64 years have had to pass for the world to be able to contemplate in all its splendor the façade of the Passion Passion façade fully finished. Located on Sardenya street, and facing west, the most austere facade of the Sagrada Familia is dedicated to the passion and death of Jesus Christ.
Its foundations began to be laid in 1954, under the direction of the architect Francesc Quintana who had to retouch certain aspects of Gaudí’s original design, as many of his designs and sketches were lost during the Civil War.
Whoever contemplates the facade of the Passion can clearly notice three distinct parts: the towers or bell towers, the portico and the more than 100 sculptures designed mostly by Josep Maria Subirachs.
The towers of the Passion façade
Like all towers of the Holy Family, are intended for the apostles. Those of the Passion façade correspond to Santiago el Menor, Santo Tomás, San Felipe and San Bartolomé, who are represented by statues with their names inscribed in relief. They are fully visitable and have a height of 112 m for the central ones and 107 m for the lateral ones.
Its design respects Gaudí’s original design.The rhomboidal section becomes elliptical as they reach their final development. To culminate their magnificent design, they are connected by a bridge located 60 m above sea level. The pinnacles that finish them have the same symbology as the rest of the towers of the temple, thus showing the regularity of the whole.
The portico
Composed of 6 columns inclined from the exterior to the interior that support a cornice in which a covered gallery runs. This is where one of the most beautiful visual effects of Gaudí’s design can be appreciated: the inclination of the gallery makes it the surfaces of its base with those of its cover are not parallel. The visual aesthetics are totally original.
In the portico there are 3 entrance doors to the transept, constituting 3 porticoed areas dedicated to the theological virtues. The central door stands out because it is divided by a central mullion, in which an alpha and omega are sculpted and joined together.
Throughout the whole complex there is a sculptural staging detailing the Passion of Christ. Passion of Christ and his death. At this point, it is important to point out that if theIf you stop to look at the façade as a whole, you will appreciate the synchrony of all the sculptural content of the Passion façade. Passion façade..
Starting from the left of the portico and continuing in an S-shape along the façade, you can see the entire route of the Passion of Christ reflected in its numerous sculptures.. Possibly, to contemplate the majesty of the mixture between architecture and sculpture of this facade, is something that the visitor of this temple will not be able to see in any other building in the world.
Sculptures of the Passion of Christ
The entire development of the facade of the Passion of the Sagrada Familia is based on the staging of Jesus’ Calvary. In total, 13 different scenes can be contemplated, with more than a hundred sculptures, all of them distributed in 3 different levels, forming a chronological route in the shape of an S starting from the left of the portico.
At its base, develops the last night of Jesus. The tour begins with the Last Supper and, through its development, shows the different phases from the betrayal of Judas to the trial presided over by Pontius Pilate. As if it were not sufficiently explanatory, the numerous inscriptions detailing the beginning of the Calvary can be observed.
The middle level is necessary to start from the right and tells the events relates the events that took place after the trial.. At the beginning, Christ appears carrying the cross, totally fainting, while the three Marys contemplate the scene in desolation. The entire development comprises the journey, until finally a Longinus is seen thrusting the spear into Jesus. If you stop to look at this scene, you can see how Subirachs pays homage to Gaudí, portraying him in the figure of an evangelist to the left of the Veronica.
The upper level begins on the left and represents represents the death and resurrection of Jesus. The main climax is the central statue representing the crucifixion, where it is necessary to contemplate the symbolism of the cross, since it is horizontal instead of vertical. The tour ends with the burial scene.
The sculptural staging continues in the pyramidal pediment, where the Resurrection of Christ and a dove incarnating the Holy Spirit are represented. And to finish all this beauty, it could not be done in a better way; on the bridge that connects the bell towers, and at 60 m high, a bronze sculpture represents the Ascension of Jesus rising above the sky of Barcelona.
The Passion façade as a whole cannot leave you indifferent and is worthy of contemplation for all its contrast and beauty. 64 years have been necessary to merge the architecture of a genius like Gaudí with the sculptural mastery of Subirachs, capturing all the realistic drama of the Calvary of our Lord.
