La Sagrada Familia is getting a selfie zone to stop tourist chaos
Barcelona plans to curb overcrowding at its famous landmark La Sagrada Familia church with the creation of a dedicated outdoor space for tourists to snap selfies.
Every day, up to 16,000 people visit the basilica – which began construction in 1882, led by designer and architect Antoni Gaudi – creating congestion and frustration among local residents, according to the Barcelona City Council. However, only about 20% of tourists actually enter the church – many just take photos outside.
"When local residents are added to the mix, problems arise relating to coexistence, safety and security, noise, dirt and non-compliance with rules and regulations, associated with large numbers of people constantly moving about," the council said on its website.
Last year, Barcelona launched a three-year Action Plan for the High-Traffic Area of the Sagrada Familia to manage tourism. Among the several measures is the creation of a 6,200-square-meter anteroom, or a large plaza on Placa Gaudi in front of the basilica.
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Tourists can hang out in the plaza and take their photos without congesting the sidewalks or blocking local business entryways. A long bench will act as a boundary along the perimeter, according to the Independent.
"The new configuration of the square must address how to manage the crowds of tourists while also creating a community space for local residents and neighborhood organizations," the action plan states.
Construction on the new plaza will begin after this summer and is aiming to be completed by April 2026 – the centennial of Gaudi's death. The project is estimated to cost around €2.7 million (about $3.02 million).
Last year saw a dangerous TikTok trend of tourists recording themselves posing or dancing on the escalator coming out of the metro station to have the Basilica in the background.
The new changes at La Sagrada Familia coincide with Barcelona's broader steps at combating overtourism, with other management plans slated for 14 other high-trafficked areas. Last summer, residents were shooting tourists with water guns to protest the crowds, and the city announced it would attempt to ban short-term rentals by 2028.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Snap a selfie: Barcelona builds a plaza just for your basilica pics
