A deal has been struck with the city for Antoni Gaudí’s iconic Sagrada Família after years of unlicensed construction.

The monument is a UNESCO world heritage site and has been under construction since 1882. It turns out that the council never responded to Gaudí’s request for a building permit in 1885.

Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau hailed the “historic agreement” between the city and the basilica, allowing construction to be completed by 2026, the centenary of Gaudí’s death.

In a statement on its website, the basilica said that the first phase of this new agreement with the city is to draft a special plan for the entirety of architect Gaudí’s project, except for a section at the glory facade, set aside for a later phase of construction.