Construction of the main parts of one of Barcelona’s most famous landmarks, the Catholic church Sagrada Familia, is expected to finish by 2026, in time for the centennial death anniversary of its master architect, Antoni Gaudi. A press conference on March 20, 2024 announced plans for its completion following a halt in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The process began with the towers of the Evangelists in November 2023 which will be followed by the Chapel of the Assumption in 2025 and then the tower of Jesus Christ in 2026, with no specific dates yet. Amid the completion of the main parts, the Sagrada Familia committee also announced plans to move forward with the construction of the stairway in the Glory Facade, which is expected to serve as the church’s main entrance, right on Mallorca Street.
Esteve Camps, Executive Chairman of the Junta Constructora de la Sagrada Família, considers the stairway as part of Gaudí’s original design for the church. Although lawyer Salvador Barroso said it was never part of the architect’s blueprint but was designed by his predecessors following his death in 1926. On a side note, the construction of the entrance will result in the demolition of around 3,000 neighboring apartments and establishments, as well as the eviction of over 1,000 families.
The Sagrada Familia is notable for its tactile organic form, featuring bold flying buttresses and twisted towers. It gives an unexpectedly magnificent sight as at looms over its urban setting.
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Images courtesy of Sagrada Familia
