Leo XIV visits Gaudí's tomb at the Sagrada Família on the 100th anniversary of the architect's death

The foundation stone of the Sagrada Família was laid in 1882, but it was Antoni Gaudí, who died in 1926, who shaped the project with his distinctive formal language. "My client is not in a hurry," Gaudí is said to have replied when asked about the construction time — and he was right: at the time of his death on 10 June 1926, the church was only about 15 percent complete. He died three days after a collision with a tram in a poorhouse hospital; initially, no one had helped the seriously injured man because his shabby clothing made him appear to be a beggar.

From the poorhouse hospital to heaven

During the Spanish Civil War from 1936 onward, his studio was also destroyed, and his building plans, plaster models, and drawings were largely lost. Architects who had worked with Gaudí reconstructed the designs from fragments of the models and photographs, supported by Gaudí's mathematically determined plans. Today, a century after his death, the monument is approaching its completion: finishing is expected in the 2030s.

Like Robert Prevost, Antoni Gaudí was also shaped by humility and deep faith. Gaudí had originally conceived the church as a "Bible in stone" to comfort workers and their families, who suffered under the conditions of industrialization and often could not read. The appearance also follows his credo that the straight line belongs to men, while "the curved line belongs to God" — which is why he deliberately avoided straight lines in the building.

Stone forest and mystical light

The interior of the basilica resembles a stone forest: columns branch out toward the ceiling like trees, while colorful stained-glass windows transform the light from green (birth) to red (suffering and death). Gaudí spoke of "mystischem Licht".

World's tallest church

In February 2026, the central Jesus Tower reached its final height of 172.50 meters with the installation of a walkable double cross. This makes the Sagrada Família the tallest church in the world, a title previously held by Ulm Minster. The widely visible double cross of steel and glass was manufactured in Germany. The cross, weighing around 100 tons, is expected to be open to the public from 2027.

The Pope, who will symbolically inaugurate and bless the tower after Mass, is not yet allowed to climb it. The focus of his visit, however, is above all the commemoration of Gaudí, in keeping with the motto of the papal visit to Spain ("Lift up your gaze"). Leo XIV, the head of 1.4 billion Catholics, recalled only in April during a trip to Africa the dignity of all people and demanded that migrants must not be treated worse than pets.

Tourism boom and displacement

The visit comes at a time of growing tensions between tourism and local residents. A 55-year-old Catalan woman named Nuria, who lives near the Sagrada Família, said: "Als Kind war ich mit meinen Eltern oft in der Sagrada Família, aber heute ist das wegen der vielen Touristen viel zu schwierig". A shop owner named Carmen complained: "Ich brauche eine halbe Stunde, um die paar Blocks zu einem Supermarkt zu kommen, so viele Touristen sind ständig unterwegs". Souvenir vendors, on the other hand, benefit: a Nepali seller named Alex reported: "Gerade jetzt kaufen die Leute mehr als sonst".

Less benefit people like George from Romania, who sleeps on cardboard in a park and earns about seven euros a day through begging. "Wenn ich Glück habe, komme ich auf sieben Euro am Tag," he said. Worshippers wishing to attend the free Masses also have to prepare for hours of queuing. Visitors like Lace, who traveled with his wife and daughter from Vietnam, come primarily for the architecture and for religious reasons: "Wir sind katholisch und vor allem wegen der grandiosen Architektur hier, aber auch aus religiösen Gründen".

The influx is changing the neighborhood: rents are rising, residents are being displaced, apartments are being converted into holiday accommodations, small shops are being replaced by souvenir stores. Thus, the papal visit takes place at a location that is a place of longing for millions of people — but for the neighborhood, it is increasingly becoming a burden.

Barcelona is commemorating the 100th anniversary of Gaudí's death this summer. With the Jesus Tower, the Sagrada Família has reached a decisive milestone after 144 years of construction, even if completion is still some time off — entirely in the spirit of the architect, who once said: „Mein Kunde hat keine Eile“.