I didn’t buy tickets in time to go inside the Sagrada Familia. I didn’t know that I had to buy them beforehand online. If all I had done was tour this impressive structure then that would have been enough. Kind of like visiting the Taj Mahal.

All I wanted to do when I visited India was visit the Taj Mahal. Everything else I got to see was a bonus. That’s how I felt about the Sagrada Familia and Barcelona.

So I contented myself with walking around the perimeter and took as many photos as I could of this fascinating basilica. It dominates the skyline and I looked up at the structure with a mixture of awestruck confusion and admiration.

Click on any image and scroll through the gallery. I have included loads of info in the captions.

It is one of the tallest religious buildings in the world. ©2016 Regina Martins

It is a monument to the Christian faith and nature. Gaudi was a very devout man and the design was inspired by nature. ‘His intention was to express Christian belief through the architecture and the beauty of the building and communicate the message of the Evangelists.’ ©2016 Regina Martins

The costs of construction are borne by donations. Having it as one of the main tourist attractions in Barcelona also helps with fund-raising. ©2016 Regina Martins

Construction is scheduled to be finished in 2026. Five generations of people have witnessed its construction already. Gaudi planned it to be built in modules. ©2016 Regina Martins

Two of the 18 towers planned for the Sagrada Familia. Anton Gaudi spent 43 years designing this basilica, from 1883 until his untimely death in 1926. ©2016 Regina Martins

Light and colour are purposefully used and add to its grandeur. ©2016 Regina Martins

It’s constructed out of sandstone from Montjuïc in Barcelona. These quarries were closed down some years ago, and not the same stone can only be sourced from demolished buildings in the city. ©2016 Regina Martins

Information about the Sagrada Familia garned from the foundation’s website.