No visit to Barcelona is complete without a visit to the building site known as the Sagrada Familia. It is best to go early as it is a tourist magnet, being synonymous with Anton Gaudi.

It currently has eight spires, two sets of four opposite each other on the north and south facades. It will eventually be joined by four more on the east facade (which is only partially built) representing the twelve apostles. They will eventually be dwarfed, though, by a huge central tower over the central nave, representing Christ.

Much has been written (and photographed) about the two main facades, so I will constrain myself to lesser features.

Inside, the tall slender columns with their curious bulges are reminiscent of trees. Light floods in from the large hole above opposite the altar end as building work is only partially complete. The column colours vary, depending on the material chosen, the darkest ones in the centre being granite in order to support the huge weight of the tower which will eventually be built above.

Most of the windows have plain glass but there are some coloured ones, particularly at the west wall (altar). This rosary window is in an area inaccessible at present.

There are two lifts to visit the towers, diagonally opposite each other. The first one (near the entrance) goes up 10m higher than the other, to a height of 65m. The towers have been constructed to house tubular bells and have a narrow spiral staircase between the outer wall and the inner space. There are numerous opportunities to snap interesting views, the first of which is this statuary high on the wall of the nave complete wih stone umbrella.

Once you have descended down to the base of the spires, the rest of the journey is down a tight spiral staircase which is unusual in that there is no central column and the edge of the step itself forms a (not very useful) handrail.

The route to the South is up the lift, across into the second tower then spiralling down, returning to the first tower again. Towers three and four are not accessible and it is assumed that the carillon which can be regularly heard is over there. (Or, it might be an elaborate fake- there are several large loudspeakers at the top of tower two on the inside).

The route to the north is up the lift to 55m, then across to the other three towers, including the bridge behind the Cypress Tree. You are given a choice of which tower to descend by although there is little difference really, just a slightly different perspective. Signage behind barred grilles suggests that access to the public has altered over the years and some are in use for construction worker access. Near the bases of the towers are elliptical cone shapes (the lifts pass through them) presumably to be able to get the bells in in future.

Back to ground level, the main part of the nave is full of scaffolding and the central area is being used as a finishing workshop for the stonemasons.

Once the tour of the interior is conplete the route continues in the crypt. This is a light airy space and full of museum exhibits and models. There is also a chapel down there under the altar but it was closed to the public.

The final part of the visit is to the former schoolhouse with the undulating roof. There are many explanatory panels about the geometry behind Gaudi’s column & roof design and one puzzle is made clear by an illuminated model- the recesses on the columns are for lighting fixtures.

Here are a few miscellaneous shots. The first is a pinnacle framed by a balcony opening.

This is a view of the roof works from one set of towers to the other. The base of the main tower is taking shape.

This is the top of the Cypress tree from the balcony behind.

David in a recess across from me in one of the towers.

Some miscellaneous pieces complete with Terrazo tiling in the Nave.

This curious stone structure on a balcony apparently represents the planets, according to the guide book.

Opposite the Cypress tree linking bridge, there is a matching bridge on the Passion facade. This bronze statue is symbolic of Christ ascending to Heaven. David wondered if he was going to jump!