From stained glass windows to magnificent statues, La Sagrada Familia is one of Barcelona's most extraordinary attractions. Not only did we see the beautiful details of this phenomenon, but also we were told the reason behind them by our wonderful tour guide, Elizabet.
We visited one of the classrooms where we watched a video about the architect (Antoni Gaudi) and learnt about the history of his life. The video contained pictures of some of his work on this amazing cathedral. Did you know there was an actual school built on the land that is a part of the cathedral? We also got to see and feel the desks in the old school classroom as if we were going back in time.
This cathedral is inspired by nature: the columns supporting the ceiling are shaped as trees and the tops are different colours to represent fruits. There is a big altar, above which Jesus is on the cross to represent his crucifixion. The hall is also filled with colourful stained glass windows to symbolise different things like fire, water and earth.
The outside designs are incredibly detailed and are split into two clear sections. At the front of the church is the 'Passio' or 'Passion'. This shows the crucifixion of Jesus and around it shows people frowning and sad. However, at the back of the cathedral it shows the birth and life of Jesus with happy people around him including the three kings, Mary and Joseph and animals. This side is called 'Navidad' or 'Nativity'.
It is hard to believe that this amazing building is still unfinished. Did you know that Gaudi died in 1926 and the building is said to be finished in 2026 because it will have been exactly 100 years since he died?
Overall we all loved the experience and thought it was something we'll definitely remember forever.
By Lilly and Niamh (Class 13)
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