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Plaça Gaudí becomes the forecourt of the Sagrada Família for the Gaudí centenary
On Tuesday 16 September, remodelling work began on Plaça Gaudí, which has already been symbolically joined to the Sagrada Família pavement in what will become a large pedestrian space in front of the church.
The project, inspired by the proposal designed by Nicolàs Maria Rubio i Tudurí in 1977, will remove a stretch of Marina Street to turn it into an open plaza that will serve as the basilica's urban entrance hall.
The work began on the premise of finishing in May 2026, in time for the centenary of Antoni Gaudí's death. The architect was struck by a tram in 1926 and, one hundred years later, he will be commemorated once again with a Sagrada Família that will then crown its central tower dedicated to Jesus. The City Council does not rule out Pope Leo XIV celebrating a Mass in the basilica to mark the anniversary.
The project represents an unprecedented alteration to the Eixample's urban fabric: Marina Street was closed on the section nearest the Fachada del Nacimiento to build a pedestrian platform. The aim is to solve a longstanding lack-of-space problem during large-scale celebrations.
During these first few days, residents and tourists have already encountered access restrictions. Only those with a ticket or proof of residence could enter the immediate area around the church, illustrating the difficulties of living next to Barcelona's most visited monument.