Barcelona, 1872, a bookseller named Josep Maria Bocabella, acquires premises in the Eixample with the intention of building an expiatory temple… 149 years later, and after numerous changes changes in the Sagrada Familia its towers begin to stand out in the skyline of Barcelona.
After 15 decades, numerous generations have made it possible for the Sagrada Familia to continue to grow, and thanks to this, every time a Barcelona resident looks up at the sky, he sees how its towers grow a little more every day. However, in order for this to happen, it has been necessary to evolution of the Holy Family constant. This is its history and this is how it will change the skyline of Barcelona.
How a streetcar is mainly responsible for the changes at Sagrada Familia
Gaudí was not the first architect to design the Sagrada Familia. But due to the vicissitudes of fate, the year after the beginning of the works, he was entrusted with the direction and the realization of an adjustment of the design according to the original project made by Francisco de Paula Villar.
The architect was very clear that he was embarking on a complicated project and that there was no way he was going to see it completed. Therefore, he made every effort to leave all the necessary documentation so that future generations could continue his life’s work..
And one of the most important decisions he made was how he should start building it so that future construction managers would have a clear reference. And he chose to start the construction of the temple on the Nativity façade.Perhaps the most joyful of all, in order to raise the necessary donations for the continuation of the works.
In 1925, the construction of the tower of San Bernabé was completed, the only one that Gaudí saw completed during his lifetime. He died a year later as a result of being run over by a streetcar in the streets of Barcelona.
The evolution of the Sagrada Família and how it has changed the skyline of Barcelona
Since 1925, the towers of the Sagrada Família occupy a very significant place in the skyline
of Barcelona with its 107 m of height. Its construction, which took more than 40 years, was carried out by laying stone on stone, to finish with masonry cladding.
This was very common as a constructive solution at the beginning of the 20th century and over the years, the changes in the Sagrada Família with respect to its execution changes in the Sagrada Familia with respect to its execution evolved over the years. and gave way to cement and concrete. In 1977, the towers of the Passion façade were completed, being built with reinforced concrete based on Portland cement.
After several years in which the evolution of the Sagrada Familia was focused on the construction of the side naves and all the elements of the main nave, in 2014 the towers of the Evangelists and the two central towers, one dedicated to the Virgin Mary and the other to Jesus, began to be erected.
In only 6 years, thanks to modern construction techniques, the two central towers surpass in height those of the Nativity and Passion façade, being already, one of the tallest buildings in Barcelona.
Current state of the Sagrada Familia
Although every effort is being made to complete the temple in 2026, the year in which the centenary of Gaudí’s death is commemorated, there is currently little confidence that it can be completed, according to the current director of the works, the architect Jordi Faulí.
The main reason is the delay delay caused by the financing of the temple. Since it is of an expiatory nature, the money can only come from donations and the proceeds from the entrance fees to the basilica. Due to Covid-19, there has been a significant decrease in ticket sales, estimated at 94% of foreign tourists, greatly affecting the speed of the current works.
At present, work is being undertaken on the sacristy of the Nativity and the chapel of the Assumption. At the same time, work is beginning on the last remaining façade to be built, the Gloria façade.
Meanwhile, the 6 central towers continue to be erected day by day, with completion estimated for 2022. And when this happens, the tower of Jesus, with its 172.5 m high, will have the honor of being the tallest building element in Barcelona. of Barcelona and with it, the Sagrada Familia will be, at the same time, the tallest church in the world.
And we cannot end this entire tour without highlighting that, thanks to the changes in the changes to the Sagrada Familia that will take place in the next 2 years, they will cause an important change in the skyline Barcelona. Both the Jesus Tower and the Virgin Mary Tower will hold the first and second place respectively in the height ranking of the city of Barcelona. It will be followed by the Mapfre Tower and the 154 m tall Arts Tower. In 5th place will be the famous Agbar Tower, with 144 m and then the 4 towers of the Evangelists, which will bring down the ranking to Habitat Sky, with 120 m in height.
