La Sagrada Familia
Cruise Port : Barcelona , Spain Officially , the UNESCO World Heritage Site designation is for “ Works of Gaudí ” — but there ’ s one work that takes center stage in a traveler ’ s curiosity . La Sagrada Familia is the last great European cathedral to be built , having been started in the early 20th century . Designed by the late great Antoni Gaudí , the cathedral is the architect ’ s magnum opus … a masterwork of Modernisme . On both a first look and a long study , it seems equal parts Gothic and art nouveau ; it is arguably one of the most awe-inspiring sites in the world . The many twists and turns to the story of its creation are just enthralling — and add substantially to its grandeur .
The exterior facades depict the tales and parables of the Bible , so that anyone might enjoy them , regardless of reading capability . The interior columns , stunningly tall , branch out like ancient trees , each carrying far more weight than conventional wisdom would suggest . Light floods the building around the pillars , filtered through the many stainedglass windows that change hue with the time of day . Walking through the inside , you can ’ t help but feel like you ’ re in a majestic forest . The entire structure , inside and out , feels as if it rose out of the ground , beckoned by the Almighty .
Despite Gaudí ’ s early death in 1926 and multiple other obstacles , the cathedral ’ s construction has continued to this day . Much of Gaudí ’ s plans and models were destroyed during the Spanish Civil War , drastically slowing the construction .
Barcelona , Spain
Then , in the 1990s , with the advent of computers and the use of aeronautical software ( Gaudí ’ s designs were too complex for architecture software at the time ) construction began to accelerate . The cathedral is slated to finally be complete in 2026 , 131 years after its inception . But , to quote Gaudí , “ God is the client , and God is never in a hurry .”
To put it succinctly , you could spend days , weeks , months and years studying every nook , cranny and factoid of this otherworldly structure and still find new pockets of euphoria ; a day strolling its interiors and exteriors is a stained-glass cascade of wonder .
La Sagrada Familia
44