Sagrat Cor

The Temple Expiatori del Sagrat Cor (Шаблон:IPA-ca; English. Expiatory Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, español. Templo Expiatorio del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús) is a Roman Catholic church and minor basilica located on the summit of Mount Tibidabo in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The building is the work of the Spanish Catalan architect Enric Sagnier and was completed by his son Josep Maria Sagnier i Vidal. The construction of the church, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, lasted from 1902 to 1961.

History

The idea of building a temple on the summit of the Mount Tibidabo emerged in the late 19th century amidst rumors about the construction of a Protestant church and a hotel-casino at that location. This motivated a "Board of Catholic Knights" to acquire the ownership of the field and give it to Saint John Bosco in 1886, when he was visiting Barcelona at the invitation of Dorotea de Chopitea, a great patron and promoter of the project. From this arose the idea of a temple dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a dedication very popular at that time thanks to the impetus of Pope Pius IX, and following in line with the church built in Rome by Bosco himself (Sacro Cuore di Gesù a Castro Pretorio) and the famous Sacré-Cœur in Paris.

In 1886 a neo-Gothic hermitage was built, and two years later, for the Universal Exposition, the Vallvidrera road was urbanized and a pavilion of Mudejar inspiration was built beside the hermitage to serve as a viewing point (for the city below). However, the project to build the temple suffered a significant delay mainly because of the development of a new project to build an astronomical observatory on the summit of Tibidabo, which was eventually constructed on a nearby hill (Fabra Observatory). Finally, on 28 December 1902, the first stone was placed in a ceremony presided by the Bishop of Barcelona, Salvador Casañas i Pagès.

The crypt was built between 1903 and 1911, and the main church was built between 1915 and 1951. The church was consecrated by the Bishop Gregorio Modrego Casaus during the 35th Eucharistic Congress held in Barcelona in 1952. The towers were completed afterward, with work officially ending in 1961. On 29 October 1961 the church received the title of minor basilica from Pope John XXIII.

Exterior

The external appearance of the temple is of a Romanesque fortress of stone from Montjuïc (the crypt), topped by a monumental neo-Gothic church accessed by two grand outdoor stairways. The upper church has a central floor with an octagonal dome on eight columns. The dome is crowned with the image of the Sacred Heart; the original work was by Frederic Marès (destroyed in 1936) and replaced in 1950 with another by Josep Miret.

The upper church is square, from which arise three apses, and presents a large central tower and four lower towers, defining the four corners of the square, at which were placed statues of the Twelve Apostles sculpted by Josep Miret. The main facade has three bodies, the central wider, chaired by the figure of the Archangel Michael in the arch of the main entrance, and John Bosco in the pediment above. Over the left door is the statue of Teresa of Ávila and over the right, Marguerite Marie Alacoque. Above the door is an open gallery of arches with tracery.

The facade of the crypt has a richly decorated tympanum with sculptures by Alfons Juyol i Bach following the design of Eusebi Arnau. The sculptures represent the Virgin of Mercy, Saint George, and Saint James, the patron saints of Barcelona, Catalonia, and Spain, respectively. The crypt facade consists of three semicircular arches on columns, inserted under a larger semicircular arch, originally decorated with a mosaic of the Holy Trinity by Daniel Zuloaga (destroyed in 1936). In 1955 it was redecorated by the Bru Workshop of Barcelona; the work depicts an allegory of the devotion of Spain, represented by its patron saints

Interior

The interior is divided into three naves with semicircular apses, with stained glasses and four rose windows on the facades. In the main altar stands the great crucifix, a work by Joan Puigdollers. The windows of the presbytery are dedicated to Pius X, John the Evangelist, Marguerite Marie Alacoque, Paul the Apostle and John Bosco. The left altar has five stained glasses dedicated to various Marian devotions: the Virgin of Antipolo (Philippines), Our Lady of Luján (Argentina), the Assumption of Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe (Mexico) and Our Lady of Charity (Cuba). The right altar is presided by the Risen Jesus, a work by Joan Puigdollers, and its stained glasses are dedicated to Spanish Marian devotions: the Virgin of Almudena (Madrid), the Virgin of Núria (Catalonia), Our Lady of Hope, Our Lady of the Forsaken (Valencia) and Our Lady of Begoña (Basque Country).

The windows of the four towers contain the Latin phrase tibi dabo ("I'll give you"), the name of the mountain. At the level of the choir include founding saints: Marcellin Champagnat and Jean-Baptiste de La Salle on both sides of the presbytery, and Anthony Mary Claret, Joseph Calasanctius, John Bosco and Maria Domenica Mazzarello next to the main facade. The windows of the four facades are dedicated to Francis de Sales, Pius XI, Ignatius of Loyola, Francisco Javier, Pius IX, Rose of Lima, Leo XIII and Pius XII. The eight stained glasses of the dome depict scenes from the life of Jesus.

