most prestigious attractions. While it is true that Orson Wells, when he was writing about the bombing raids of the Civil War, regarded it as a misfortune that the ugliest building in the world, the church of the Sacred Family, was spared, there are many today who would take a very different view.

Designed by Gaudi and still uncompleted, the Church of the Sacred family is one of the most controversial buildings in the architectural world. In size it is massive, only slightly smaller than St. Peter’s in Rome. It is also regarded as one of the great symbols of the ambition and vision of the city of Barcelona and is regarded by many of the city’s inhabitants with enormous pride.

The church’s varied history began in 1882 when a cheap plot was set aside for a fairly ordinary neo-Gothic church. However, scarcely had the project gotten under way when the architect, del Villar, was replaced by the young, 31, and inexperienced Gaudi. While Gaudi had yet to complete a project of note, he was devout, and thus, the fateful choice, that put him in charge of the project, was made. The rest, as they say, is history.