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The famous Sagrada Família basilica in Barcelona has been officially declared the tallest church in the world after workers placed the first part of the cross atop its central tower. With this historic moment, the building now stands at 162.91 meters tall, surpassing the record held by Ulm Minster in Germany since 1890.
Designed by renowned architect Antoni Gaudí, the basilica has been under construction for more than a century in central Barcelona and is expected to be completed in its main part next year. The central tower, known as the Tower of Jesus Christ, will reach its final height of 172 meters once the full installation of the cross is completed in the coming months.
The foundation stone of the Sagrada Família was laid in 1882, and a year later the project was entrusted to Gaudí, who transformed the initial concept into a much grander vision. Construction was initially financed by donations from the faithful.
At the time of Gaudí's sudden death in 1926, only one of the planned 18 towers had been built. After him, the work was taken over by the Sagrada Família Foundation, which continues to finance the project through contributions from visitors, tourists and private donors.
For nearly 150 years, construction has faced many setbacks. During the Spanish Civil War, Catalan anarchists set fire to the crypt, destroying the plans and plaster models created by Gaudí. Most recently, the Covid-19 pandemic temporarily halted work, due to a lack of tourists and a drop in funding.
In September of this year, the Foundation's general director, Xavier Martínez, told the Associated Press that the Tower of Jesus Christ will be completed in 2026, commemorating the 100th anniversary of Gaudí's death.
As part of this anniversary, the foundation will organize a series of activities in honor of the architect, who is buried in the church's crypt. Meanwhile, work on the decorative details, sculptures and main entrance staircase is expected to continue over the next decade.
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