By Kielce Gussie
The final phase of the construction of the central tower of the Basilica of the Sagrada Família in Barcelona, Spain has begun. The first element of the cross that will top the tower dedicated Jesus Christ was installed. With this addition, the church officially became the tallest in the world.
Now towering 162.91 meters tall, the basilica in Barcelona now takes the record from the Ulm Minster in Germany, which had been considered the tallest since 1890. Once the central Tower of Jesus Christ is finished, the basilica will stand at 172 meters tall.
Measuring 7.25 meters in height and weighing 24 tons, this new part is the lower arm of the cross. The panels arrived in the city last July and were placed on a platform 54 meters above the central nave.
This installation signifies a major milestone in the tallest of the central towers of the Basilica. Its completion will mean a historic moment in the ongoing construction of the Sagrada Família, which began almost 150 years ago.
The basilica has faced a number of setbacks and challenges during its construction. At the time the architect Antoni Gaudí died, only one of the 18 planned towers had been built. Then during the Spanish Civil War, anarchists set fire to the crypt, which also destroyed plans and plaster models set to guide future construction.
Recently, the COVID19 pandemic halted work and a subsequent drop in funding, many members of the foundation claiming the lack of tourism.
In September 2025, the General Director of the Sagrada Família, Xavier Martínez, told the Associated Press that the Tower of Jesus Christ is set to be completed in 2026—coinciding with the 100th anniversary of Gaudí’s death. A number of events will commemorate the centenary of the architect, who is buried in the basilica’s crypt. – Vatican News
