Barcelona is preparing to experience one of the most exciting and significant moments in its modern history. The year 2026 marks the centenary of the passing of Antoni Gaudí, the genius who redefined the city’s aesthetic and whose architectural vision continues to amaze the entire world. At HCC Hotels, we want you to be part of this unique celebration, discovering the legacy of a person who was able to read nature and transform it into stone, light, and color.
This centenary, declared an Event of Exceptional Public Interest, is not just a reminder of the past, but a celebration of the enduring relevance of his work. Barcelona, named World Capital of Architecture by UNESCO for 2026, becomes the epicenter of an unprecedented cultural program that will attract people from all corners of the globe under the banner of sustainability and innovation.
The Great Milestone of the Sagrada Familia: The Culmination of a Dream
If there is one image that will define 2026, it is that of the Sagrada Familia, reaching one of its most anticipated goals. After more than 140 years of construction, the centenary coincides with the completion of the Tower of Jesus Christ. Standing at 172.5 meters tall, this tower crowned by a four-armed cross will make the basilica the tallest building in Barcelona, always respecting the height of Montjuïc mountain at Gaudí’s express wish (“man’s work should not exceed God’s”).
For those visiting the basilica this year, the experience will be historic:
Completion of the central ensemble: With the Tower of Jesus finished, 14 of the 18 projected towers will be complete.
Extraordinary events: The program includes large-scale concerts with international choirs, liturgical ceremonies for the blessing of the tower, and open days to explore the newly finished areas.
Technical exhibitions: Educational spaces will be set up to explain how the use of tensioned stone has accelerated construction in this last decade.
A Journey Through Gaudí’s Barcelona: From Residence to Fantasy
Staying at our hotels in the center of Barcelona places you at the ideal starting point to explore the “Gaudí Route.” The Gaudí Council, the body coordinating the dissemination of his work, has designed an agenda that allows for the rediscovery of Gaudí’s best works from a new perspective.
La Pedrera and Casa Batlló: Innovation Laboratories
These two jewels on Passeig de Gràcia will offer cutting-edge immersive experiences throughout 2026. Casa Batlló will present new technological installations that visualize how Gaudí designed the building’s natural ventilation system—an early example of bioclimatic architecture. Meanwhile, La Pedrera (Casa Milà) will host the “Gaudí and the Future” conference series, analyzing how his organic forms inspire today’s 3D printing and parametric architecture.
Park Güell and Integration with Nature
The city’s most famous park also joins the commemoration with the restoration of lesser-known areas. Here, visitors can participate in botanical tours explaining how Gaudí selected Mediterranean species to create a self-sustaining ecosystem. Don’t miss the live “trencadís” activities, where local artists demonstrate how the famous colorful mosaics decorating the square’s serpentine bench were created.
Gaudí Beyond Barcelona: Bringing All His Works Together
The centenary is a choral celebration that unites all cities linked to the architect. Under the theme “Gaudí Unites,” a cultural corridor has been created connecting Catalonia with the rest of Spain.
Reus, the cradle of genius: The city where Gaudí was born has designed the “Gaudí Year 2026” program. It will focus on the architect’s childhood, showing how the Mediterranean light and his father’s work as a coppersmith influenced his ability to visualize volumes in space.
The Northern Route: El Capricho de Gaudí in Comillas (Cantabria) celebrates its 140th anniversary by joining the centenary with the goal of being included on the UNESCO World Heritage list. In León, Casa Botines will open its Main Floor for the first time with original furniture designed in 1893, while the Episcopal Palace of Gaudí in Astorga will launch the “Hidden Palace” tour through its restored moat.
A Story that Moved the City: The Man Behind the Myth
Commemorating the centenary also means remembering the more human and tragic side of the genius. On June 7, 1926, Antoni Gaudí, a man of extremely simple habits and deep spirituality, was struck by a tram at the intersection of Bailén and Gran Via streets. Carrying no identification and dressed in worn clothes, he was mistaken for a homeless person and taken to the Hospital de la Santa Creu, the facility for the poor at that time.
His passing three days later shocked Barcelona when the true identity of the injured man was revealed. His funeral was one of the most massive displays of public mourning in the city’s history. In 2026, various institutional acts will remember this event, not from a place of sadness, but to highlight the humility of an artist who dedicated his entire fortune and his final years to living in his workshop at the Sagrada Familia, completely devoted to his work.
Gaudí Centenary 2026 Agenda: Must-See Events and Activities
The Gaudí Centenary is not just an anniversary; it is a deployment of culture and creativity that will flood the streets of Barcelona all year long. To help you plan your visit in advance, we have compiled the most notable events that will make the city the global epicenter of architecture.
Barcelona, World Capital of Architecture
Barcelona will not only look to the past this year. Within the framework of the centenary, the city will host the UIA World Congress of Architecture. This event will bring together leading figures in contemporary architecture to debate human-centric and sustainable urbanism.
For ten months, the city will be the stage for global debates under the UNESCO umbrella. The main event will be the World Congress of the International Union of Architects (UIA), where professionals from around the world will analyze Gaudí’s legacy as a pioneer of organic and sustainable architecture. Accompanying this congress, ephemeral pavilions will be installed across the city’s districts offering free activities for everyone.
For those with a more technical or scientific interest, the UPC Gaudí Chair and The Gaudí Research Institute will organize international symposia presenting studies on the ruled geometry and hyperboloid structures that Gaudí perfected, which today form the basis of modern architecture.
Temporary Exhibitions and Renewed Museography
National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC): A major retrospective exhibition is planned, bringing together original plans, furniture, and decorative objects designed by the architect, many of them on loan from international collections for the first time.
Gaudí Council Lecture Series: A series of meetings delving into the “Gaudí Method,” analyzing his use of light and the mathematical structures that still surprise modern engineering today.
Northern Route at Casa Botines (León): As part of the commemoration, the Casa Botines Museum will present an ambitious program including the redesign of its floors to show the original late-19th-century residence.
Creative Workshops and Family Experiences
For those seeking a more hands-on experience, the program includes “trencadís” and mosaic workshops. In these spaces, people are invited to create their own work inspired by Gaudí’s techniques—a perfect activity for families or groups of friends looking for a direct connection with local art.
Light Festivals and Audiovisual Shows
Throughout 2026, buildings like Casa Batlló and the Sagrada Familia will perform nightly mappings (light projections on facades). These artistic interventions will narrate the history of the buildings and the symbolism Gaudí hid in every stone, offering a magical vision under the Barcelona sky.
Experience the Gaudí Year with HCC Hotels
At HCC Hotels, we want your stay during this historic year to be perfect. Our strategic location will allow you to move with total ease to attend the inaugurations, exhibitions, and light festivals that will dress the city in its finest. At our receptions, we will provide you with all the information on official routes and ticket sales so you don’t miss a single detail of this event.
2026 is the year to discover a Gaudí that remains alive in every corner of Barcelona. It is a unique opportunity to understand how a single person could forever change the identity of a city and leave a legacy that belongs to all of humanity.
We look forward to welcoming you to Barcelona to celebrate a century of genius and beauty together. Book your stay and experience the most important cultural event of the year!
