The Sagrada Família closes in on completing its central tower and becoming Europe's tallest Christian church

After more than a century of construction, Barcelona's Sagrada Familia basilica is nearing completion of its central tower, which will make it the tallest Christian church in Europe.

The basilica's general director, Xavier Martínez, announced that the Tower of Jesus Christ, the centrepiece of architect Antoni Gaudí's project, will be completed by the end of this year or early next year. At 172 metres high, it will surpass the 162 metres of the steeple at the Gothic inspired Ulm Minster in southern Germany.

The first pieces are already in place and the tower will be completed in phases over the next few months. A cross will be installed at the top, surrounded by five other towers: one dedicated to the Virgin Mary and four smaller ones in honour of the evangelists. Although work on the façades and interior will continue for several years, construction manager Esteve Camps said the aim is to complete the work in about a decade.

Next year will coincide with the centenary of the death of Gaudí, who was killed in 1926 after being run over by a tram. To commemorate the event, the Sagrada Família will organise celebrations of his architectural legacy. These include a solemn mass on 10 June, to which Pope Leo XIV has been invited.

In the last few days, the pieces that will form the core of the cross of the Tower of Jesus Christ have arrived on site. This element will be the point of union of its arms and will allow access via an interior staircase to the top of the basilica.

The foundation stone of the Sagrada Família was laid in 1882, and since then the work has progressed thanks to funding from donations and tourist revenue. In 2024, the church received 4.9 million visitors, 15% of them from the United States.