Lorraine Williamson
BARCELONA – The Sagrada Familia, the iconic temple complex in Barcelona, reports a full recovery in visitor numbers compared to those of 2019.
With an expected 4.5 million tickets sold for the Sagrada Familia by the end of the year, revenue will exceed €100 million.
Thanks to this financial windfall, management can invest twice as much in construction activities: a whopping €50 million in 2023. Additionally, a Social Action Fund worth €2.3 million will be established, the terms of which will be published soon.
Construction update
The construction is on schedule to unveil two missing towers of the Evangelists, Juan and Mateo, on November 12. These will stand 135 metres high. In this final phase of construction, several projects are underway, including the completion of the Tower of Jesus, which is expected to reach a height of 172 metres by 2026.
Also read: Milestone for Sagrada Familia: Towers of Marcus and Lucas lit for the first time
Open-ended timeline
The board has not provided a concrete completion date for Barcelona’s major tourist attraction. While the original goal was to finish by 2026, the timeline is now open-ended. “Only in 2024 can we specify a definitive completion date,” says Jordi Faulí, the chief architect of the project.
Social initiatives
In light of the record revenues, the management board has set up a Social Action Fund and deposited €2.3 million into it. “Given our positive results and the fact that many people are struggling, it is time to return to one of the fundamental pillars of this era: charity,” says Xavier Martínez, the general director of the management.
The fund will finance social initiatives and projects promoted by non-profit organisations in the domain of the Archdiocese of Barcelona. The terms for the first application round will be published on the temple’s website soon. The aim is to allocate more funds each year.
Also read: Visit this little sister of the sagrada familia in Toledo