Barcelona’s iconic Sagrada Familia continues to move forward with its construction project, maintaining the possibility of expropriating housing to complete the staircase of the Glory façade, a crucial part of Antoni Gaudí’s original design.
Esteve Camps, president delegate of the Construction Board of the temple, reiterates the commitment to follow Gaudí’s original plan, even if this means demolishing houses affecting 3,000 apartments.
Work on the Assumpta Chapel, Provença Street and the Jesus Tower is expected to be completed by 2025 for inauguration in 2026.
Sagrada Família considers expropriating homes and continuing construction work
During the presentation of the 2023 balance sheet, Camps emphasized the importance of continuing to work on the verticality of the La Gloria portal, an area where expropriations could occur.
Dialogue with local authorities, including Mayor Jaume Collboni, is an integral part of the process, seeking to find solutions that benefit all parties involved.
Regarding the artistic aspect of the project, it has been announced that the ornamentation of the Assumpta Chapel has been done by national artists, while for the Gloria façade an international competition will be opened, even considering the possibility of having three different artists working in this area.
The significant increase in visitors in 2023, up 24.5% over the previous year, reflects the continued interest in this iconic monument.
The return of Asian visitors, particularly from South Korea, together with a strong presence of U.S. tourists, contributed to this increase. The typical visitor profile is a woman between 40 and 60 years old, with university studies, visiting Barcelona for the first time with her family.
On the other hand, the Board of Trustees of the Sagrada Familia has asked the Mayor of Barcelona to designate 2026 as the “Antoni Gaudí Year”, underlining the importance of this period to commemorate the legacy of the famous architect.
Problems with the neighborhood
The construction of the Portal de la Gloria in Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia continues to generate controversy and tensions in the neighborhood. This project, which includes a grand staircase and a monumental plaza, will involve the demolition of two residential blocks, affecting approximately 3,000 homes and 50 commercial properties.
The neighbors have organized themselves into protest groups, arguing that the expropriation of their properties is illegal, since the construction licenses were granted more than 40 years ago. They demand dialogue and transparency in the process, but so far the meetings with the Board of Trustees of the Sagrada Familia have been scarce and unfruitful.
The Barcelona City Council is in a delicate position, acting as a mediator in the conflict. The modification of the General Metropolitan Plan and the granting of the building permit for the Portal de la Gloria depend on municipal decisions.
