Sagrada Familia towers-amazing-but heads up, you're required to walk 700 narrow steps down

They made you jump up and down??? That sounds super suspicious and highly unethical..all while videoing you.

Are there handrails ? I don't go up or down stairs without something to steady my balance. And certainly not 700 steps!

Have to agree the Sagrada was a "WOW" moment. We were there 2 1/2 years ago and also did the Passion Tower. That said, we did not have to demonstrate our agility at that time. I do understand the concern. The only "obstacles" we incurred were poor lighting, and two women who were "clinging" to the wall making it a challenge to pass them. Other than that people were not in a rush. I just used the handrail and proceeded carefully. Would I do it again? Absolutely!! Thanks for sharing your experience.

@ Tim:
I should have explained that the video thing was not a videocam in your face, the camera was mounted discreetly on the wall and I didn't even see it although the guard mentioned it.
And after walking down, I certainly understood the jumping/agility test--that walk down 700 narrow stairs is potentially dangerous and they understandably want to make sure no one who is mobility-limited goes up in the tower elevator, because the only way down is the stairs.
And someone asked about stair-rails, and no, I remember there's no handrail at all for the first half or third of the way down.

@ Laura:
There are no handrails whatsoever, for the first half or one-third, and nothing else to use to stabilize oneself except the flat outside wall (not helpful).

@Kent, yes it was after we passed the 2 women "clinging" to the wall that we used the handrail. Now I realize why they were hesitant to move! That in itself is a huge liability.

No handrail is a deal-killer for me. I'm glad I decided to skip the towers. l would have been one of the clingers.

@acraven:
Actually, for about the first 200 steps (1/3 of total steps) there wasn't even anything to "cling" to, the outside wall of the stairwell was flat, no hand holds. Then, after about the first couple hundred steps, there was a handrail on one side, for which one was eternally grateful--but you were still forced to contemplate the few hundred feet to the bottom.
First chance I got, I had a rehabilitation drink, I asked for sacramental wine at the church but they wouldn't give it to me :-), so I found the nearest bar.

Sagrada Familia, when designed in 1882, was not intended for hundreds of thousands of visitors to go up the towers and hence the reason they're so narrow and have not much room.

With this in mind, one needs to understand that in order to make them safe for 21st-century standards and the sheer number of people wanting to visit them, some safety measures have had to be introduced. Some are visible to the public, some are not.

Among them, not allowing visitors which could harm themselves and others in a potentially dangerous situation, say, for example, a quick evacuation in case of fire is one of the measures. This includes not only elderly people but also anyone which the security personnel feel is not in a 'decent enough' physical condition, and also children under 6 y.o. (no exception). Note these restrictions apply only to the visit to the towers.

All of this is handled with extreme courtesy from the security personnel (nothing to do with the awful experiences with the TSA staff at certain US airports, right? :)))

The safety rules seemed quite reasonable. No complaints here.
Just giving people here a heads up on what's required.
Secretly, it was exciting to go down the steps!

Total speculation on my part, but it may be that they will do as similar tower visits have done, and that when construction is completed (if it is ever completed), the other elevator in the tower, now being used by construction personnel, will be available for visitors to descend from the tower. But that will be years or decades away.

Latest news from a few years ago is that it's to be finished in 2026, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of Gaudí's death. That's the planning and so far they're in track.

I believe the procedure will not change, the other elevator it's not expected to carry visitors down.

A last piece of advice, if you feel claustrophobia, have difficulty getting your balance or get nauseous on spiral staircases, best avoid visiting the towers.

Claustrophobia, yup, no kidding.
One would hope they'll be finished in 7 years. But it's been about 140 years so far (I think I read that Gaudi started designing it in the 1880's).
Rick Steves has said he hopes to live long enough to see its completion.

Sagrada Familia is really unbelievably beautiful. I think everyone who enters can't help but say "wow" because there's nothing like it anywhere else. When we went up to the Passion Facade Tower the staff kept reminding us that we only use the elevator when going up and we have to use the stairs on our way down. I don't see anything wrong with demonstrating that you have the agility to use the stairs as there won't be any staff who can help you once you are at the tower and making your way down. The staircase is very narrow so one should really be careful when making your way down.

Thanks Kent for the heads up. I wish I had your advice when we went up one of the towers in Fall 2017. My husband made reservations and neglected to say we had to walk down. Security did say that you need to walk down, but not that it was quite a descent. I did enjoy it, but, my legs felt it for a few days.

Sagrada Familia is truly a "wow" experience. Like several "wows". Seen a lot of cathedrals/basilicas/churches, but never anything like Sagrada Familia.

I'm looking forward to seeing in next fall, but you'll never get me up in that tower if I have to walk down!

Seems like they could organize the flow of people to take some down in the elevator. It does go both ways, right? ;-)

Dick, apparently the other elevator is dedicated exclusively to use by construction workers. Since the construction will continue until at least 2026, this offers no solution until 2026. Anyone going in the next few years should probably assume they will have to walk down. If anyone wants a pic of the stairs, contact me by PM with your email address.

Kent, glad you were able to experience the tower. The descent must add to one’s appreciation of the grand scale of Sagrada Familia. We were there 5 1/2 years ago, and they must be quite a bit farther along now.

FYI, YouTube has some great videos of the Passion Tower stairs. Exactly what it feels like descending the 400 steps. We are huge fans of everything Gaudi. Besides visiting the tower we spent time wandering the incredible interior. We also walked the exterior and stopped in AWE and appreciated every moment.

We were fascinated to learn the sad story of Gaudi's tragic death. He was hit by a tram in 1926 while on his way to the Sagrada. After being struck he lost consciousness and nobody suspected the disheveled old man who was not carrying any identity papers was the famous architect. He was later recognized at the hospital by the priest of the Sagrada Familia. He was buried two days later at the Sagrada. Throngs of Barcelona citizens came to bid a final farewell.

Perhaps the Sagrada will be completed in 2026 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Gaudi's death.

Glad I saw Sagrada Familia in 2007 -- just from the bottom -- amazing even if you don't go to the top of tower.