A Brief History of the Sagrada Familia

by Alex Cook Traveller & Astrologer

Contrary to popular belief the Sagrada Familia was not the brainchild of renowned Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi. Although the artist is responsible for the basilica’s distinct architectural style, the idea for the church itself came from Josep Maria Bocabella.

Who was Josep Maria Bocabella? That’s a good question. He was a printer and bookseller who in 1866 founded the Spiritual Association of Devotees of St. Joseph. In 1872, when returning from a trip to Rome to make an offer to the Holy Father, Bocabella passed through Loreto. Here, he saw a church that had him in awe and the idea to build an expiatory church dedicated to the Holy Father was born.

Bocabella spent several years searching for a centrally located plot of land upon which the Sagrada could be built. And, in 1876 he nearly secured one. The Duchess of Almenara Alta was prepared to donate a plot of land. However, she died before the donation could be finalized. This forced Bocabella to look further afield, and eventually, he secured the plot upon which the Sagrada is currently built. The plot of land coming to the cost of 172,000 pesetas.

Construction began in 1882, but the initial architect was not Antoni Gaudi. It was, in fact, diocese architect Francisco del Villar. Francisco had planned to build the basilica in Gothic style and began with a crypt. However, Francisco’s plans were too costly, and when he threatened to resign if his instructions were not followed, Bocabella had to accept.

Introduce Antoni Gaudi. Although he had been involved at some level for a little over a year, he did not officially take over the responsibility of head architect until 1883. He was 31 at the time. And, so began, in many respects, the rest of his life.

With each passing year, Gaudi began to dedicate more and more of himself to the construction. The architect was a devoted and deeply conservative Catholic and in the years leading to his death had turned to a life of prayer and fasting. Eventually, he moved into the Sagrada Familia while it was still being constructed and lived amidst the rubble of the construction site, adopting the Catholic veneration of poverty. In 1926, Antoni Gaudi was hit by a tram, mistaken as a pauper and died only streets away from the building he had committed himself too. However, this did not stop construction and the Sagrada Familia, which survived the violent bombings of the Spanish Civil War, is set to be completed in 2026 - Gaudi will on through it.