Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia has installed the lower section of the cross atop the tower of Jesus Christ—the final and tallest of the basilica’s 18 spires. The newly added 7.25-meter-tall segment is said to bring the basilica’s total height to 162.91 meters (CVU has yet to verify this completed height).
The moment is captured in newly released footage and marks the beginning of the final phase of construction at Antoni Gaudí’s world-famous basilica, which has been under construction since 1882. When complete, the tower of Jesus Christ will rise to 172 meters, crowned by a 17-meter-tall cross to be installed ahead of the building’s anticipated completion in 2026, which coincides with the centenary of Gaudí’s death.
Weighing 24 tons, the newly installed piece forms the lower arm of the cross that will eventually top the central tower. Its base transitions from square to octagonal and is clad in white glazed ceramic and glass panels, reflecting Gaudí’s signature synthesis of structure, symbolism, and light.
Recent progress on the basilica has been driven by the adoption of prefabricated stone panels engineered by Arup, which have streamlined construction while reducing the overall weight of major structural components, including the tower of the Virgin Mary.
The Sagrada Familia’s construction history remains one of the most remarkable in architectural practice. After assuming control of the project in 1883, Gaudí transformed the original Gothic design into a unique vision blending natural forms and sacred geometry. By the time of his death in 1926, less than a quarter of the basilica had been completed. Work was further delayed by funding challenges and the Spanish Civil War, during which many of Gaudí’s original plans were destroyed.
Now approaching completion more than a century later, the Sagrada Familia continues to stand as a testament to both Gaudí’s enduring genius and Barcelona’s evolving urban identity.
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