To mark the 100th anniversary of Antoni Gaudí’s death, Barcelona’s most famous landmark, the Sagrada Familia, was supposed to be completed by 2026 (finally!). But this will not happen. Find out why here.
The Sagrada Familia: the last cathedral in the world
The Sagrada Familia is a world-famous building and the last cathedral in the world that is still under construction. Its architect, the Spaniard Antoni Gaudí (1852-1926), only saw a small part of his masterpiece realized. He was aware that the construction of the Sagrada Familia would take many decades. It was actually scheduled for completion in 2026, the 100th anniversary of the architect’s death. But now the date has been further delayed.
The cathedral belongs to the Catalan Art Nouveau period, but cannot be directly attributed to this era due to its unique features. This also applies to the imposing, imaginative other buildings by Gaudí that adorn Barcelona. In addition to the Sagrada Familia, the Casa Vicens and Casa Battló as well as Park Güell and La Pedrera are also UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Construction of the imposing Sagrada Familia began on March 19, 1882 under the architect Francisco de Paula del Villar. He resigned just one year later and Antoni Gaudí took over the project. He changed some of the designs drastically, but retained some of the original Gothic elements. He worked on the project until the end of his life and even lived in the cathedral in the end.
The Sagrada Familia opened its doors on November 7, 2010. On this day, it was consecrated by the then Pope Benedict XVI in front of 6,500 people. With around 4.5 million visitors a year, the cathedral is one of the most popular sights in Europe. You can find more information about visiting the cathedral on its website.
A new date for the Sagrada Familia
After 144 years of construction, the cathedral was due to open in 2026 in honor of Gaudí. However, the coronavirus pandemic has thrown a spanner in the works. Construction work had to be suspended for several months in 2020. The strict lockdowns in Spain delayed the plans. Nevertheless, the Tower of the Virgin Mary, with its striking dodecagonal star that glows at night, was opened in December 2021.
When the Sagrada Familia is finished, it will consist of 18 towers. The tallest of these, named after Jesus Christ, will extend 172.4 meters into the air. This will make the Sagrada Familia the tallest church in the world. Currently, Ulm Minster holds this record with a highest point of 161.5 meters.
Of the 18 towers of the Sagrada Familia, only eight are currently complete. The main façade is also still missing. A new date for the completion of the Sagrada Familia has not yet been set.
One tower after the other
As the Sagrada Familia is financed exclusively by entrance fees and donations from visitors, the coronavirus-related closure in 2020 meant that there were no more finances. Compared to 2019, the Sagrada Familia lost over 81 million euros in 2021. It is the longest construction project in the world.
The new tower of the Virgin Mary was an important symbol of the construction process. No tower had been completed for 44 years. Now the second tallest tower in the complex towers above the city. The towers of the evangelists Luke and Mark are to be completed next. Further construction has been possible since June 2021, albeit quite slowly. 2030 has already been ruled out as the completion date. The construction process is not expected to be able to pick up full speed again until 2024.
Every month, the central tower, Jesus Christ, grows a little higher. As soon as it is finished, it will have a cross with four bell-shaped arms. In true Gaudí style, it will be decorated with ceramics and glass. The cross will be 13.5 meters wide and will be illuminated at night.
Conflicts with the neighborhood
A walk in the vicinity of the Sagrada Familia shows that the construction process is also in trouble quite apart from the corona consequences: posters and bed sheets with angry messages in Catalan hang from many windows in the immediate vicinity. The people in question are residents of Mallorca Street, who live directly opposite the Gloria façade currently under construction. This façade is also known as the façade of glory. It is dedicated to the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.
Stairs are to be built in order to reach the façade and the main entrance, which will be located there in the future. However, this will require the demolition of several buildings on Mallorca Street. Thousands of residents would lose their homes as a result.
In addition, the city of Barcelona has designated the area where the façade is currently being built as a green space. Accordingly, pedestrians and cyclists should have priority here. However, the current plans do not provide for this.
Shortly before the start of the coronavirus pandemic, talks began between the Sagrada Familia board, the local council and the affected neighbors. However, these talks have been paused for the time being. It is also still unclear whether and how the Sagrada Familia will be able to comply with all the regulations of the building permit, which it only received in 2019. One thing is certain: The world’s last cathedral will still be under construction for quite some time.
Also interesting: part of the Catalan capital Barcelona’s ambitious urban development project are the so-called superblocks.
