Sagrada Família could finish construction in ten years

The Basilica of Sagrada Família, Barcelona's most famous building still under construction for over a century, could be completed in one decade, as announced by the building management team on Thursday.

Construction started in 1882, with famous architect Antoni Gaudí taking over a year later.

The building management team said the work could be completed in 10 years if all schedules were confirmed and deadlines met.

Builders will now focus on the Glory Façade, the main one facing Mallorca Street, with designs featuring around 100 sculptures.

Management is awaiting the city council's permission to set up the scaffolding as the basis of the baptistery, and the four towers that will form the façade have already been completed.

The president of the Sagrada Família's construction board, Esteve Camps, told journalists that, despite works on the façade having already started, the team is still negotiating with the city council regarding the final design of the basilica.

Camps refers to the controversial staircase that, according to the construction board, Gaudí designed on top of Mallorca Street. For this element of the design to be built, it would mean having to demolish some nearby buildings, with around 3,000 neighbors facing eviction entirely against it.

Catalan News spoke with the neighbors' association president back in 2021. Listen to the Filling the Sink podcast episode to learn more about Sagrada Família's tricky completion.

The construction board is open to negotiating with the city council, but they are not willing to give up on the staircase, as they are just "Gaudí's disciples," and it is part of the basilica's design.

The tallest tower of the Sagrada Família will be the Tower of Jesus Christ, which will measure 172.5 meters tall and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025 with its viewpoint in the form of a cross after unveiling its prototype back in September.

However, due to security issues, it will not be accessible until 2027, despite an inauguration planned for June 2026, the centenary of Gaudí's death.

Currently, the tower measures 142.5 meters and is already the tallest tower in the building after surpassing the 138-meter tall Tower of the Virgin Mary.

4.3 million visitors

Xavier Martínez, the construction board's general director, said during Thursday's press event that the unfinished basilica had an all-time high number of visitors in 2024.

Around 4.83 million people visited the Sagrada Familia last year, a 2.7% increase compared to 2023. Most visitors came from the United States, other Spanish cities, France, Italy, and South Korea.

Asian visitors represented the highest market growth.

"We cannot grow anymore," Martínez said, as they do not want to overcrowd the site.

Last year, the board saw an income of €133.9 million, and €86.2 million in expenditure, over half of which was spent on the basilica's construction.

Builders expect an investment of around €55 and €60 million in the construction budget in 2025.