Consulate of Ukraine in Barcelona complained about a stained glass window in Sagrada Família
The chief architect of the cathedral ordered the replacement of the historical stained glass window at the request of the Ukrainian consulate.
The Consulate of Ukraine in Barcelona has succeeded in changing the spelling of Kyiv on a stained glass window of the Sagrada Família cathedral, insisting on replacing the historical form "Kiev" with the transliteration "Kíiv".
The initiative to replace the "Russian-language" spelling of the Ukrainian capital on a stained glass window of one of the world's most visited landmarks came from the Ukrainian community with the full support of the Consulate General. The Speaker of the Catalan Parliament, Josep Rull, also joined the process, stating that city names should not reflect "nomenclature imposed by a neighbouring state".
The basilica's chief architect, Jordi Faulí, confirmed that the cathedral's team approved the replacement "without hesitation", citing the norms of the Catalan academy. The architect did not clarify why these norms had not been applied to the stained glass window from the outset.
In order to make the changes, the old stained glass window — which had been part of the iconographic programme of Fr. Lluís Bonet i Armengol and had been created over more than two decades — was completely dismantled. The production of the new element took approximately six weeks.
The replacement at the Sagrada Família became part of the international campaign by the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "KyivNotKiev", aimed at displacing traditional forms of Ukrainian city names from foreign media and public spaces.
As the UOJ reported, the Church of the Holy Family in Barcelona became the tallest church in the world.
