The Apse Façade

The apse appears on the opposite end of the Glory façade, and if we walk around the temple, we'll find it between the front of the Passion and the Nativity façade, built in turn above the crypt. This façade was one of the first parts of the temple to be built and it therefore has a certain Gothic style. At this point, it is necessary to remind the visitor that I did not initiate the works of this temple, but the architect, Francisco de Paula del Villar, who was in charge of making the initial draft of the basilica, which he designed as a neo-Gothic construction. Shortly afterwards, I would take the reins of this wonderful piece of architecture, to which I devoted the last forty-three years of my life. In the beginning, I respected the design of the previous architect as much as possible with regard to the work already under way until I decided to propose a new project, more modern and much larger, which would commence with the lifting of the Nativity façade, which we will visit next.

The apse of the temple is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, toward whom I feel a special predilection, and its façade is not quite finished. What stands out most about it are its windows, which correspond to the seven apsidal chapels in its interior, and the gargoyles that accentuate the Gothic style. These gargoyles take the form of animals that have traditionally been associated with evil, such as toads, snakes or lizards, and that is why they are placed on the outside of the temple which they are not allowed to enter, looking down in repulsion at the purity radiated by the symbols of Mary. These gargoyles turn into figures of turtles and tortoises, representing the land and sea, on the sides that coincide with the stairs inside to indicate that slowly and with patience one can rise and achieve one's goals. There are also plans to place several statues representing the founders of religious orders outside the apse. As we can see, this apse also culminates with its respective pinnacles where the anagrams of the Virgin Mary, St. Joseph and Christ are included, the latter accompanied by the letters alpha and omega, which as I mentioned earlier symbolize the beginning and the end. This apse will also have a dome dedicated to Mary and will be topped by a twelve-pointed star, symbolizing the morning star.

Photo Absis de la Sagrada Família 2005 by Jordiferrer is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0