Crypt

The crypt was designed in a neo-Byzantine style, combining Gothic and classical elements, and decoration close to Modernisme. The space of the crypt consists of five naves separated by columns, the central one being wider, all with semicircular apses. The walls and vaults are lined with alabaster or decorated with mosaics, with scenes relating to the dedications of the altars: Mary Help of Christians, Saint Anthony of Padua, the Blessed Sacrament, Saint Joseph, and the Virgin of Montserrat. Polychrome alabaster is also used for the Via Crucis (Stations of the Cross) sculpted by Josep Miret. The windows that bring natural light inside are complemented by stained glass windows with the following topics: the largest in the arch, in the corners, represent the appearance of the Our Lady of the Pillar and the coversion of King Reccared I to Catholicism; Saint Ferdinand and Saint Hermenegild are represented in the two large vertical windows; and the small ones located above the door are dedicated to Joachim, Isidore the Laborer, Saint Anthony and Saint Elizabeth of Aragon, Queen of Portugal.

From the crypt there is access to a chapel dedicated to the Perpetual Adoration, excavated into the mountain in the late 1940s, consisting of three naves divided by columns. The interior is decorated with marble, mosaics in the pavement, and paintings by Miquel Farré i Albagés in the vaults, made between 1947-1949.

Outside of the crypt, on either side of the main door, are two staircases leading to the level of the temple itself. The temple is crowned by the enormous bronze statue of the Sacred Heart made by Josep Miret in 1950, replacing the original made by Frederic Marès in 1935, and destroyed the following year. The upward direction from the crypt, passing through the temple and ending at the sculpture, reflects the rise and the purification of the human condition by means of sacrifice and atonement.

Шаблон:Clear

Gallery

Bibliography

See also

External links

Шаблон:Commons category

Listed in the following categories:
Post a comment
Tips & Hints
Arrange By:
Frank Moon
12 January 2015
One of the highest church in Barcelona. U should going to top. And you can see amazing scenic view! C'est l'un des plus grande église de Barcelone. Il faut monter au sommet! Vous verrez une belle vue!
Aybige Cantürk
8 December 2015
The view is gorgeous. If you visit Barcelona, you should definitely go to Tibidabo. Barcelona is under your feet when you go to the highest level of temple (its 2 euro per person)
Vasek S.
27 December 2017
Wow, such an amazing church! Use elevator for 3,50€ and enjoy the stunning view from the top
By B
31 October 2015
I didn't feel like anything before here. You feel the heart of Jesus. Prefer Saturday, so you can see the Catalan wedding ceromony
Rafaella Rocha
17 November 2016
Igreja linda por dentro, fora e na paisagem ao redor! Espetáculo mesmo! E dizem que o pôr-do-sol alí é fantástico! (Existe um ônibus direto da Praça Catalunha até lá em cima da montanha, por - de 3€)
Sergey Bogatyrenko
3 May 2019
Шикарный вид на всю Барселону и море впечатлений вам обеспечены,обязательно подымайтесь на лифте вверх и дальше пешком по узкой винтовой лестнице на смотровую площадку,не ленитесь...и сделайте фото!!!
Load more comments
foursquare.com
8.7/10
Olya Ziqel, Ekaterine Gabelia and 14,543 more people have been here
Map
Carretera Vallvidrera Tibidabo, 117, 08035 Barcelona, Spain Get directions
Sun 11:00 AM–7:00 PM
Mon Noon–6:00 PM
Tue 7:00 AM–8:00 AM
Wed-Thu 11:00 AM–6:00 PM
Fri Noon–8:00 PM

Temple Expiatori del Sagrat Cor on Foursquare

Sagrat Cor on Facebook

Hotels nearby

See all hotels See all
Gran Hotel La Florida

starting $0

Gran Hotel La Florida

starting $235

Hotel Sant Cugat

starting $140

H2 Sant Cugat

starting $116

H2 Rubi

starting $61

Inout Hostel

starting $16

Recommended sights nearby

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Tibidabo

Tibidabo is a mountain overlooking Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. At 512

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Tibidabo Amusement Park

Tibidabo Amusement Park (Catalan: Parc d'Atraccions Tibidabo) is an

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Torre de Collserola

Torre de Collserola is a uniquely designed tower located on the

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Funicular del Tibidabo

The Funicular del Tibidabo (or Tibidabo funicular) is a funicular

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
CosmoCaixa Barcelona

CosmoCaixa Barcelona (Catalan pronunciation: ]) is a science museum

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Park Güell

Parc Güell is a garden complex with architectural elements situated

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Parc del Laberint d'Horta

The Parc del Laberint d'Horta (Catalan pronunciation: ],

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Casa Vicens

Casa Vicens is a family residence in Barcelona (Catalonia), designed

Similar tourist attractions

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim, Salvador

The Church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim (Portuguese: Igreja de Nosso

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Basilica of Our Lady of Luján

The Basilica of Our Lady of Luján (español. Basílica de Nuestra Se

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Monserrate Sanctuary

Monserrate Sanctuary is a Catholic shrine in Bogotá, Colombia. The

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Basilica of Our Lady of Zapopan

The Basilica of Our Lady of Zapopan (español. 'Basílica de Nuestra S

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
St. Peter's Basilica

The Basilica of Saint Peter (lat. Basilica Sancti Petri), officially

See all similar places