Sagrada Família Demolishes Two Eixample Blocks for Grand Staircase

The Sagrada Família Demolishes Two Eixample Blocks for Grand Staircase

The project for the grand staircase leading to the Façade of Glory is not new, but it has never been this close to reality. The Construction Board of the Expiatory Temple has reactivated Antoni Gaudí's original plan, which involves demolishing two entire city blocks in the Eixample district. In total, 3,000 homes and 1,000 commercial units on Mallorca, Aragón, Valencia, Cerdeña, and Marina streets would have to be removed. For current owners, the news came as a cold shower. However, according to urban planning regulations, many already knew this could happen.

The Core Conflict: Original Plan or Reinterpretation?

The Construction Board maintains that the staircase and square were part of Gaudí's original blueprints, destroyed in a fire during the Spanish Civil War. This has sparked a debate about the fidelity of the current project. Some critics argue that 90% of the current temple is the invention of later architects, and that the staircase might be more of an urban planning license than a historical necessity. However, the legal weight of the 1916 plan, which reserved these lands, outweighs documentary doubts.

The Surprise Factor: Who Bought Knowing?

An economic analysis suggests that those who purchased these apartments did so at a discount and with full knowledge of the situation. According to various accounts, the deeds include a clause warning of future expropriation. Sales were reportedly made at below-market prices precisely due to this uncertainty. Now, as the moment approaches, those affected are claiming market-value compensation, not the fiscal value from decades ago. The local administration, meanwhile, faces a massive bill if it chooses to pay the current value of the properties.

The Accelerated Timeline: From 2100 to 2025

When these blocks were built between the 1950s and 1970s, projections indicated the staircase would not be executed until around the year 2100. Gaudí himself, in 1910, calculated a 200-year duration for the complete work. However, technical advancements and tourist momentum have accelerated construction. The temple now withstands earthquakes of up to 8-9 Richter scale, and the Façade of Glory is scheduled for the coming years. The gap between original urban planning and construction reality has left thousands of families in limbo.

Economic and Human Impact

Beyond architectural heritage, the effect on the surrounding real estate market is immediate. Uncertainty has already frozen transactions in the affected blocks. Commercial units, many oriented toward tourism, see their future fading. On the other hand, defenders of the staircase view it as a necessary milestone to complete Gaudí's work, comparing the social cost to other major European projects, such as the construction of the Paris Opera or Berlin's expansion. The difference here is that public and private money are mixed, and those affected are not large property owners but long-time neighbors.