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If you’ve ever been to the quirky Catalan city of Barcelona – or even dreamed of going – you’ll know that one building is famous above all others.
The Sagrada Família, the iconic basilica designed by quirky Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí is famous not only because of its unusual appearance, but because of how long it has taken to build.
Visitors to the Sagrada will know that it is difficult to get an aesthetic photo of the basilica for one key reason: it is always, in some way at least, surrounded by cranes.
That’s because the Sagrada Família has been being built since the year 1882 – but finally, 144 years later, the outer works on the tallest point of the basilica are finally complete.
Basílica de la Sagrada Família
As one might expect, the central tower of the basilica was to be the tallest – and on Friday 20 February 2026, the pinnacle of the tower was finally set into place – of course, with a striking cross atop the highest point.
This milestone moment was well timed to coincide with the hundredth anniversary of Gaudí’s death, with events held in the city throughout the year to commemorate the master architect who made this arty city what it is today.
One hundred years since it lost its initial architect, the project has been taken over by many others; in a Sagrada Família statement, current Head Architect Jordi Faulí explained just how important this stage was as the team move toward the basilica’s eventual completion:
“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.”
Basílica de la Sagrada Família
Don’t expect picture perfect photos yet though, because the external scaffolding won’t be completely removed until June, with internal works set to continue for much longer – though really, the scaffolding has become part of the basilica’s appeal.
Gaudí himself died after being struck by a tram in 1926, at the age of 73 – and at this point, only the first tower had been completed.
Since then, the works have been complicated by various factors, including financing, its complex design requiring precise handcrafting at every stage, war (including the Spanish Civil War, in which models and parts of the Sagrada were destroyed) – and, more recently, the Covid-19 pandemic.
That’s why this moment is such a milestone – and now that the Tower of Jesus Christ has reached its final height, the Sagrada Família is officially the tallest church in the world.
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