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Sagrada Família reopens the controversy over buildings that could be demolished
Sagrada Família has once again put one of Barcelona’s most delicate urban-planning debates on the table: what will happen to the buildings opposite the future Glory façade. Construction of the grand staircase planned to complete the temple could involve expropriations and demolitions on Carrer de Mallorca.
The conflict is not new, but it has gained momentum following the completion of the Tower of Jesus Christ and the blessing of Pope Leo XIV. With the temple now the tallest church in the world, attention is shifting to what remains to be built: the main façade, its access points and how it fits with the neighbourhood.
The Junta Constructora argues that the staircase is part of Antoni Gaudí's original project and that the basilica will not be complete without this monumental access. The proposal envisages crossing Mallorca Street and clearing space in front of the temple, an operation that would affect existing apartment blocks.
The affected residents reject any demolition and maintain that it has not been demonstrated that this solution was actually designed by Gaudí. They also recall that these properties have been residential for decades and that behind every possible expropriation are families, owners, tenants and neighbourhood businesses.
Barcelona City Council is now trying to reach a negotiated solution. The municipal government has opened talks with neighbourhood representatives and maintains that the decision must take account of the human impact, the rehousing of those affected and who would bear the costs of an operation of this scale.
The issue goes far beyond a staircase. At stake is how Barcelona completes its most visited monument without breaking up the urban fabric around it. La Sagrada Família attracts millions of visitors each year, but it also coexists with residents who bear tourist pressure, noise, traffic and constant changes to public space.
The debate comes at a symbolic moment for the basilica. The work is advancing towards its final phase, but the Glory Façade remains the most complex part, not only because of its technical difficulty, but because of the impact it may have on the Eixample and on the neighbourhood's daily life.
For Barcelona, the question is uncomfortable: how far should the city be transformed to complete a universal work? The answer will determine not only the future of La Sagrada Família, but also the relationship between heritage, tourism and housing in one of the world's most watched neighbourhoods.