The non-standard structure of the Temple of the Sacred Heart captivates at first sight. In this building, the architect combined many styles. The Church of the Sacred Heart has nothing in common outside and inside and looks different. You should definitely go inside and, climbing to the top, look at the beautiful capital of Catalonia.
History and location
The Temple of the Sacred Heart is located in an area quite remote from tourist trails - on Mount Tibidabo. This part of the mountain is part of a ridge called Collserola. It is located in the south of Barcelona.
The highest point of the mountain, where the temple is located, reaches over 500 m. Therefore, travelers do not always manage to explore it. The top of the temple is decorated with a statue of Christ, which can be seen from anywhere on the coast.
Construction of the temple took 60 years, but began in 1902. Two architects worked on the project - first the father Enric Sagnier i Villavecchia, and then his son.
There are two staircases leading to the temple. It was built in several styles, like many buildings of that era. The Romanesque style predominates. IN gothic style vertical lines are made, the crypt of the temple is neo-Byzantine style.
Sculptures of Saints Santiago and Georgie, as well as the Virgin of Merced, decorate the façade of the church. Initially, the facade arch was decorated with a different mosaic than we see now.
The crypt has 5 naves, which are separated by columns. The walls are decorated with mosaics and alabaster. The stained glass windows depict biblical scenes and saints.
1915 – 1951 – at this time the upper part of the temple was being built. A little later, towers were added to it, which was the final stage in construction.
The building itself is square - it has a central tower surrounded by four smaller towers. The temple itself has three naves. In the stained glass windows of the four towers you can read the phrase “I give to you,” written in Latin, which is the name of the mountain on which the temple was built.
Every week in the temple, or rather in its crypt, you can attend a divine service. It is held on Sunday and entry will be free for everyone.
How to get there and opening hours
The temple is open from seven in the morning until 10 in the evening.
You can get here by train and then by blue tram. The funicular also operates daily, except on December 25 and 26.
The second option is a tourist bus, which you can take at Plaza Catalunya.
Attractions in the surrounding area
On Mount Tibidabo you can stroll through the park, visit the toy museum, or have a great time in beautiful gardens and forests.
The amusement park here is the first in Barcelona. It is already more than a hundred years old, but the first attractions still continue to operate. The park's calling card is a red airplane.
An abandoned hotel inhabited by ghosts will appeal to those who love extreme entertainment. This type of holiday is not recommended for children. Upon entering the hotel, ghosts begin to rush at travelers, and something will constantly explode under their feet.
In general, both adults and children can have a great time on Mount Tibidabo. The first to enjoy beautiful views, and children will be able to ride on fun rides.
On the neighboring mountain you can look at the city from the height of a television tower, which differs from the rest in its original design. The cost of such pleasure is about 5 euros.
Other attractions can be seen only 2-3 km from the Temple of the Sacred Heart. This is the famous Park Güell, the Labyrinth Park, as well as the Royal Monastery.
At the ticket office, which is located immediately at the exit of the funicular, you can purchase a ticket to the amusement park.
At the very top of the Temple of Sagrat Cor del Jesus, the architect built a statue of Jesus Christ, the base of which is at an altitude of 568 meters, and the very end point of the statue rises at around 575 meters above sea level. The seven-meter tall Jesus Christ spread his arms over the entire city.
The Church of the Sacred Heart of Christ includes the buildings of the church itself and the basilica. The pseudo-Gothic style of the Temple is complemented by shades of monumental luxury. The building fits very harmoniously into the landscape at the top of the mountain.
Most of the exhibits have been in operation since ancient times. There are tons of old-fashioned rides and carousels, as well as a large Ferris wheel.
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Not far from the Temple of Sagrat Cor del Jesus there is the Collserola television tower (Torre de Collserola). The tower construction project was carried out according to the drawings of the famous English architect Norman Foster. The tower building is the tallest on the Iberian Peninsula, its height is 268 meters. The temple and tower are visible from anywhere in the capital of Catalonia, and from the observation square tourists can enjoy a breathtaking view of the city with its grandeur. To admire the city from the futuristic TV tower, you need to pay an entrance fee of 4.5 euros.
