Barcelona’s iconic Sagrada Família has officially become the tallest church in the world after workers placed the first section of a cross atop its central tower. The basilica now measures 162.91 metres, surpassing Germany’s Ulm Minster, which had held the record since 1890.
Designed by renowned architect Antoni Gaudí, the Sagrada Família has been under construction since 1882 and is nearing completion after more than a century of work. The central Tower of Jesus Christ will continue to rise as additional sections of the cross are installed in the coming months, eventually reaching 172 metres in height.
The basilica’s foundation stone was laid in 1882, with Gaudí taking over the project the following year. He expanded the original design into a far more ambitious vision funded by public donations. By the time of his death in 1926, only one of the planned eighteen towers had been completed.
Following Gaudí’s passing, the Sagrada Família Foundation assumed responsibility for the project, financing the ongoing construction through contributions from tourists, visitors, and private donors.
The basilica has faced numerous challenges during its nearly 150-year history. During the Spanish Civil War, Catalan anarchists set fire to the crypt, destroying Gaudí’s original plans and plaster models. Most recently, construction was suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic due to reduced tourism and funding shortages.
“The Tower of Jesus Christ will be completed in 2026 to coincide with the centenary of Gaudí’s death,” said Xavier Martínez, General Director, Sagrada Família Foundation, in an interview with the Associated Press. The foundation plans a series of commemorative events, while work on sculptures, decorative details, and the main entrance stairway is expected to continue into the next decade.
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