Booking choice: The entry ticket and guided tour, from $66 per person. Check dates Tour details
Gaudí spent the last decades of his life on the Sagrada Familia and is buried in its crypt. A hundred years on, Catalonia is marking his death with the Any Gaudí, the Gaudí Year, and the basilica runs its own programme alongside it.
This post lists the centenary events we could confirm, at the basilica and around the city, and what they change for a visit this autumn and winter. For the new tower in detail, see our Tower of Jesus Christ post.
The quick answer
The centenary peaked on 10 June 2026, when Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass at the basilica and inaugurated the 172.5 m Tower of Jesus Christ. The Gaudí International Congress runs from 22 to 25 October 2026 at La Pedrera, and the basilica's "100 years, 100 stories" short story awards are on 20 November at 6:30pm. For visitors the year means a busier basilica: book early, or take a guided visit with entry included, with free cancellation.
Why is 2026 the Gaudí centenary?
Gaudí died on 10 June 1926, after being struck by a tram in Barcelona. The Gaudí Year marks a hundred years since his death.
He took over the Sagrada Familia in 1883, a year after building began, and worked on it until he died. The Any Gaudí is run by the Catalan government and opened on 8 November 2025 in Reus and Riudoms, the towns of his childhood. Barcelona is also the World Capital of Architecture in 2026, which hosted the UIA World Congress of Architects from 28 June to 2 July.
The basilica announced its own programme in September 2025. These are the parts we could match to dates:
| When | At the basilica | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 30 November 2025 | Tower of Saint Barnabas lit, the only tower finished in Gaudí's lifetime | In the official programme |
| March 2026 (Saint Joseph) | Concert with the Orfeó Català in the nave, and a solemn Mass | In the official programme |
| 10 June 2026 | Centenary Mass with Pope Leo XIV; Tower of Jesus Christ inaugurated | Held |
| 22 to 25 October 2026 | The basilica takes part in the Gaudí International Congress | Under way |
| 20 November 2026, 6:30pm | "100 years, 100 stories" awards | Announced |
| Date to be announced | Closing event: the Nativity facade lit | In the official programme |
What happened at the Sagrada Familia on 10 June 2026?
Pope Leo XIV celebrated the centenary Mass, blessed and inaugurated the Tower of Jesus Christ, and prayed at Gaudí's tomb in the crypt.
The Mass on the evening of the anniversary drew about 4,000 people inside and as many outside, America Magazine reported, with the King and Queen of Spain in the congregation. When the Pope blessed the new tower, the cross at the top was lit for the first time. At 172.5 m it makes the Sagrada Familia the tallest church in the world.
For a visitor, the result is a changed skyline more than a new room to visit. The new tower is not open to climb, and the tower ticket still covers one Nativity or one Passion tower. The towers guide explains how to choose.
A guided visit with entry included: the Nativity and Passion facades, the nave beneath the new central tower and the museum with Gaudí's models.
Check dates for the entry ticket and guided tourWhat is the Gaudí International Congress 2026?
An academic congress on Gaudí's work, from 22 to 25 October 2026 in the auditorium of La Pedrera on Passeig de Gràcia. The basilica is taking part.
It is organised by the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, the Catalan government and the Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera, and its organisers call it the first international scientific congress devoted to Gaudí alone. There are 39 papers from researchers in Europe, Asia and the Americas, on subjects from geometry and materials to conservation, symbolism and music. The basilica announced its part in it on 23 October.
Most of it is for researchers, but it puts La Pedrera at the centre of the Gaudí Year this autumn. The house is also showing a major Anselm Kiefer exhibition from 2 October 2026 to 24 January 2027, with access to the main apartment, listed on its Gaudí Year page. The golden hour and La Pedrera tour starts there, with the rooftop and a glass of cava, before the basilica.
| Day | Congress theme (organisers) |
|---|---|
| 22 October | Project, technique and conservation |
| 23 October | History, theory and documentation |
| 24 October | Communication, values and contemporary projection |
| 25 October | Conclusions and closing session |
La Pedrera and its rooftop with a glass of cava, then the Sagrada Familia in the late light, with 15 guests at most.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Explore the golden hour and La Pedrera tour Tour detailsWhat is the "100 years, 100 stories" competition?
