+34
The world's tallest church, Barcelona's Sagrada Familia, has completed its 18th and final tower, marking 100 years since the death of its visionary architect, Antoni Gaudí.
Barcelona, Spain — It’s inevitable — everyone looks up. When visitors arrive at Barcelona ’s Sagrada Família, their eyes instinctively follow the surreal twisting lines of the basilica’s sculptural towers until they reach the tip of each spire.
Their gazes now extend higher than ever: More than 144 years after construction began, the world’s tallest church reached its final height of 566 feet upon the installation of its last major structural element, a cross atop the central Tower of Jesus Christ, in February. Delayed by wars, politics and funding shortfalls, Sagrada Família’s imposing but unfinished presence has dominated Barcelona’s skyline for decades. Now, the long-awaited final tower is, at last, ready for its inauguration.
On Wednesday, Pope Leo XIV — the 11th pontiff to reign since the project broke ground — will lead Solemn Mass and a ceremonial blessing. There may still be years’ worth of non-structural work to complete, but 2026 has long been earmarked for this de facto grand opening. The 18th tower’s inauguration marks 100 years, to the day, since the death of the church’s visionary architect, Antoni Gaudí.
Benefiting from materials like stainless steel and advanced technology, like computer-controlled stone-cutting machines, the Tower of Jesus Christ symbolizes the compromise between embracing modern construction and honoring Gaudí’s historic plan. A triumph of color, craftsmanship and remarkable geometry, Sagrada Família is a monument not just to faith but to Gaudí’s reverence for nature and mastery of complex engineering.
Its completion is a testament to the efforts of the countless designers and architects who had to decipher plans for the church that were largely destroyed in the 1930s. The project’s complexity was, in many ways, epitomized by its final architectural puzzle piece.
With its brilliant white surface reflecting the searing Spanish sun, the cross that crowns the Tower of Jesus Christ (the other 17 towers are dedicated to the 12 apostles, four Evangelists and the Virgin Mary) is as tall as a five-story building and weighs around 100 tons. Installing it was a complex, months-long process. According to Mauricio Cortés, the architect responsible, Gaudí had imagined a reflective cross that shone during the day and illuminated the skyline at night.
Cortés, like all his predecessors, faced two major challenges: remaining faithful to Gaudí’s vision while satisfying stringent engineering requirements (in this case, keeping the spire relatively lightweight). Architect Mauricio Cortés, who led work on the Tower of Jesus Christ, hopes that Pope Leo XIV is ‘positively impressed’ by the church’s 18th and final tower. The cross was manufactured in Germany and delivered to Spain in 14 prefabricated sections made from concrete and stainless steel.
The latter material, while not widely used in Gaudí’s time, provided the necessary strength while reducing overall weight. This convergence of history and modernity was one of the many delicate compromises required to bring the architect’s scheme to life. Once in Barcelona, each section was lifted via crane onto a workshop located 200 feet above ground, directly on top of the basilica’s central nave.
There, workers finished the pieces with stone interiors, enameled white ceramic cladding and windows made from locally sourced glass, before the structure was assembled and raised into position.
‘Obviously, the times have changed — the technology has evolved, as have the regulations,’ Cortés said, touring CNN through the basilica ahead of the inauguration. But the Mexican architect is confident that the church remains true to Gaudí’s original vision.
‘We believe we’re pretty close to (his plans for) the exterior, for sure,’ he added. ‘With the interior, as he didn’t define it in detail, there’s more room for interpretation. ’ Faith in the sky From the elevated workshop’s vantage point, you can see not only the entire city but also the basilica’s highest architectural features. The roof of the central nave explodes with color, its gables decorated in vibrant ceramics.
The bell towers atop both the Nativity and Passion facades — huge walls telling their respective biblical narratives in ornately carved stone — are crowned with insignia-like pinnacles made from mosaics of sparkling Venetian glass. Construction of the new tower was directed from an elevated workshop directly above the basilica’s central nave. Components were assembled off-site before being craned into position. Gables and spires are decorated with trencadís, a kind of Catalan mosaic made from colorful ceramics, glass and marble.
With Gaudí’s all-important models mostly destroyed in the 1930s, all of the church’s new architectural designs are the best estimation of his intentions
Scratch the next story
Barcelona Sagrada Familia Antoni Gaudí World's Tallest Church Final Tower Inauguration Pope Leo XIV Complexity History And Modernity Delicate Compromises Computer-Controlled Stone-Cutting Machines Stainless Steel Advanced Technology Reflective Cross Vibrant Ceramics Catalan Mosaic Biblical Narratives Insignia-Like Pinnacles Mosaics Of Sparkling Venetian Glass Models Mostly Destroyed In The 1930S Best Estimation Of His Intentions
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
The Sagrada Família:Like a dream come trueSoaring 50 stories above Barcelona, the Sagrada Família basilica has been under construction for nearly a century and a half – the improbable dream of architect Antoni Gaudí, who died 100 years ago, leaving behind clues to complete his masterpiece.
Read more »
Lego Announces Largest Set Ever, a 12,060-Piece Replica of the Sagrada FamíliaHave you got $800 and 150 years to spare? Knock yourself out!
Read more »
Richard Gadd Gained 100 Pounds for 'Half Man' Role with Intense Training RegimenActor Richard Gadd, known for 'Baby Reindeer', underwent a dramatic physical transformation for his new BBC project 'Half Man', gaining 100 pounds and building significant muscle mass over 14 months under the guidance of personal trainer David Jenkins. The regimen included daily sessions lifting up to 11,000 kg, even on days with long filming schedules, and a tailored nutritional plan featuring protein-heavy meals. Jenkins adapted workouts to Gadd's fatigue and schedule, emphasizing consistency. The transformation aimed to portray Ruben, a 'colossal' ex-prisoner, contrasting with Gadd's previous weight loss for 'Baby Reindeer'. The drama explores themes of brotherhood and violence, though reception has been mixed.
Read more »
US, Iran appear far from peace deal 100 days since war beganThe U.S. and Iran appear to be making little progress toward an interim deal to end the war Washington and Israel began 100 days ago, as fresh attacks pile pressure on a fragile ceasefire. The past week saw the worst flare-up in tensions…
Read more »