There are practically no restaurants near the Temple and other attractions of Mount Tibidabo. There are a couple of souvenir shops and one single cafe, which is almost always occupied.
Where is
Address: Tibidabo, Barcelona.
How to get there
First option: First, take the train (FGC) to the stop “Avinguda del Tibidabo”;After which you will need to take a ride on an antique tram to the tiny Doktor-Andreu Square;
After that, take the old funicular to the final station.
Second option: Quickly and without problems, on a special bus “Tibibus”, running from El Corte Ingles (in Plaça Catalunya) to Tibidabo.
Operating mode
In summer, all establishments on Tibidabo are open from 12 to 22 hours.
Mount Tibidabo and the Temple of the Sacred Heart in Barcelona (Temple del Sagrat Cor de Jesús), crowned with the figure of Christ, are one of the most visited attractions of the capital of Catalonia. The top of the mountain is the highest point of the city (512 m), from where a stunning panorama opens. And although it is located far from tourist routes, the flow of tourists does not weaken at any time of the year.
The place chosen for construction is beautiful and symbolic. The very name “Tibidabo” contains the gospel story about the temptation of the God-man by the devil, who put him on a certain course. high mountain and, showing the beauty lying below, offered to give up all the kingdoms of the world for worship (Matt. 4:8). Literally in the Gospel there are the words: “I will give to you,” which translated into Latin sounds like “tibi dabo.”
It is possible that the magnificence of the view from above made the Barcelonans think about this episode and they decided to give the mountain such unusual name. Therefore, it became quite natural to build a temple on its top, dedicated to Jesus Christ, who defeated temptation.
The predecessor of the cathedral was a small chapel, erected in 1886 with the money of a pious old woman: the widow Dorothea de Chopitea. After some time, the mountain was bought by the Council of Catholic Knights, consisting of 12 wealthy noble citizens. They decided to build a majestic temple on the highest point of the city. The project was commissioned from the talented architect Enrico Sanier.
Construction began in 1902 and lasted 59 years. The architect was unable to see his creation; after his death, the construction of the cathedral was completed by his son Joseph Maria Sanier. In October 1961, the temple was consecrated and given the status of a minor basilica. And the small chapel with which it began has been preserved and still stands to the right of the entrance to the crypt.
origin of name
The cult of veneration of the Heart of Christ began to spread in Catholicism in the 17th century. The reason was a vision of a French nun, Margarita Alacoque, in which Jesus appeared to her and wished that his heart be revered. At first, the official church reacted with distrust to the nun's revelations, but in 1856, the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was nevertheless introduced into the liturgical calendar by Pope Pius IX and its celebration was scheduled for the 12th day after Trinity.
The Heart of Christ is a symbol of his boundless love for people. Temples and celebrations dedicated to him mean the gratitude of believers for this love, help, protection. The Barcelona Temple is not the only building dedicated to the Sacred Heart. They are spread all over the world, the most famous being the Sacré-Coeur Basilica in Paris. In Russia there are also two Catholic churches dedicated to this: in Samara and St. Petersburg.
Exterior design
In addition to the main name, the cathedral has another one: “Redemptive Temple of the Heart of Christ.” It was the idea of atonement for sins that formed the basis of the architectural design.
The building consists of three parts:
- Bottom part – crypt
- On it is the main temple
- The building is crowned with a statue of Jesus.
All three parts are an indivisible whole and at the same time each of them has its own meaning and its corresponding embodiment.
Crypt
The crypt - the ground part of the temple, personifying the Fall, is made of dark brown stone. It was built in 1911 in the neo-Byzantine style with elements of Gothic, classicism, and modernism. It is a powerful, squat structure with a horizontal layout and a flat roof.
Above the entrance is the figure of Our Lady and Child, the patroness of Barcelona, sitting on a throne. On both sides of the entrance are statues of two other patrons: Catalonia - St. George, Spain - St. Santiago (James). The entrance arch is richly decorated with stucco, on top of which is a semicircular fresco depicting the glorification of Jesus.
