La Sagrada Familia y la Barcelona de Gaudí
Spain's most-visited monument — and the architect who shaped a city.
More than 4.7 million people a year queue up to see La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. The architect, Antoni Gaudí, has been dead for almost a century but his work is still everywhere in the city — and after 143 years of construction, his greatest building still isn't finished. For your exam, dropping in details about Gaudí is one of the easiest ways to sound culturally informed.
Throughout the article, the useful Spanish words and phrases are highlighted (with their meaning in brackets), so you can “steal” them for your speaking and writing. Tap the on any phrase to hear it.
Antoni Gaudí (1852-1926) was the most famous architect of el modernismo catalán (Catalan modernism), a style that used curves, mosaics and shapes inspired by nature.
Gaudí es el arquitecto más famoso de Cataluña.
Gaudí is Catalonia's most famous architect.
Su estilo se inspira en la naturaleza, con curvas y formas orgánicas.
His style is inspired by nature, with curves and organic shapes.
He worked almost entirely in Barcelona, and many of his buildings are now UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Tragically, Gaudí was hit by a tram in 1926 and died three days later. He is buried inside the Sagrada Familia he was building.
La Sagrada Familia is a basílica (basilica) that Gaudí started in 1882. He worked on it for 43 years and it is still not finished.
- It will be the la iglesia más alta del mundo (the tallest church in the world) when finished.
- Entry now costs veintiséis euros (26 euros) — quite expensive, but worth it.
- It is expected to be completed in 2026, exactly 100 years after Gaudí's death.
- The inside columns are designed to look like a stone forest.
Useful exam phrases
La Sagrada Familia es el monumento más visitado de España.
La Sagrada Familia is the most visited monument in Spain.
Es impresionante por dentro: las columnas parecen un bosque de piedra.
It's stunning inside: the columns look like a stone forest.
Merece la pena pagar la entrada y subir a una de las torres.
It's worth paying for the ticket and going up one of the towers.
If you only had a day in Barcelona, here's what to mention:
El Parc Güell
A colourful park full of mosaic-covered benches and a famous mosaic lizard. Originally designed as a luxury housing estate.
En el Parc Güell se pueden ver mosaicos preciosos y vistas panorámicas de Barcelona.
In Park Güell you can see beautiful mosaics and panoramic views of Barcelona.
La Casa Batlló
A house on the elegant Passeig de Gràcia, with a roof that looks like a dragon's back.
La Casa Batlló tiene un tejado que parece la espalda de un dragón.
Casa Batlló has a roof that looks like a dragon's back.
La Pedrera (Casa Milà)
An apartment building with a wavy, undulating front — Gaudí designed it without a single straight line.
La Pedrera no tiene ninguna línea recta; es una obra maestra del modernismo.
La Pedrera doesn't have a single straight line; it's a masterpiece of modernism.
La Alhambra (Granada)
An enormous Moorish palace from the 14th century, with stunning gardens and Arabic tile work.
La Alhambra es un palacio nazarí del siglo XIV que tiene unos jardines impresionantes.
The Alhambra is a 14th-century Nasrid palace with stunning gardens.
La Mezquita (Córdoba)
A cathedral built inside a former mosque — the famous red-and-white striped arches are unforgettable.
La Mezquita de Córdoba es famosa por sus arcos rojos y blancos.
Córdoba's mosque is famous for its red and white arches.
El Museo del Prado (Madrid)
One of the most important art galleries in the world, with works by Velázquez, Goya and El Greco.
El Prado tiene una de las mejores colecciones de arte del mundo.
The Prado has one of the world's best art collections.
Talking about places you've visited
Hace dos años visité la Alhambra y me dejó sin palabras.
Two years ago I visited the Alhambra and it left me speechless.
Lo más impresionante fueron los jardines del Generalife.
The most impressive thing was the Generalife gardens.
What you can do there
Se puede subir a la torre, hacer una visita guiada o pasear por los jardines.
You can go up the tower, take a guided tour or walk in the gardens.
Recomiendo ir por la mañana porque hay menos gente.
I recommend going in the morning because there are fewer people.
Dream visits
Si pudiera, iría a Barcelona para ver la Sagrada Familia terminada en 2026.
If I could, I'd go to Barcelona to see the Sagrada Familia finished in 2026.
Me apasiona la arquitectura, así que mi sueño es recorrer todos los edificios de Gaudí.
I'm passionate about architecture, so my dream is to visit all of Gaudí's buildings.
A high-band Higher model answer:
Me encanta visitar lugares históricos cuando estoy de vacaciones porque me interesa muchísimo la historia. El año pasado fui a Barcelona con mi familia y visitamos la Sagrada Familia, un monumento impresionante diseñado por Antoni Gaudí. La entrada costó veintiséis euros, pero mereció totalmente la pena: las columnas por dentro parecen un bosque de piedra. Sin embargo, lo más interesante fue el Parc Güell, lleno de mosaicos preciosos y con vistas panorámicas de la ciudad. En el futuro, si pudiera, me gustaría volver a Barcelona en 2026 para ver la Sagrada Familia terminada por fin.
Cultural depth (Gaudí, the 2026 completion date, mosaics), three tenses (preterite, conditional + si clause), and clear opinions — the recipe for top marks.