“
The sun is the best painter
“. This phrase of Gaudí’s served Joan Vila-Grau to take advantage of all the windows of the Sagrada Familia to design an explosion of color in the stained glass windows of the temple. Thus, each of them corresponds to a different iconographic theme, taking into account their orientation and the type of light they receive. This causes the lighting effects of the temple to be different, providing an explosion of different interior colors depending on the time of day you visit.
The conception of light in the Sagrada Familia by Gaudí
Contrary to what usually happens in Gothic cathedrals, Gaudí sought maximum contrast by placing the lightest stained glass windows in the highest parts of the temple. This implies that the entry of the light in the Sagrada Familia illuminating the vaults and the different mosaics of the temple. At the same time, both the texts and the figures in the stained glass windows were placed at the lowest part of the room to allow them to be better appreciated.
In this way, the light in the Sagrada Familia is perfectly integrated into the construction, but at the same timeAt the same time, it charges it with meaning, since it manages to simultaneously illuminate the temple and endow it with spiritual allegories using colorful stained glass capable of originating great emotional effects in the visitors of the temple.
In this way, the Nativity façade takes advantage of the dawn light to simulate the birth of Jesus. That of the Passion is received at sunset, symbolizing the death of Jesus. And the facade of the Gloria achieves an effect of perpetual illumination throughout the day, thus symbolizing the resurrection.
The stained glass windows of the Sagrada Familia are much more than mere decorative elements; they are a vivid expression of faith and the vision of its architect, Antoni Gaudí. Each pane of colored glass within this majestic architectural masterpiece tells a story, weaves a spiritual message, and evokes a sense of awe. From the vibrant hues to the intricate shapes, the stained glass embodies the connection between the earthly and the divine.
The images displayed in these windows are a visual testament to biblical narrative and Christian values, offering a unique spiritual experience to those who step into this modernist sanctuary. The sunlight filtering through these colorful panels seems to carry with it a celestial energy, illuminating the sacred space and creating an atmosphere of reverence and contemplation. Every detail, every hue, serves a purpose, a reason for being within the vast design of the Sagrada Familia.
As visitors marvel at these stained glass windows, they are immersed in an emotional and spiritual journey, where the sacred intertwines with the human, and the divine becomes tangible through art and architecture. In each pane of glass, the Sagrada Familia reveals not only its aesthetic beauty but also its profound spiritual significance, inviting all to reflect on faith and transcendence.
If you want to see the inside of this landmark, buy tickets and tours of the Sagrada Familia and organise your visit to this destination. Neither the stained glass windows, nor the façade, nor its architecture will leave you indifferent.
Leaded glass, the choice for the Sagrada Familia stained glass windows
Although Gaudí initially thought of trichromy for the design of the stained glass windows of the stained glass windows of the Sagrada Familia. In the end, he opted for leaded glass because of the characteristics it provided. The lead cords allow dividing the stained glass window and facilitate its expansion and movement, but on the other hand, they allow giving dynamics and rhythm to the desired light spectrum.
All this can be demonstrated by looking at the tops and bottoms of the stained glass windows. On the upper levels of the temple, transparent glass of different textures is used. In the lower levels, leaded glass of different colors is used. The result of the whole is the refraction and decomposition of the light from the windows of the Sagrada Familia in the full range of colors provided by the leaded glass.
The lead in the glass is used by Vila-Grau for the realization of his abstract creations. This results in a unique and independent display for each visitor.You can enjoy it if you look closely at the stained glass window of the Resurrection, located in the transept of the Passion, where with a little imagination you can visualize a risen white Christ.
The windows of the Sagrada Familia and solstices
One of the geniuses of Gaudí’s architectural design can be contemplated inside the Sagrada Familia in all its splendor if we visit the temple during the winter solstice. At this time of the year, the sun’s rays are practically horizontal, entering the interior of the temple perpendicularly to the stained glass windows and creating a wonderful effect of illumination in the Sagrada Familia composed of reddish colors, causing a great fire of heat inside the basilica.
If you look closely, you will notice that each rose window is projected onto the vaults in front of it. drawing itself completely on the stone. This is one of the most beautiful effects that can be admired in the temple. All this can be contemplated progressively, as the reddish tones are initially projected on the floor, ascending little by little through the columns, until they are positioned in all their splendor on the vaults.
Another of the effects that can be seen at this time of the year is to see how the sun’s rays cross the 60 m width of the entire nave, reaching the windows of the Sagrada Familia. Windows of the Sagrada Familia with its stained glass windows on the opposite façade. The contrast of colors that is produced by mixing green and blue tones, is one of the most impressive things that happen thanks to the design of the master glassmaker Vila-Grau.
All of this can be enjoyed the two weeks before and after the winter solstice provided there is a clear and cloudless day in the west. A similar spectacle can be observed on the Nativity façade during the two weeks surrounding the summer solstice.
Gaudí’s genius and the experience of the master glassmaker Joan Vila-Grau, allow the visitor to enjoy all the chromatic effects produced by the windows of the Sagrada Familia. windows of the Sagrada Familia and its stained glass windows. And, if you are lucky enough to visit the temple several times, you will have unique sensations depending on the time of day and the date of the year in which you do it. Everything in the Holy Family is unique and its light represents the grandeur of the resurrection of Our Lord.
