The Sagrada Familia basilica has agreed to pay city authorities 36 million euros, or about $41 million, over 10 years to settle the dispute over the legality of the work and help pay for transportation improvements around the basilica. Barcelona officials contend that after Sant Martí was absorbed into the city several years later, the construction required a Barcelona permit; the board says that for more than a century, no one asked for any such thing. Officials hope that with all the red tape about to be moved out of the way, the structure, which is about two-thirds done, could be finished by 2026, the century anniversary of Gaudi's death.
136 years after beginning construction, the Sagrada Família in Barcelona receives a building permit to complete construction.