Sagrada Familia Becomes the Tallest Church in the World as Completion Nears
Barcelona’s iconic Basilica of the Sagrada Família has officially become the tallest church in the world, marking a new milestone in its nearly 150-year journey of faith, art, and architecture. The achievement comes as builders complete the final stages of the central tower dedicated to Jesus Christ, a structure that now defines Barcelona’s skyline and symbolizes the enduring vision of its creator, Antoni Gaudí.
This week, construction workers installed the first section of the monumental cross that will crown the central tower. The new addition, standing 7.25 meters tall and weighing 24 tons, marks a crucial step toward the tower’s final completion. Positioned 54 meters above the central nave, the cross brings the total height of the basilica to an astounding 162.91 meters, surpassing Germany’s Ulm Minster, which had held the record for the tallest church since 1890.
When fully completed in 2026, the Sagrada Família will reach 172 meters, a deliberate height chosen by Gaudí, who believed no human work should rise higher than the natural landscape surrounding it. The architect famously designed the basilica so that its tallest point would stand just below the height of Barcelona’s nearby Montjuïc hill.
The installation of the cross is more than an engineering feat; it is a spiritual and artistic milestone that draws global attention to a project that began in 1882 and has survived wars, funding crises, and even a global pandemic. “Each new stage brings us closer to Gaudí’s dream,” said Xavier Martínez, General Director of the Sagrada Família Foundation. “The tower of Jesus Christ is not just an architectural centerpiece, it is a symbol of hope, unity, and perseverance.”
The basilica’s history has been anything but simple. When Antoni Gaudí died in 1926, only one of the planned eighteen towers had been completed. His detailed plans and plaster models were largely destroyed during the Spanish Civil War, leaving later generations of architects and artisans to reconstruct his vision from fragments. Despite these setbacks, Gaudí’s intricate blend of Gothic and Art Nouveau styles continues to inspire awe among millions of visitors each year.
The COVID-19 pandemic further delayed progress as tourism, the project’s primary source of funding, came to a standstill. But work resumed with renewed energy, and by late 2025, preparations began for the centenary celebrations of Gaudí’s death. The year 2026 is expected to mark both the completion of the basilica’s main structure and a moment of global recognition for one of history’s most ambitious architectural endeavors.
As sunlight reflects off the towering new cross, Barcelona celebrates not just the world’s tallest church, but a timeless masterpiece, one that continues to rise, decade after decade, as a living monument to faith, creativity, and endurance.