A short story competition run by the basilica for the centenary. The awards ceremony is on 20 November at 6:30pm in the Cloister of Our Lady of Mercy.
Entries were written in Catalan by adults, each inspired by one of four Gaudí quotes, with AI tools not allowed and a cap of 60 participants. Registration is closed. The winners get bookshop gift cards of €300, €200 and €100, two basilica tickets each and publication on the basilica's website, and the first prize also comes with a public reading.
It is a small event, and a good sign of how the basilica is using the year: less about crowds, more about Gaudí's own words. The programme also names a closing event, the lighting of the Nativity facade, with no date yet.
What else can you see for the centenary in Barcelona?
Gaudí's buildings themselves. Park Güell, Casa Batlló and La Pedrera can all be paired with the basilica on one tour.
The city has a long programme of talks, exhibitions and tours for the Gaudí Year, and it changes month by month, so check the venue you want before you go. The easiest way to make the centenary part of your trip is to see more of his work in a day. Park Güell is on Carmel Hill, and Casa Batlló and La Pedrera are both on Passeig de Gràcia.
Three tours on this site join the dots, each with the basilica entry and a guide. If you only want the park, the Park Güell guided tour is a short morning before a basilica slot; it does not include the Sagrada Familia.
| Tour | Gaudí sites | Length | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park Güell and Sagrada Familia | Park Güell, the basilica | 4 hours | $122 |
| Complete Gaudí tour | Casa Batlló, Park Güell, the basilica | 3 hours 30 minutes to 5 hours 30 minutes | $157 |
| Golden hour and La Pedrera | La Pedrera, the basilica | 4 hours | $156 |
| Park Güell guided tour | Park Güell only | 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes | $28 |
Casa Batlló, Park Güell and the Sagrada Familia in one day with a guide and the transfers between them.
Check dates for the complete Gaudí tourWhat does the centenary mean for your visit?
A busier basilica, so plan ahead. Official tickets go on sale about two months before, and the popular slots go first.
The Sagrada Familia had about 5 million visitors in 2025, and the centenary year has kept it in the news. Mornings, weekends and the towers fill first. If the official calendar is full for your dates, a timed entry, a guided visit with entry included or a tower tour can often still be booked for today or tomorrow on GetYourGuide. One guest wrote that "It was hard to get tickets so we ended up booking a tour and we are so happy we did!"
Special events can change the opening hours, which the basilica's FAQ says may happen. Booking with free cancellation covers you if your plans move: every option here can be cancelled for free up to 24 hours before, the entry ticket up to 2 days before. Bring the original photo ID you booked with, be on time for your slot, and check the dress code before you go. The guided tour or audio guide guide helps you choose how to see it.
Entry for your time slot and an official guide for about 1 hour 30 minutes, ending in the museum with Gaudí's original sketches, plans and his upside-down model.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Explore the entry ticket and guided tour Tour detailsFrequently asked questions
Why is 2026 the Gaudí year?
Antoni Gaudí died on 10 June 1926, so 2026 marks a hundred years since his death. Catalonia and the basilica are marking it with a year of events.
What events are at the Sagrada Familia for the Gaudí centenary?
The centenary Mass and the Tower of Jesus Christ inauguration on 10 June 2026, the Gaudí International Congress from 22 to 25 October, and the "100 years, 100 stories" awards on 20 November.
Is the Sagrada Familia busier in 2026?
It is one of the most visited monuments in Spain, with about 5 million visitors in 2025, and the centenary keeps it in demand. Book early, or choose a guided visit with entry included.
Where is Gaudí buried?
In the crypt of the Sagrada Familia. Pope Leo XIV prayed at his tomb on 10 June 2026.
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Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Skip-the-Line Entry Ticket & Guided Tour
- Entry ticket for your time slot
- Official tour guide, about 1 hour 30 minutes
- Personal audio headset for groups over 10
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Park Güell & Sagrada Familia Tickets and Tour
Park Güell first, then a ride to the basilica with your guide
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Complete Gaudí Tour with Casa Batlló & Park Güell
Three Gaudí visits in one day, transfers included
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
