A rare tour of Antoni Gaudí’s unfinished masterpiece reveals little-known details tucked away among its famous façades, soaring columns and colourful stained-glass windows.
Among the highlights is a numbered grid on the Passion Façade often mistaken for a sudoku puzzle. According to the basilica’s rector, Monsignor Josep Maria Turull, it is actually a “magic square” in which every row, column and diagonal adds up to 33, the age of Jesus at the time of his crucifixion according to Christian tradition.
Visitors can also find a small stone labyrinth symbolising the spiritual journey of faith, as well as an all-seeing eye set within an open hand on the Nativity Façade, representing Divine Providence.
The tour also offers a glimpse into areas rarely seen by the public, including rooms containing sacred relics and historic liturgical garments. Beneath the basilica, a quieter crypt chapel houses the tomb of Gaudí, who dedicated much of his life to the project before his death in 1926.
More than 140 years after construction began, the Sagrada Familia continues to fascinate visitors with the symbols, stories and hidden details woven into its design.
The tour comes as Barcelona marks the centenary of Gaudí’s death and prepares for a visit by Pope Leo XIV.
Additional sources • AP