UK sandstone supplied to finish the Sagrada Família

As construction of Barcelona's Basílica de la Sagrada Família continues, UK supplier Marshalls is marking a milestone in its material supply to the project. The business has delivered 2,000t of Stanton Moor sandstone, quarried in Derbyshire, to the project's construction board, supporting work on what remains one of Europe's most intricate and technically ambitious architectural buildings.

The Sagrada Família is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Barcelona's most popular tourist destination, attracting more than three million visitors a year. Construction of the project began in 1882, and architect Antoni Gaudí began work on it in 1883. Construction of the remaining parts is expected to continue into the mid-2030s, including the completion of the Glory Facade – the final and largest of its principal facades. 

After devoting most of his working life to the project, Gaudí died in 1926, with only about a quarter of it complete. To mark the hundredth anniversary of his death, on 10 June, Pope Leo XIV will bless the basilica's central tower.

The stone was chosen for its colour consistency, carving performance and proven durability, particularly its resistance to frost and salt. 

Stanton Moor is a quartzitic sandstone with good frost resistance, and a mean compressive strength of 73 Mpa. The flexural strength is 6.2 Mpa after a freeze thaw of 56 cycles. 

These properties have been central to decisions on the sourcing of replacement stone for the basilica's evolving geometry and ornate surfaces. The stone is supplied in block form, with all subsequent cutting and forming handled by the team of masons and sculptors working on the building.

Formal cutting of blocks supplied from Dale View Quarry began in 2021. Since then, Marshalls has established a steady supply programme that supports both planned construction sequencing and the challenges of working on a site where craftsmanship, structural requirements and conservation management intersect. A further 750t of sandstone from the same source have already been earmarked for upcoming phases.

The current focus of supply is the Glory Facade, which will ultimately be the basilica's main entrance. Work on this section requires a consistent supply of quality stone capable of supporting intricate carving while meeting the structural demands posed by the facade's scale and complexity.

All stone supplied from Dale View Quarry is extracted in line with Marshalls' responsible sourcing commitments and environmental management standards. The business continues to invest in sustainable quarrying practices across its sites, reflecting an approach that supports both heritage conservation and contemporary infrastructure projects.