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Unfinished, But Not Unloved

We've long wondered how a Spanish building site has become such a popular tourist attraction: Antoni Gaudi's unfinished church, La Sagrada Familia, really is a construction site (so you won't be surprised to find its website is also under construction!). Visit on a rainy day like we did, and you'll realise particularly clearly how unfinished the temple ceiling is.

It's not just a time shortage problem, despite the complexity of the colorful, knobbly and full-of-the-unexpected building--the foundation stone was laid back in 1882. The loss of master architect Gaudi in 1926 when he was run over by a streetcar introduced new arguments into the construction process, and plenty of stories about money shortages also color its history.

So, should you wait around until completion date before you head to sunny Barcelona? We don't advise it. Estimates for this range from 2020 to 2200! Don your safety helmet (just kidding, we just think it could be a new fashion statement) and get there anyway.

[Image via onecurlycat/Flickr]

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