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Sagrada Família's final tower completed, Pope to inaugurate on Gaudí centenary

cultural-heritage · 2026-05-26

Antoni Gaudí's Sagrada Família in Barcelona has completed its 18th and final tower, the Tower of Jesus Christ, topped with a glass and ceramic cross. Pope Leo XIV will bless the tower on June 10, 2026, the centennial of Gaudí's death, with Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez attending. The basilica, under construction for 144 years, is symbolically complete but work continues for at least another decade, notably on the Glory Façade requiring potential demolition of residential blocks. The tower makes it the world's tallest church at 172.5 meters, deliberately shorter than Montjuïc hill. Gaudí was declared 'venerable' by Pope Francis in April 2025. The basilica is now funded mainly by ticket sales, with 4.87 million visitors in 2025 generating €134.5 million. Construction began in 1882 under Francisco de Paula del Villar; Gaudí took over in 1883. After his death in 1926, work stalled during the Spanish Civil War, resuming in the 1950s using surviving models. The Barbany family of stonemasons has worked on the site for generations, now using robots and software. Local resident Noelia, 26, notes tickets cost €26, while Montse Gelonch describes the basilica as an anchor to the city.

Key facts

  • Sagrada Família completed its 18th and final tower, the Tower of Jesus Christ, in February 2026.
  • Pope Leo XIV will bless the tower on June 10, 2026, the centennial of Gaudí's death.
  • Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will attend the inauguration.
  • The tower is topped with a four-arm cross made of glass and white ceramic.
  • The basilica is 172.5 meters tall, making it the world's tallest church.
  • Gaudí was declared 'venerable' by Pope Francis in April 2025.
  • Construction began in 1882 under Francisco de Paula del Villar; Gaudí took over in 1883.
  • The Spanish Civil War halted construction between 1936 and 1939, destroying many of Gaudí's models.
  • Work resumed in the 1950s using photographs, plaster models, and memory.
  • The Barbany family of stonemasons has worked on the site for generations, using robots since 2003.
  • In 2025, the basilica welcomed 4.87 million visitors, generating €134.5 million in revenue.
  • €58.4 million of ticket revenue went toward construction in 2025.
  • Barcelona city council committed €36 million over ten years for public transport and services.
  • The Glory Façade and a monumental staircase remain to be built, requiring possible demolition of two residential blocks.
  • Tickets cost €26 per adult.

Entities

Artists

Institutions

  • Sagrada Família
  • Visit Barcelona
  • Barcelona city council
  • The Art Newspaper
  • Construction Board of the Sagrada Família
  • Sagrada Familia Basilica
  • Catholic Church
  • Archdiocese of Barcelona
  • Vatican
  • Artnet News
  • Basílica de la Sagrada Família
  • Pope Leo XIV
  • Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez
  • Junta Constructora del Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família
  • UNESCO
  • Lego
  • Avvenire
  • Artribune
  • Sagrada Familia
  • Junta Constructora de la Sagrada Familia
  • Studio Waldemeyer
  • Pope Benedict XVI
  • Sagrada Familia foundation
  • Ajuntament de Barcelona
  • FC Barcelona
  • Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat
  • Smithsonian Magazine
  • Reuters
  • CBS News
  • L'ŒIL
  • Sagrada Familia Foundation
  • Dezeen
  • Ulm Minster
  • Boeing
  • Guggenheim Bilbao
  • The Observer
  • Domus
  • Arup
  • Fundació Junta Constructora del Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família
  • designboom
  • Beaux Arts magazine
  • CNN
  • Glocal Design Magazine
  • Museu d'Art Jaume Morera
  • RFI
  • Arte
  • Galerie INSULA

Locations

  • Barcelona
  • Spain
  • Montjuïc hill
  • Catalonia
  • Diagonal (Barcelona)
  • Madrid
  • Canary Islands
  • Montjuic hill
  • Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia
  • Plaza de Cibeles
  • Carrer de Mallorca
  • Rome
  • Ulm
  • Germany
  • via Marina
  • via Mallorca
  • Diagonal
  • L'Hospitalet de Llobregat
  • Venezuela
  • Montserrat
  • 08013 Barcelona
  • Montjuïc

Sources

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