Opinion
The Sagrada Família, almost finished: Gaudí's legacy enters its decisive stage
The completion of the Tower of Jesus Christ marks a historic point after 144 years of construction, but the temple still stirs urban and social debates that question its real end.
After more than a century of construction, the Sagrada Família basilica finally enters its decisive straight with the completion of the Tower of Jesus Christ, which at 172.5 meters high makes the temple the tallest church in the world. This milestone, both symbolic and technical, seems to bring the work closer to the image that Antoni Gaudí had imagined, although its complete completion is not yet a closed reality.
The new stage arrives in a context full of historical significance: the centenary of the architect's death is commemorated and, at the same time, the most visible part of the project is considered almost completed thanks to the use of modern construction technologies and current materials, which have allowed the original plans, many of which were lost during the Civil War, to be resumed and reinterpreted.
However, the feeling of completion is not entirely real. The Sagrada Família still has one essential piece left: the Gloria façade, conceived as the main entrance and as a symbolic representation of the path to salvation. It is also the most controversial point of the project.
The debate is not only architectural, but also deeply urban and social. The planned project includes a grand staircase and a monumental avenue that would connect the temple with Diagonal, an intervention that would involve the impact of two blocks of the Eixample with residential buildings that have been consolidated for more than a century. This proposal has generated a constant tension between the monumental vision of the temple and the daily reality of the neighborhood.
Neighborhood associations question whether Gaudí really left this staircase defined and defend the preservation of the current urban fabric. At the same time, alternatives are being proposed that would reduce or even avoid demolition, but would force a reinterpretation of the original project, moving it away from its initial conception.
Barcelona City Council is keeping negotiations open with the Construction Board and residents, with the aim of reaching a consensus before the next electoral cycles. The future of the temple's immediate surroundings is thus becoming a key piece in understanding what "finishing" the Sagrada Família really means.
In the midst of this debate, the recent celebration with the blessing of the central tower by Pope Leo XVI has added a symbolic component of great weight, reinforcing the spiritual and universal dimension of the project. The Sagrada Família is presented today as a work that is finally iconic, but which has not yet fully resolved its coexistence with the city that surrounds it.
In short, the temple seems closer than ever to its final form, but it continues to raise a fundamental question: can a work conceived more than a hundred years ago be completed without profoundly transforming the city of the present?
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