Date and time of visit: May 5, 6 p.m.
On my fourth visit, I finally went inside for the first time!
Make advance reservations on the spot.
Actually, we had come to Sagrada Familia before visiting Sant Pau Hospital. Of course we wanted to see the sights, but we found out after we arrived that we needed to make a reservation. I asked a person who seemed to be in charge near the ticket office, and he told me that it was possible to make a reservation for this day after 6 p.m. You could either line up at the ticket office here or make a reservation online.
The line at the sales floor was very long, so I searched online with my iPhone without hesitation. I was able to reserve very easily. We booked tickets to see inside and to climb the tower. Even though I knew it was the most popular spot, I didn’t know it was such a fierce battle. It was my first time to see the inside of the tower in 12 years.
In addition, you don’t need a ticket to enter. If you can show the barcode in the pdf sent to your email (which you register when you make a reservation), you can confirm your ticket just by holding up your smartphone.
Nevertheless, it is really convenient to buy on the Internet and with a smartphone. Of course, you can pay easily by credit card. I used PayPal for even easier payment. I think there are not many tourist attractions in Japan where you can easily make a reservation and enter by internet or smart phone. I think they are inferior to other countries, at least compared to Barcelona, because they don’t support PayPal.
But the entrance fee, which includes the tower, is 29 euros per person, which is quite expensive.
If you look closely, it looks like it’s pretty much done…
After my first visit to the Sagrada Familia in 2004, I also stayed in Barcelona in 2010 and 2012, and I had a quick look at the Sagrada Familia from the outside, but when I saw it again up close and from various directions, I realized that it was much more than I had expected, which means that the impression from 2004 was the strongest. However, when I saw it again from up close and from various directions, I got the impression that it had evolved much more than I had expected, which is the strongest impression I had in 2004.
After completing the reservation, we visited Sant Pau Hospital, Casa Mila, etc. Once we rested at the hotel, we headed to Sagrada Familia again in time for 6:30pm. It is very convenient to go there as there is a nearest metro station here.
Facade of the Nativity and Passion
Well, Sagrada Familia, we chose the tower on the east side, the “Facade of the Birth”. There is another tower on the west side, the Facade of the Passion. It seems that you can’t enter two towers with one reservation, you have to choose one of them.
By the way, the facade of the Nativity was built relatively early. On the other hand, the Passion facade side is relatively newer than the Nativity side. You can see it clearly by looking at the color of the church.
By the way, this is the “Facade of Passion”. As you can see, this one looks newer.
This façade is inspired by the scene in which Christ is condemned to be executed, carries his cross on his back to the Golgotha Hill and is crucified there.
Inside after 12 years, I was stunned by the development.
Well, we made a reservation and finally went inside. It’s actually been 12 years since I’ve been inside, but I was shocked at the difference from then.
Incidentally, the Sagrada Familia was officially recognized as a Roman Catholic church by Pope Benedict XVI on November 7, 2010.
If you have been to the cathedral more than 10 years ago, before it was officially recognized as a Catholic church, you should be careful. If you visited more than 10 years ago, before the church was officially recognized as a Catholic church, you should pay attention again.
It is such an inside, but anyway, “high! (Not the price, but physically) is the impression.
And there are many people. When you go to the Gothic cathedral, of course you feel it is expensive, but this is a very new cathedral, designed in the 20th century but built in the 21st century, so it may be natural.
To the tower on the side of the facade of the nativity
To get to the towers on each side of the facade, take the elevator.
In addition, we were told to use the stairs to go down to the “facade of the birth”. You have to go down a spiral staircase like this one.
Unfortunately, the weather was cloudy. It was a little chilly. I was a little disappointed because it was sunny and cloudless in the morning when I booked.
残念なことはもうひとつ。それは落書きが多いこと。こちら生誕のファサード側の塔は出来てから久しいせいもあるのでしょうか、そういえば12年前に訪れたときも登れたような気がしました。（確かな情報ではありません。）
The underground museum was well stocked.
Finally, we went to the underground museum in the cathedral. So this place had been built now, too. It was interesting that this place was full of things there. The most impressive thing was the models, the “Passion Facade” and the complete sketches.
It was also very interesting to see the photos and other information about the history of the building.
There was also an explanation of Gaudi’s architecture, including the Sagrada Familia. I couldn’t understand all the details, but there were some explanations about geometric symmetry in his design.
It is said that the cathedral will be completed in 2026, another 10 years from now. I’m sure I’ll be back to Barcelona many times before then, but I’ll definitely visit right after the completion.
バルセロナの2日目の観光はこれで終了。いよいよ明日はバルセロナを出発です。
