Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia ready to raise its highest tower
BARCELONA, SPAIN—After well over a century under construction since 1882, Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia basilica is ready to raise its immense central tower and become the tallest Christian church in Europe.
The basilica’s General Director Xavier Martínez said on Thursday that “the tower will be finished at the end of this year or the beginning of 2026.”
“This is an important moment in the history of the building of the Sagrada Familia because it will reach its maximum height,” Martínez told The Associated Press (AP). “We are used to seeing skyscrapers like those in the United States (go up), but it is remarkable that in the 21st century we are building a cathedral.”
Tower of Jesus Christ
Once the gigantic Tower of Jesus Christ is up, the masterpiece of architect Antoni Gaudí will rise to 172 meters. That will make it taller than the Ulmer Münster church in southern Germany, which tops out at 162 meters.
The first pieces are already in place and the rest will be added over the coming months. Once complete, the structure will be crowned by a cross surrounded by five other towers, one dedicated to Mary and the four evangelists.
Work on the facades and interior will continue for several years, the church’s head of construction Esteve Camps said, but the goal is to finish building work in approximately a decade from now.
Next year will be the 100th anniversary of the death of Gaudí. The church will hold several events to celebrate his legacy, which includes several stunning buildings in Barcelona and other places in Spain.
Pope Leo XIV has been invited for a solemn Mass to be held in Gaudí’s memory on June 10, the day he died when struck by a streetcar in 1926.
