Gaudí's Sagrada Familia will be completed by 2028 at the latest

Barcelona - The famous Sagrada Familia cathedral (Holy Family), located in the center of the Catalan metropolis of Barcelona, is expected to be completed by 2028 at the latest. This was stated this week by Joan Rigol, the chairman of the committee tasked with completing this basilica designed by architect Antoni Gaudí. The foundation stone of the building was laid back in 1882.
    "Sagrada Familia should be finished in time for the celebrations of the hundredth anniversary of the architect's death, which falls in 2026, or at the latest two years later," quoted Rigol by the British newspaper The Guardian.
    Rigol informed that in recent months the construction of a 40-meter high dome has commenced, among other works. Work is also underway on eight out of a total of 18 towers that this eccentric building will have, making it one of the most visited tourist attractions in Spain. Ten more towers still need to be built.
    After the construction of the tower reaching 170 meters above ground, which will have an elevator transporting tourists to the top, the basilica is set to become the tallest cathedral in the world. The highest tower is expected to be completed in seven years.
    Construction began according to the design of architect Francisko de Paula del Villar, but at the end of 1883, the work was taken over by Gaudí. After his death in 1926, when Gaudí was struck by a tram, work continued based on his designs. During the Civil War (1936-1939), part of the construction was burned down, destroying some of Gaudí's plans and models.
    Due to the financial and architectural complexity, Gaudí (1852-1926) had no illusions about the speed of the cathedral's construction, which is a remarkable mixture of Neo-Catalan style, Art Nouveau, and modernism. "My client is not in a hurry," this genius once stated, referring to God.
    The cathedral was consecrated last year during a visit by Pope Benedict XVI. The holy site experienced tough moments this April when a fire was deliberately set in the sacristy. Its aftermath is still being dealt with. "The damage is greater than we anticipated," stated the chief architect of the project, Jordi Bonet, according to whom authorities are now considering installing metal detectors at the entrance.
    The construction is funded annually by admission fees from approximately three million paying tourists. In addition to the 30 million euros from ticket sales, another 500,000 euros flows in from donors.