After 144 years, Barcelona’s Sagrada Família church finally reaches its intended full height

Barcelona’s Sagrada Família, under construction for 144 years, has reached its intended full height. Crews earlier this year installed the final arm of the cross atop the Tower of Jesus Christ, bringing the basilica to 172.5 meters.

Designed by Antoni Gaudí, the structure is the tallest church in the world and now the tallest point in Barcelona.

Interior work will continue through 2028, but the exterior completion of the central tower marks the structural culmination of Gaudí’s original vision. Resting on four monumental columns at the crossing of the basilica, the Tower of Jesus Christ rises at the center of the six central towers. It is surrounded by the four evangelists’ towers, connected by bridges, and the tower of the Virgin Mary, linked internally.

With its completion, the grouping of the central towers now stands as a defining feature of Barcelona’s architectural horizon.

The base of the tower pinnacle features inscriptions praising Jesus Christ: “Tu solus Sanctus, tu solus Dominus, tu solus Altissimus” (You alone are the Holy One, you alone the Lord, you alone the Most High) in white enameled ceramic and brick, surrounded by palms. This element began construction in May 2025 and is 29 meters tall.

The tower is topped with a three-dimensional four-armed cross, clad in glass and white enameled ceramic. It is 17 meters tall and 13.5 meters wide. The first piece of the cross, the lower arm, was put in place on October 27, 2025, taking the tower to 162.91 meters.

The cross was built in Germany in 2025 and assembled almost entirely at the Sagrada Família. The white enameled ceramic tiles, the stone interior, and the glass were made in factories and workshops in Catalonia.

The cross arrived from Germany in several modules, pre-assembled on a work platform 54 meters above the central nave. These were taken up for installation in seven pieces. Inside the upper arm, there will be a sculpture of the Agnus Dei created by artist Andrea Mastrovito. The Lamb Gaudí envisioned for the center of the cross will be placed on top of the upper arm, visible from inside the cross.

“Completion of the cross on the tower of Jesus Christ represents much more than the culmination of a phase of construction: it is the result of years of work and studying the legacy Antoni Gaudí left us. It is also a firm commitment to the future, to continue working to complete the Sagrada Família,” said Sagrada Familia Head Architect Jordi Faulí.

The culmination of the tower of Jesus Christ coincides with the hundredth anniversary of Antoni Gaudí's death, a historic milestone for the Sagrada Família and a tribute to its architect. There will be commemorative events held all year. The programming is available at https://sagradafamilia2026.org.