Barcelona is creating a large public square outside one of its most famous attractions in an effort to ease overwhelming crowds of tourists.
For years locals have complained about the congestion around La Sagrada Familia, the iconic basilica designed by Antoni Gaudi. Tourists often block the roads and pavements while taking selfies or group photos.
Last year, tourists were banned from taking photos on the escalators leading up to the attraction after a viral TikTok trend prompted visitors to place their phones on the steps as the basilica appeared in the background.
The increasing number of visitors to the attraction – over four million annually – has put a strain on the surrounding neighbourhood and frequently causes tension between visitors and locals.
To address residents’ concerns, city authorities have announced plans for a 6,200 sq m public square that will act as an ‘anteroom to the temple’.
This will provide a space for visitors to gather, take photos and admire the attraction – without spilling into the roads or walkways used by residents.
The €2.7 million project is expected to begin in September and take around eight and a half months to complete.
The square will be built on the eastern side of the basilica between the Nativity Façade and Plaça Gaudí on Carrer de la Marina, a popular street where tourists often gather to take pictures.
According to Barcelona City Council, it will create a large open area that links Plaça Gaudí with the access stairs to the basilica, similar to other iconic spaces in the Eixample district, such as the University of Barcelona.
‘The new project helps to resolve a space where it is difficult to reconcile uses between visitors to the temple and the neighbourhood,’ the release reads.
It aims to ‘manage the tourist phenomenon and deal with the tensions generated by the intensity of use of the space’.
Last year, Barcelona announced plans to spend €44 million to manage the crowds of 16 locations oversaturated by visitors, including the Sagrada Familia.
The plan includes deploying more cleaners and police officers to maintain the cleanliness of the area and ensure safety.
It also intends to limit the flow of tourists to prevent overcrowding and ensure they aren’t disappointed by their experience.
Locals in Barcelona have been fed up for years with the overwhelming number of tourists in the city.
Last year, locals resorted to using water guns to deter rowdy tourists in the city and thousands marched through the streets in an anti-tourism demonstration shouting: ‘Tourists go home.’
Plenty of other areas in Spain have felt the impact of overtourism. Residents in Madrid have also protested against rising rent prices and overcrowding due to mass tourism.
Countless tourism rules in popular holiday spots have been introduced to reduce the strain on residents, including restrictions on public drinking, partying and the use of rental services like Airbnb.
Most recently, Mallorca residents have written an open letter to tourists, urging them not to come to the island, as they ‘face the worst summer in the history of Mallorca’.
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