Barcelona’s skyline just got a little holier. The Sagrada Família, masterpiece of legendary architect Antoni Gaudí, has officially become the tallest church in the world after workers placed the first part of a cross atop its central tower on Thursday. The record comes 142 years after its construction officially started.
The milestone pushes the basilica’s height to 162.91 metres. The milestone was reached when a crane hoisted the first section of the ‘Tower of Jesus Christ’ onto the top of the Sagrada Família’s central nave. The installation marked a pivotal moment in the basilica’s construction, pushing it to a record height. The tower — now in its final phase — will rise to 172 metres once the remaining parts of the cross are added in the coming months. With the current height, it has dethroned Germany’s Ulm Minster, which had held the title since 1890.
Story behind Sagrada Família
Architect Gaudí’s vision for the Sagrada Família began in 1883. According to Sagrada Família’s official website, Gaudí took over a modest Gothic Revival design by another Spanish architect Francisco de Paula del Villar from 1882. He turned the previous designs into one of the most daring and symbolic architectural projects in history. Funded initially by donations from devout Catholics, the basilica became a monument to faith, craftsmanship and patience.
At the time of Gaudí’s untimely death in 1926, only one of the planned 18 towers had been completed. Since then, his disciples and later generations of architects have carried forward the intricate project under the watch of the Sagrada Família Foundation. The foundation continues to rely on tourist donations and private contributions.
Ups and downs of the masterpiece
The journey has been anything but smooth. The Spanish Civil War destroyed Gaudí’s original models and plans, forcing architects to reconstruct his ideas from fragments. The Covid-19 pandemic brought another halt, as funding dried up with the fall in tourism. In recent decades, construction has picked up pace — thanks to the millions who flock to marvel at Gaudí’s dream. The Sagrada Família, now one of the world’s most visited monuments, funds its own rise through ticket sales. Last year alone, 4.9 million people paid to visit the marvel.
Now, almost 150 years after the first stone was laid in 1882, the finish line is finally in sight. General Director Xavier Martínez recently told news agency AP that the central tower will be completed in 2026; timed with the centenary of Gaudí’s death.
Even then, finishing touches such as decorative facades, sculptures and a monumental staircase will continue into the next decade.