Main temple
On the roof of the crypt rises the main temple made of light stone, symbolizing the spiritual growth of man: awareness of his sins and repentance. Two wide roads lead to it circular stairs. It was built in the Gothic style between 1915 and 1952.
The columns above the entrance depict the symbols of the evangelists: calf, lion, eagle, angel. The central tower, directed upward, is surrounded by four smaller ones. Sculptures of the 12 apostles are installed on them. Elegance and lightness are given to the building by Gothic elements: pointed arches, spiers, stucco molding, narrow stained glass windows and rosettes.
Jesus statue
On the central tower of the main temple there is a seven-meter statue of Jesus Christ with outstretched arms, as if floating under the clouds. According to the plan, he personifies the all-encompassing love of God for people, with their vices, passions, giving forgiveness and blessing. He is the link between the earthly and the heavenly.
Interior decoration
The interior decoration is solemn and simple. The crypt consists of five naves separated by powerful columns. Each nave has its own altar dedicated to different saints. The walls and vaults are decorated with alabaster bas-reliefs, painted with frescoes, and lined with colored mosaics with scenes on Christian and historical themes. Light shines through the windows and stained glass, filling the crypt with colorful reflections.
The spacious and bright main church with a high vault is divided into three naves. The wide central nave has an altar with a wooden crucifix. The stained glass windows above the altar depict the Virgin Mary in representation different nations Catholic faith: Virgin of Guadalupe (Mexico), Virgin of Anipolo (Philippines), Virgin of Lujan (Argentina), etc. Eight domed stained-glass windows and stained-glass windows of the side naves are dedicated to episodes from the life of Jesus Christ, as well as saints: John the Baptist, Anthony, Javier, Pope Leo XIII, Pius XI. There is a stained glass window with the words “I will give it to you.”
Observation deck
The panorama opening from Mount Tibidabo is one of the most picturesque in the capital of Catalonia. Observation platforms are located at different levels of the Temple of the Sacred Heart. There are three of them in total. An elevator takes you to the bottom, widest platform. You can freely take pictures on it, move around, viewing the city and its surroundings in all directions at 360º. Among the barely distinguishable blocks and streets, monumental buildings loom: the Sagrada Familia temple, the 144-meter Agbar skyscraper, the Fabra Observatory, the 288-meter Torre de Collserola television tower.
Above, to the middle level, they climb the stairs. This is a site at an altitude of 539 m, where there are sculptures of the 12 apostles. If it's worth clear weather, then from here the view extends to the surrounding area up to 70 km. The highest platform - 568 m above sea level - is located at the feet of the statue of Christ. You go up there along a narrow, steep staircase and admire the panorama in its entirety.
In addition to the view of the surrounding area, at the observation decks you can examine many elements of the temple in great detail up close: bas-reliefs, statues, spiers, stucco moldings.
Amusement park
A visit to an amusement park is a touch of history. 116 years have passed since he started working. Its opening took place on October 29, 1901. Many attractions, despite being so old, have been preserved, work perfectly and are completely safe.
The park is located slightly below the cathedral, at an altitude of 500 m above sea level. Rising to it by cable car, it is interesting to observe the mountain slopes covered with greenery and the panoramas opening from above. In front of the entrance to the park is a Ferris wheel and an iconic attraction - an attraction that has been in operation since 1928: the red Tibidabo airplane.
At the entrance to the park, guests are greeted by cheerful, brightly dressed clowns who will not only entertain, but also help them navigate the park. The entertainment offered is varied. The “Beautiful Lever” attraction, which has been operating since 1921, is popular. It is an impressive metal structure with two cabins that alternately rise to a dizzying height of 50 meters.
An interesting museum is the Automata Museum with a collection of the world's oldest mechanical dolls from the 19th century. Here you can see a clown playing the mandolin, an amazing orchestra, etc. The room of distorting mirrors has been open since 1905, and the children's railway since 1915.
