Sagrada Familia has received building permission after more than 130 years

Barcelona – The Barcelona basilica Sagrada Familia (Holy Family), which is one of the most visited Spanish monuments, has been under construction for 137 years. But only this week did it receive a building permit from the Barcelona City Hall. This was reported by the newspaper La Vanguardia, stating that the church is expected to be completed in 2026.

"Finally, the historical anomaly of our city has been resolved and Sagrada Familia is no longer being built illegally," said Barcelona’s local development councilor Janet Sanz on Friday. The agreement for the building permit was signed last October by the mayor of the Catalan metropolis, Ada Colau, and the head of the foundation that manages this monumental work and ensures its construction.

The agreement stipulates, among other things, that the foundation managing the temple will pay the city 36 million euros (about 936 million crowns) for public transport and surrounding area improvements over ten years. The contribution to the city was calculated based on the number of visitors to this monument, which is approximately 4.5 million annually, or an average of about 12,000 people daily.

This unique architectural work, which depicts the life of Jesus Christ and biblical history, began construction in 1882 according to the design of architect Francisko de Paula del Villar. By the end of 1883, architect Antonio Gaudí took over the work. The only document permitting the construction of the basilica was from the end of the 19th century and was issued by the municipality of Sant Martí de Provençals, which joined Barcelona in 1897. However, this document cannot be compared to a traditional building permit.

Sagrada Familia is expected to be completed in 2026, coinciding with the hundredth anniversary of Antonio Gaudí's death. This Catalan architect, who is also the author of several other unique buildings in Barcelona, dedicated the last few years of his life entirely to the construction of the Sagrada Familia. At that time, he neglected his appearance, so when he was hit by a tram in June 1926, he was initially mistaken for a beggar.

After Gaudí's death, construction continued according to his designs. However, part of the construction was destroyed by fire during the Civil War (1936-1939), which also damaged Gaudí's plans and models. These were later restored by architect Francesc de Paula Quintana, a former collaborator of Gaudí. Gaudí did not have great illusions about the completion of the magnificent temple. "It will be completed only by Saint Joseph," he used to say.