140 Years in the Making: The Sagrada Família Will Finally Be Completed in 2026—Here’s How Barcelona Is Celebrating
Barcelona’s skyline owes much of its magic to Antoni Gaudí, the visionary architect behind the city’s most famous buildings. None is more ambitious—or more intricate—than the Sagrada Família, a basilica that has remained under construction for nearly a century since Gaudí’s death. Next year, as the city marks the 100th anniversary of his passing, it will celebrate the completion of the Basilica’s exterior and host a series of events honouring the master architect.
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The festivities kick off this October with the start of the academic year at Ateneu Universitari Sant Pacià, marked by a mass and a lecture from Dr Jordi Faulí, the current head architect of the Sagrada Família. On November 30, the Tower of Barnabus—the only tower completed during Gaudí’s lifetime—will be illuminated for its 100th anniversary, accompanied by a special reading in the church.
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Next spring, on March 19, the Catalan Choral Society will perform inside the basilica’s central nave, followed by a mass dedicated to Saint Joseph. And the celebrations will reach their peak on June 10, 2026, with a grand mass inside the newly completed central Tower of Jesus Christ. Details for this landmark event will be revealed closer to the date.
Ahead of these milestones, the city is already opening rarely seen areas of the Sagrada Família to the public. As part of the La Mercè festival, 20,000 visitors will get free access through a ticket raffle held in early September.
Alongside these events, Barcelona will host a series of citywide exhibitions exploring the history and significance of the Sagrada Família. Full details of all upcoming events are available on the church’s official website.
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