Focus on the Maria tower in 2021
Because of the pandemic the Sagrada Familia will be receiving less money in the years 2020 and the year 2021, as most of the money that comes in, is collected by the means of the entrance fees.
The almost 5 million people that visited the Sagrada Familia in 2019 donated between 100 and 130 million Euro´s by paying the admission fees. As tourism has been put on hold all over the world during the pandemic. It resulted in a financial shortage to further construct the Sagrada Familia for most of the year. In September though, the directive board of the Sagrada Familia announced to pick up the construction on the tower Mary with the goal to finish the second highest tower of Gaudi’s masterpiece by the end of 2021. Great news of course! We definitely have something to look forward to.
The Tower of Mary
From the total 18 towers, the tower of Mary will be the second tallest of them all reaching a astonishing hight of 138 meters. The tower of Mary has been growing fast with the prefabrication technic over the last years. All panels have been placed, so we can focus now on the 25-metre-high pinnacle which will be topped with an illuminated twelve-pointed star that will light up at night.
12 pointed star
When a star is used as a symbol in the Christian faith, the number of points it has is especially significant because it adds meaning to the sign.
In this case, the number 12 has special symbolic meaning in the Bible, often depicting completeness.
Both the Old and New Testaments find special meaning in the number 12. In the Old Testament, 12 often represents God’s people because Israel was comprised of 12 tribes. In the New Testament, 12 may represent the church, which was built upon the life and ministry of the 12 apostles.
The 12-point star may also be used at Epiphany, the twelfth day of Christmas, on which the church celebrates the manifestation of Christ as the Son of God.