Construction of this holy church started on 19 March 1882. Initially it was based on the plans by architect Francisco de Paula del Villar, but in 1883, architect Antoni Gaudí was given the task to continue construction of the Sagrada Família. After Gaudi received an anonymous donation, he decided to replace the original Gothic Revival design with a more modern and innovative temple design. The only time construction was halted for a few years was during the Spanish Civil War. Until his death in 1926, Gaudi worked on the temple, and several architects have succeeded him since.

In 2019, 70% of the Sagrada Família vwas complete, with just eight of the 18 towers. The current official expected date of completion is 2026 (this is 100 years after Antoni Gaudí’s death). The construction managers just say that the Sagrada church ‘could be ready somewhere in the first third of the 21st century’. When construction of the Sagrada Família is completed, the basilica will be the largest church building in the world. The speed at which the building of the Sagrada Família progresses depends largely on the amount of gifts donated by visitors. Work on the basilica has now been going on for so long, that even finished parts of the Sagrada are starting to show wear and have to be renovated during your visit. That’s not uncommon for churches this size. Although the Sagrada Família is not yet completed, Gaudi’s church was consecrated already on 7 November 2010 by Pope Benedictus XVI.