A historic milestone for the Sagrada Família

It is no exaggeration to call this a historic moment, as the city of Barcelona has had to wait no less than 144 years to reach this point.

Pope Leo XIV blessed the Tower of Jesus Christ today, the central and tallest tower of the Sagrada Família in Barcelona. Exactly one hundred years after the death of the visionary architect Antoni Gaudí, a grand ceremony has crowned one of the most important buildings in the Christian world.

At 172.5 meters tall, this tower is now the tallest religious building in Europe, officially making the Sagrada Família the tallest church in the world. On Friday, the final and highest section of the cross was installed, marking the reaching of the pinnacle.

This milestone reflects decades of craftsmanship and dedication. “After more than a century of construction, the Sagrada Família has finally reached its final height,” says TUI. “A milestone that reflects decades of craftsmanship and dedication.” The basilica was consecrated sixteen years ago by Pope Benedict XVI, but the central tower was not yet in place at the time. When Gaudí died, construction was only 25% complete.Rooted in the artist's original drawings and ideas, a new generation of architects took the work into their own hands.".

Although the tower is complete, the church is not yet fully finished. The final façade is under construction, and full completion is expected around 2032–2034.

This year marks the centenary of the death of Gaudí, the master of architecture. With the cross on this tower and construction complete, the end of the project, after nearly 125 years, is finally in sight. But critics wonder if this is still the building Gaudí had envisioned.