Working hours
The cathedral is open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. The elevator to the observation deck operates from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Amusement park - from 12 to 21 hours.
Where is it and how to get there
The temple is located on the top of Mount Tibidabo, 7 km from the center of Barcelona, away from tourist routes. You can get there yourself in several ways:
- From Plaza Catalunya to the temple, a special bus called “Tibibus” (a combination of the words tibidabo and bus) runs every 20 minutes; the travel time is 40 minutes. They are open only on weekdays from April to December from 10:15 to 21 hours. The one-way fare is € 2.95. This method is the simplest because no transplants are needed.
- Take buses No. 15, 22, 58, 73, 75, 126, 131 or metro (L 6, L 7, L 8) to the Avinguda dei Tibidabo station. Near the metro there is a blue retro tram stop (“Tram Blau”). This nice type of transport was introduced in 1911 and its appearance has not changed since then. The fare is € 5.5. Take it to the square named after. Dr. Andreu, where the funicular stops, then take the old funicular to the temple. Cost – € 7.7
- Take the S1, S2 train to the Peu del Funicular stop. From there take the new funicular to Valvidrera Superior, then No. 111 to the temple.
Video: Barcelona - view from the Tibidabo mountain
Mount Tibidabo and the Temple of the Sacred Heart in Barcelona
Barcelona has many cultural and historical treasures of eternal value for all humanity. There is an amazing monumental architectural complex here, the face of which is the Temple of the Holy Family of the brilliant master. The city can be proud of other objects of no less grandiose beauty and scope. Today we will talk about one of them - Church of the Sacred Heart in Barcelona .
Heading along the coast, you can see that the temple crowns the highest point of Barcelona - the mountain, connecting it with the sky. What exciting stories and unusual signs does this heavenly temple save time within its walls? It’s worth going on an entertaining journey through the centuries right now!
Any building has its own special interesting history, which cannot be ignored. Several centuries ago, the land at the top of Mount Tibidabo scared people away with its remoteness and the difficulty of climbing it. But through certain time The Catholic Committee planned to use this territory for the construction of a grandiose catholic church, the location of which would accentuate its divine meaning.
In 1886, the purchased land was transferred to the famous philanthropist San Juan Bosco, and in the same year a small chapel was erected on the top of the mountain, which was destined to become the ancestor. The patron wished to continue the tradition, popular at that time, of building churches of the Sacred Heart of Jesus all over the world, the famous representatives of which are churches in Paris (Sacré-Coeur Basilica) and Rome.
Construction began in 1902 under the direction of the architect Enrique Sanier, which was completed by his son in 1961. Due to a change in the architect, the original design of the idea was slightly changed. The construction of the Sacred Heart in Barcelona, which lasted more than fifty years, should not shock, since everyone knows that the Sagrada Familia continues to be built today.
After a short excursion into history, it is time to return to the present and climb to the top of Mount Tibidabo. This can be done through three options.
- 1st: direct bus T2A from Plaza Catalunya (the stop is located on the corner of Plaza Catalunya and Rambla, opposite the Desigual store). The bus runs from 10.15 with a break of twenty minutes every day, when the amusement park, also located on Mount Tibidabo, is open. Ticket prices: €2.95 euros one way.
- 2nd: by FGC train on line S1 or S2 to Peu del Funicular station + Valvidrera funicular to Valvidrera Superior stop + bus 111 (runs every half hour).
- 3rd: by FGC train on line L7 to stop Av. Tibidabo + tourist tram Tramvia Blau to the funicular stop + Tibidabo funicular. Ticket prices: train – €2.15 one way; tram – €5.5 euros in one direction; Tibidabo funicular – €4.4 in one direction.
You won’t be able to go into the Temple of the Sacred Heart in Barcelona for a minute, because its structure already enchants from the outside with its shape and endless number of entertaining elements. The grandiose temple includes 3 fundamental parts. The lower part is a crypt, so to speak, or a crypt, built of brown stone from Mount Montjuïc and combining several styles: Romanesque, neo-Gothic, modernist. Above the crypt is the building of the Temple of the Sacred Heart in Barcelona made of gray and white stone. It is covered by a dome, which is crowned with a bronze statue of Christ with his arms open to the world, created by the Catalan sculptor Josep Miret.
