2-370-077 - Samuel Magal/Sites & Photos/Heritage Images

The Passion Facade, the Sagrada Familia (Sacred Family) Temple, Barcelona, Spain, 2007. Detail. Construction of this unique temple began in 1882, and one year later Antoni Gaudi was appointed Project Director. He worked on the project for over 40 years until his death in 1926. The temple has three facades (named 'Nativity', 'Passion' and 'Glory'), each bearing four souring towers. Eight of the twelve bell towers of the facades, dedicated to the Apostles and having a height exceeding 100 metres, are already built. The four belfries awaiting construction are those of the Facade of Glory, the 170-metre central dome in honour of Jesus Christ, the Tower of the Virgin Mary (125m) and the Tower of the four Evangelists. Seen here are statues by the sculptor Josep Maria Subirachs on the Passion Facade (southwestern lateral facade). Subirachs began his work in 1987 and followed the ideas of Gaudi but not his style. In this scene: The burial of Christ (Fourteenth Station of the Cross). Mary and Peter (or Joseph of Armathaea) are at the sepulchre. Mary has an egg as a halo (symbolising the resurrection of Christ). Another figure is at Christ's feet, possibly Nicodemus, looking like Subirachs the sculptor.