Barcelona’s Sagrada Família district was turned into a pedestrian zone on Wednesday for the Pope’s afternoon visit to the basilica. From early morning, streets around the church were closed to traffic, while people walked in the road and scooters and bicycles were still able to move through the area.

The closures affected streets including Rosselló, Provença, Lepant, Sardenya and Sicília. Cars could not enter or leave car parks on the closed roads. Urban Guard officers on site said residents would keep access to their homes, although some people reported being asked for ID before entering their buildings.

Many businesses in the area closed early or did not open at all because of the security measures. Avinguda de Gaudí was lined with fences on both pavements, while some bars and restaurants stayed open but said they could not use their outdoor terraces for the day. Staff at Divan restaurant on Avinguda de Gaudí and Five Guys on Carrer de Provença said they had been able to serve customers outside on Tuesday, but not on Wednesday.

By before 9am, onlookers were already gathering near the junction of Carrer de Provença and Carrer de Marina to watch the final preparations. Avinguda de Gaudí was almost empty at that time, apart from a bride taking wedding photos with the Sagrada Família in the background. Workers also entered the basilica in a queue through one of its doors at that corner.

The Sagrada Família metro station, on lines L2 and L5, remained closed all day, as announced earlier. At Verdaguer station, on lines L4 and L5, exits were allowed in the afternoon when a larger crowd was expected, but entry was not. Urban Guard and Mossos d’Esquadra officers were visible across the neighbourhood from early morning.

At the junction of Carrer de Sardenya and Carrer de Rosselló, where the Popemobile was due to turn towards the basilica, police helped residents with questions about the restrictions. The City Council had placed signs about the closures in building doorways. Some people had already taken positions along Rosselló and Sardenya to wait for the Pope’s passage around 7pm or 7.15pm, while others marked out spots with two chairs and a wheelchair outside the El Bon Menjar shop.

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