Reus plans to erect in Gandhi Park a replica of Antoni Gaudí's Chapel of Our Lady of the Assumption, an undertaking with a budget of between 10 and 11 million euros that aims to become the first exact reproduction of a piece of the Sagrada Familia outside its original location.
The initiative stems from a paradox that the promoters and the City Council place at the center of the announcement. The city where Gaudí was born does not preserve any physical work of his, but now wants to incorporate a reproduction of one of the most unique elements of the Barcelona basilica as a new local symbol and tourist attraction.
The replica will bring a 30-meter piece to Reus that will not be a permanent temple
The planned structure will have a base of 10 by 10 meters and will reach 30 meters in height. The project defines it as a visitable sculptural ensemble that will allow for occasional religious celebrations, although it will not function as a permanent place of worship.
Sandra Guaita, the mayor of Reus, emphasized the absence of a built legacy in the city by stating that "we do not have any physical work by Gaudí in the city." The mayor added that the place where the architect was born and grew up left a mark on his later work.
The plan has the approval of the Sagrada Familia Foundation, which will oversee the work. This endorsement is one of the central elements of a proposal that seeks to accurately reproduce a piece already integrated into the basilica.
The Gresol Foundation seeks public and private support for a work costing up to 11 million
Antoni Pont, founding president of the Gresol Foundation, presented the initiative as an opportunity for Reus to incorporate a unique piece linked to Gaudí. During the event, he said that the city should feel "grateful and recognized."
"Together we will build it" - Antoni Pont, founding president of the Gresol Foundation
Pont argued that the future sculpture can strengthen the link between Gaudí and his hometown and attract visitors. In this regard, he maintained that the architect's brand is among the most powerful in the world and spoke of an "opportunity" for Reus to gain a "jewel" and close a "pending matter."
In addition to the City Council and the Gresol Foundation, the initiators want to open the project to administrations and civil society. The planned approach involves establishing a foundation with a board to provide the initiative with a more agile management tool.
In recent weeks, promoters have held meetings with Salvador Illa, president of the Generalitat de Catalunya, with Ramon Espadaler, Minister of Justice, with Sònia Hernández, Minister of Culture, with Noemí Llauradó, president of the Diputació de Tarragona, and with Joan Planellas, archbishop of Tarragona.
Pont also asked for economic involvement from neighbors, companies, and institutions and appealed to the city's capacity to mobilize around the project. In his speech, he assured that in Reus there are "the embers of a civil society that can provide fire and light in this matter."
The estimated budget to build the replica of the chapel of l'Assumpta in Gandhi Park is between 10 and 11 million euros.