Why did it take 144 years to build this church?

The Sagrada Família in Barcelona, Spain, is almost complete – but construction started in 1888. Why did it take so long to build?

Words:

• Something or someone is frantic when they are rushed or panicked.
• Cash flow is the movement of money into and out of a business or project over time.
• Contemplation is the act of thinking deeply and quietly about something.
• When something is consecrated, it is officially declared to be holy and intended for religious use.
• Demolition is the act of completely destroying a building or structure.
• A façade is the front part of a building, and is usually made to look beautiful or very detailed.
• The foundations of a building are the strong base at the bottom that supports the rest of the structure.
• To inaugurate means to officially start or open something, like a building or event.
• A joint is the spot where two things are connected or held together.
• The lifespan of something is the length of time it is expected to exist or be useful.
• Something is daunting when it’s a little frightening because it is large, impressive, or challenging.
• Patrons are people who support an artist, organisation, or project, often by giving money.
• Buttresses are strong structures built against a wall to support it and stop it from falling down.

Video:

Warming up

1. The Sagrada Família is a Roman Catholic church. It’s very famous, and many tourists go to visit it, also people who are not Catholic. Why do you think tourists like to visit churches, even if they’re not religious?

2. The church was designed by Antoni Gaudí. Look up other examples of his work. Do you like his designs? Explain why/why not in a couple of sentences.

Questions about the video

Watch until 02:16.

3. Which of these facts about the Sagrada Família are correct?

A: It has been 144 years since building started.

B: The pope will be living in this church.

C: It is the tallest church in the world.

D: It is the only Catholic church in Spain.

4. Why is it fitting that Pope Leo inaugurated the church?

A: The first name of the architect was also Leo.

B: He is originally from Spain.

C: He was named after the sitting pope when building started.

D: He is a lover of Gaudí’s other buildings.

5. Fill in the missing words in this summary.

daunting – donors – cash flow – challenge – crypt – engineers – foundations

The interviewer asks the Steve McKechnie and Tristram Carfrae (structural ___) and if the project was exciting or ___. Steve says a bit of both. The ___ of finding a way to make things work is what makes things fun. When asked why the project has taken so long, Tristram says the main problem was ___. The building would slow down every time it became hard to find ___ or patrons. Tristram then says one of the hardest towers was the one above the ___, because it was too heavy. The ___ could not support its weight.

Watch from 02:16 to the end of the video.

6. Tristram had to solve three issues when it came to making the towers of the church: weight, space and time. He explains the technical aspects of making the materials lighter, but how did they decide to use less space on the building location, and save time building the towers?

7. Gaudí’s sketches of his original plan for the building were lost. How do the engineers know that they are still following Gaudí’s vision?

8. The church is not entirely finished. For example, the grand staircase still needs to be built. Why can’t they currently build the staircase?

Task

Option 1: The inside of the church is designed to feel like a ‘stone forest’. This is meant to help visitors contemplate. If you wanted to design a space where people could relax and think, what would you make it look like? What would you put into the space? Explain your vision in a few sentences.

Option 2: The last bit of the video explains that people in Barcelona want fewer tourists in their city because of increased house prices. What could the government do to make this situation better for the people in Barcelona? Write out your suggestion, such as a new law or subsidy.

Van de makers van All Right!, Of Course! en Taalblokken Engels