The Sagrada Família opens for free for La Mercè: today the draw for 20,000 tickets begins

The period to enter the draw begins this Monday, 14 September. Those interested must register through the official Sagrada Família website before the deadline set by the organisers. Tickets will not be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis: winners will be selected by lottery.

Each participant can apply for tickets for one of the different available time slots over the three days. The initiative will allow thousands of residents and visitors to enter one of Barcelona’s most visited monuments free of charge on dates that are especially significant for the city.

The open days coincide with the celebration of La Mercè and also offer the chance to observe up close the progress of works that are at one of their most important stages. The temple continues to move towards the completion of its major central elements, with the Torre de Jesucristo as the highlight of the final phase of construction.

The visit will allow people to explore the interior of the basilica and discover the recent evolution of the project conceived by Antoni Gaudí. The Sagrada Família is constantly changing as work progresses, so even those who have visited before may find new elements completed or under construction.

Ordinary tickets usually make a visit to the temple one of the most in-demand paid cultural activities in Barcelona. That’s why the chance to enter for free during La Mercè tends to attract a large number of applications and means the 20,000 available places are allocated by lottery.

The initiative is part of the basilica’s historic relationship with Barcelona’s main festival. The free days bring the monument closer to local residents at a time when museums, cultural spaces, and buildings across the city also organise special activities.

Those wishing to take part should pay attention to the registration period and the subsequent announcement of results. Only those selected will be able to use the free tickets during the designated time slots on 25, 26, and 27 September.

With 20,000 places distributed over three days, this will be one of the biggest opportunities of the year to visit the Sagrada Família for free. The key, however, comes first: you need to sign up for the draw within the set period and wait to see if you are chosen.