La Sagrada Familia

This item appears on page 28 of the September 2008 issue.

In Barcelona, Spain, the Roman Catholic church La Sagrada Familia, which has been under construction since 1882, will “soon” have its roof completed. By 2010 there will be enough completed to hold services inside.

At the turn of the 20th century it was estimated it would take 150 more years to finish the building, but computer-aided design has sped up the pace. It is hoped that the Art Nouveau-inspired church, funded entirely by donations and admission fees and known for its 18 towers, will be completed by 2026.