Sagrada Familia works halted until ‘stable number’ of visitors can enter

The works of the Sagrada Família will not resume "until a stable number of visitors has been reached over time", as the work is done on the cathedral mainly thanks to the money it receives from entry tickets. 

This means that the works will be stopped for at least eight months due to falling revenues. Likewise, the construction board of the Sagrada Família has drawn up a temporary redundancies for 40% of the workforce.

The board wants to suspend employment for its workers only temporarily, with staff returning once relatively normal activity can also come back. In addition, it has promised, according to sources consulted by the Catalan News Agency, to supplement the salaries of affected workers during this period.

Officials from the Sagrada Familia acknowledge that the reopening date is not clear. In addition, they add, "one of the aims of the temple is to ensure the safety of both visitors and workers when reopening."

The works on the Sagrada Familia had been planned to finish by 2026, marking the centenary since the death of its designer, Antoni Gaudí. This plan may now be impacted by the enforced break in construction.