English: Expiatory Church of
The Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Català: Temple del Sagrat Cor
vist des de la Talaia del Tibidabo.
Photo: 11 September 2009.
Source: Own work.
Author: Jordiferrer
(Wikimedia Commons)
It Is Only Love And Mercy”.
Catholic Holy Card depicting
The Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Auguste Martin Collection,
Auguste Martin Collection,
University of Dayton Libraries.
Date: 1880.
Source: Turgis.
Author: Turgis.
(Wikimedia Commons)
Date: 1880.
Source: Turgis.
Author: Turgis.
(Wikimedia Commons)
Text from Wikipedia - the free encyclopædia,
unless stated otherwise.
The building is the work of the Spanish 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.
The idea of building a Catholic Church on the summit of Mount Tibidabo emerged in the Late-19th-Century, amidst rumours about the construction of a Protestant Church and a hotel-casino at that location.
From this arose the idea of a building Dedicated to The Sacred Heart of Jesus, a Dedication very popular at that time thanks to the impetus given by Pope Leo XIII, 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.
However, the project to build the Church 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 Foundation Stone was placed in a Ceremony presided over by the Bishop of Barcelona, Salvador Casañas i Pagès.
The Towers were completed afterwards, with work officially ending in 1961. On 29 October 1961, the Church received the Title of Minor Basilica, from Pope Saint John XXIII.