By day, it rises up from Barcelona like an art nouveau dream. By night, it looms over the city like a Gothic nightmare. Whether it is seen by day or by night, visitors are always impressed by the grandiose architecture and monumental presence of La Sagrada Familia (the Church of the Holy Family).

Begun in 1882, the project was originally conceived by church architect Francisco de Villar. However, the real mastermind behind the unique and elegant edifice is Barcelona's favorite son, Antonio Gaudi. When he took over the project in 1884, he truly made the work his own.

Over the course of building La Sagrada Familia, Gaudi evolved into a passionate artist possessed by his faith. He became engrossed in the symbolism of the building, which resulted in an architectural style that is both imposing and unmatched.

Gaudi's plans for La Sagrada Familia were greatly influenced by the Christian scriptures. Each facade signifies a part of the life of Christ, and each of the 12 belltowers crowning the facades symbolizes one of Christ's apostles.

Gaudi dedicated more than 40 years of his life to building the church. Yet when he died in 1926, the building was still incomplete. Work on the edifice has continued---off and on---for more than 75 years since then. To this day, the church remains a work in progress and a testament to an artist's unfinished dream.

1. grandiose a. 宏偉的

2. mastermind n. 策劃人

3. imposing a. 壯麗的，堂皇的

4. facade n. （建筑物的）正面

白天，它像新的藝術綺夢，矗立在巴塞羅納。夜晚，它仿佛歌特式的夢魘，籠罩著這座城市。無論是在白天或夜晚參觀圣家堂，旅客們都會對它的雄偉建筑和恢弘氣勢留下深刻的印象。

這項工程最初是教堂建筑師Francisco de Villar1882年開始構思的。然而，這幢獨特而高雅的建筑背后真正的策劃者，是巴塞羅納杰出的建筑師安東尼奧·高迪。他1884年接手后，便按照自己的風格來設計這件作品。

在建造圣家堂期間，高迪逐漸成為一位執著于自己的信念、充滿激情的藝術家。他全神貫注地構思這棟建筑的象征意義，造就了一種富麗堂皇、無與倫比的建筑風格。

高迪對圣家堂的設計深受圣經的影響。建筑的每一面都象征著基督人生的一個階段，而砌于各面頂端的12座鐘樓，每一座都象征著基督的一位使徒。

高迪花了40多年的心血來建造這座教堂。然而，當他在1926年去世時，這座建筑仍未竣工。后來，建筑工程又斷斷續續地進行了75年多。直到現在，這座教堂仍在建設中，它是一位藝術家未完成的夢想的明證。