A basilica built over more than 140 years
The foundation stone of the Sagrada Família was laid on 19 March 1882. The first architect was Francisco de Paula del Villar. In 1883 Antoni Gaudí took over, and he worked on the project for the rest of his life.
The church was consecrated by Pope Benedict XVI on 7 November 2010 and became a minor basilica. It is still a construction site. There are 18 towers planned in total, 12 bell towers on the facades at around 100 m each and 6 central towers.
Timeline of the Sagrada Família
The key dates, from the foundation to the centenary year.
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1882 | Foundation stone laid on 19 March, architect Francisco de Paula del Villar |
| 1883 | Gaudí takes over the project |
| 1914 | Gaudí devotes himself only to the Sagrada Família |
| 1925 | Barnabas tower finished, the only tower Gaudí saw completed |
| 1926 | Gaudí dies on 10 June in Barcelona after a tram accident |
| 1954 | Foundation of the Passion facade |
| 1976 | Bell towers of the Passion facade |
| 1986 | Sculptures by Josep Maria Subirachs begin |
| 2005 | Nativity facade and crypt join the UNESCO series Works of Antoni Gaudí |
| 2010 | Consecration on 7 November |
| 2018 | Cross on the gable of the Passion facade, July |
| 2021 | Tower of Mary finished, 138 m |
| 2022 and 2023 | Towers of the Evangelists finished, 135 m |
| 20 February 2026 | Cross arm of the Tower of Jesus Christ set in place |
| 10 June 2026 | Blessing of the Tower of Jesus Christ, 172.5 m, by Pope Leo XIV |
The UNESCO listing covers the Nativity facade and the crypt, not the whole basilica.
Our picks: tours with the story behind the building
A complete Gaudí day, a longer tour with tickets and a short overview walk.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Complete Gaudí tour with Sagrada Família and Park Güell
A long day with Gaudí's two biggest sites and more of his work in between.
Check availability →
Sagrada Família tour, private or small group, with tickets
A longer tour with tickets, private or in a small group.
Check availability →Barcelona tour: Sagrada Família, Gaudí and Old Town
A three-hour overview walk. Check whether the option you pick includes entry to the basilica.
Check availability →Tickets and tours for the Sagrada Família
Entry tickets and guided visits that explain the history on site, with live prices and availability.
Antoni Gaudí in short
The basics of the architect's life.
Born in Reus
Gaudí was born on 25 June 1852 in Reus. He took over the Sagrada Família in 1883, a year after the foundation stone was laid.
Only this project
From 1914 he worked only on the Sagrada Família. His other buildings in Barcelona are covered in a separate guide.
Gaudí in Barcelona →Death in 1926
He died on 10 June 1926 in Barcelona after a tram accident. He is buried in the crypt.
Inside the Sagrada Família →Venerable
On 14 April 2025 Pope Francis declared Gaudí Venerable. That is a step on the path to sainthood, not a canonization.
The centenary in 2026
100 years since Gaudí's death.
The centenary programme has 31 events, running from autumn 2025 to Christmas 2026. Until 31 December 2026 the basilica hosts the exhibition Sagrada Família: The Strength of a Shared Dream. For the current programme, check sagradafamilia2026.org.
On 10 June 2026, the day of the blessing, around 120,000 people gathered in front of the basilica, according to Euronews. Later events include the short story award on 20 November at 18:30 and a Christmas concert by the Escolania de Montserrat on 23 December at 19:00, with the Nativity facade lit.
When will it be finished?
There is no official completion date.
The foundation does not give a date for the whole basilica. An earlier target of 2026 applied only to the structure of the towers. Euronews wrote that completion could come within the next decade, but that is a press estimate, not an official plan.
The largest remaining piece is the Glory facade with its narthex, four bell towers and seven bronze doors. The Tower of Jesus Christ is complete on the outside, but you cannot go up in 2026. The viewing point in the cross holds only 11 people, and according to the site management it will open no earlier than 2027. That is not confirmed. Read more about the facades or plan a tower visit.
UNESCO and Gaudí's other works
The Sagrada Família is one part of a larger World Heritage series.
The UNESCO series Works of Antoni Gaudí was listed in 1984 with Park Güell, Palau Güell and Casa Milà. In 2005 it was extended to include the Nativity facade and the crypt of the Sagrada Família, as well as Casa Vicens, Casa Batlló and the crypt of the Colònia Güell. If you want to see more of his work, read the guide to Gaudí in Barcelona.
The basilica is also one of the most visited sites in Spain. Press and Wikipedia put the yearly number of visitors near 5 million in 2025, though this is not an official figure. For that reason, tickets are sold for fixed time slots, and it pays to book early. The foundation says tickets go on sale about two months before the visit.
What you can see on site in 2026
The history is visible in the building itself.
The new central tower
The Tower of Jesus Christ is now the tallest point of the basilica at 172.5 m. You see it from the street and from the towers, though you cannot climb it in 2026.
Tower tickets →The two finished facades
The Nativity and the Passion facades show two different periods of construction, 1891 on one side and 1954 on the other.
Facades →The exhibition
Until 31 December 2026, the exhibition The Strength of a Shared Dream is shown inside the basilica for the centenary.
Sagrada Família tickets →Gaudí's tomb
The crypt holds Gaudí's tomb, in the chapel of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. It is not in the standard ticket.
Mass and crypt →History of the Sagrada Família: frequently asked questions
When did construction of the Sagrada Família start?
The foundation stone was laid on 19 March 1882. Gaudí took over in 1883.
When will the Sagrada Família be finished?
There is no official date. Do not trust any single year for the whole basilica. The Glory facade is the last phase.
How many towers will the Sagrada Família have?
Eighteen: 12 bell towers on the facades and 6 central towers. The tallest is the Tower of Jesus Christ at 172.5 m.
When was the Sagrada Família consecrated?
On 7 November 2010, by Pope Benedict XVI, who raised it to a minor basilica.
Is the Sagrada Família a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
Partly. Since 2005 the Nativity facade and the crypt belong to the UNESCO series Works of Antoni Gaudí. The whole basilica is not listed.
Is Gaudí a saint?
No. Pope Francis declared him Venerable on 14 April 2025. That is a step towards canonization, not the end of the process.