From the main facade of the crypt there are sculptures of the Virgin of Merced and Saints George and Santiago, and from the central facade of the temple - the Archangel Michael and San Juan Bosco. The small chapel from which the construction of the Temple of the Sacred Heart in Barcelona began has survived and stands next to its majestic brother. Two circular staircases lead guests to the upper terrace, on which the temple itself is located. It is still possible to get to the temple by elevator (price for the lift is €2).
First, you should enter the crypt and from there go up to the temple. Any element of this majestic complex contains a special meaning that will need to be deciphered: the bas-reliefs of the crypt tell the story of the Way of the Cross, the frescoes tell the story of the earthly journey of Christ, and the stained glass windows contain images of Spanish saints and biblical scenes.
The crypt and the Temple of the Sacred Heart in Barcelona are decorated with huge columns, arches, sculptures and colorful mosaics. Pieces of bright glass form enormous patterns, forming into stunning stained glass windows. When designing, sculptor Eusebi Arnau laconically combined the basic forms of the Romanesque style with elements in the Baroque style and added natural motifs. Sunlight passing inside through the drawings under different angles, creates an infinitely bright and cozy atmosphere inside.
On the upper terrace you will find sculptures of the 12 apostles, silently observing Barcelona from a high mountain peak. There is also a staircase that leads to an observation deck at the foot of the sculpture of Christ. The views of the city from this point will make you freeze with admiration.
Do you want to see Barcelona from a bird's eye view? This means you need to get to the Temple of the Sacred Heart on Mount Tibidabo. The TV tower on this mountain is the highest point of the capital of Catalonia. However, guests of this city full of beauty come here not to the TV tower, but to the statue of the Savior, similar to the one in Rio de Janeiro, only located on top of the temple.
The temple is located at the entrance to a large amusement park and does not really fit in with them. However, it should be noted that it looks best from the observation wheel in the park!
According to the Catalans, in the Bible, when the temptations of Christ by the Evil One are described, this very peak is mentioned. Jesus was lifted up to it to look at the beauty of a world that could be completely his. A tempting voice said, “I give this to you.” In Latin it sounds like "tibidabo".
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Inside the temple
Anyone who has read the Bible knows Sacred Heart was not embarrassed by this beauty and remained adamant. As a sign of this event, which could have happened anywhere, including right here, on the tower of the Church of the Sacred Heart on Mount Tibidabo there is a sculpture of Christ embracing the whole world.
Catholic Feast of the Holy One Christ's Heart falls on the 12th day after Trinity. In honor of this holiday the temple was consecrated.
This neo-Gothic-monumental church was built relatively recently, the time of its construction was 1902-1961. Apparently, that’s why inside there is no luxury and colorfulness characteristic of ancient Catholic cathedrals. Everything is quite ascetic. But there is a high status - the Minor Papal Basilica, given by Pope John the 23rd. And the Church of the Sacred Heart is visible from anywhere.
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Entrance to the temple
Mount Tibidabo in Barcelona, 512 meters high, is a giant observation deck that offers amazing views of the city and the sea on one side and the mountain slopes on the other. From here you can see the temple from a rather interesting perspective.
Information for travelers:
Opening hours: from 7.00 to 22.00, but the elevator to the observation deck closes a little earlier.
Cost of visit observation deck at the foot of the statue of Christ on the temple tower - 5 euros.
How to get there:
At , to the Avinguda del Tibidabo stop, transfer to a special tram for tourists blue color(5.5 euros) before the start of the funicular route (cost 7.7 euros). With a discount book - 4.5 and 6 euros respectively!
You can also use the Tibibus T2A buses, which go to the Tibidabo amusement park from (2 euros). And from there it’s a 5-minute walk from the final station to the Church of the Sacred Heart!