After more than a century, La Sagrada Familia has been issued its building permit

They say patience is a virtue and that good thing come to those who wait and yes, it may have taken 137 years but La Sagrada Familia has finally been issued its building permit.

The reason for this incredible wait for a permit is unclear as the Antoni Gaudí designed Sagrada Familia, has been under construction since 1882 and the original building permit issued by Sant Martí de Provençals was no longer valid when the town was absorbed into the city of Barcelona. The official permit will allow the UNESCO world heritage site to be completed.

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The announcement was made by Janet Sanz, Barcelona’s deputy mayor for ecology, urbanism, and mobility, who stated that the Sagrada Familia would be paying €4.6 million (£4.1 million) to the city for the permit, on top of the €36 million (£31 million) it has already agreed to pay for the expenses generated by years of building work.

The Sagrada Família attracts more than three million visitors annually, as it is used for religious services, making it one of Barcelona’s most visited tourist attractions.  Yet it has been plagued by a long and complex construction history. Although the construction began in 1882, a year later the architect resigned and the design was altered dramatically when Gaudí took over. Gaudi worked on the project until his death in 1926, when he was hit by a tram outside the construction site.

It was thought that the building was about twenty percent complete at the time. Upon Gaudí’s death, construction was halted by the civil war, when the majority of the architect’s original plans were lost. The current design is based on reconstructed plans and models. The permit granted will last until 2026, with the builders aiming to complete the basilica within this time period in the hope it will coincide with the celebration of the centenary of the architect’s death.

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Once completed, La Sagrada Familia will feature eighteen towers presenting a unique view of the temple from any single vantage point.  Once the final 170-meter-high central spire is built, it will be the tallest church in the world, rising almost 10 meters above Ulm Minster in Germany.