Sagrada Família to become tallest building built in Barcelona after summer

The unfinished Sagrada Família basilica, designed by architect Antoni Gaudí, is expected to become the tallest building ever built in the Barcelona urban area after summer, when it would reach 159 meters. Currently, it stands at 153.78.

The church will therefore surpass the title holders, the Mapfre and Hotel Arts towers, measuring 154 meters. These two buildings were completed ahead of the 1992 Olympic Games in the Port Olímpic area.

Sagrada Família sources confirmed to Catalan News on Friday morning that the building would reach the new height between September and October, getting closer to its eventual high point of 172.5 meters.

Barcelona's unfinished basilica is expected to reach its highest point by the end of 2025. Previously it was expected to reach the landmark in 2026, coinciding with the centenary of architect Gaudí's death.

By the end of this year, a large viewpoint will crown the Tower of Jesus Christ, the church's tallest. Although construction managers unveiled a prototype of the cross in September 2024, the viewpoint will not be accessible until 2027 due to safety issues.

When completed, Sagrada Família will not only be Barcelona's tallest building but also the world's tallest church, overtaking the Ulm Minster in Ulm, Germany, which stands at 162m.

Sagrada Família has recently received the first parts of the viewpoint, which will now be assembled at a height of 54 meters. The pieces will then be carried to the highest point of the tower.

172.5 meters tall

Sagrada Família started construction in 1882, and a year later, in 1883, Antoni Gaudí took over the project. He spoke of always wanting to respect God's creation.

Texts written in 1914 by the managing board secretary, Martí Manlleu, show Gaudí was clear in his desire not to surpass God's creation: Nature.

In the Catalan capital, that limit is set by Montjuïc Mountain, which stands at 177 meters above sea level.

The towers of the Four Evangelists, Luke, Mark, John, and Matthew, each 123 meters tall, surround the Tower of Jesus Christ, which is next to the Tower of the Virgin Mary, measuring 138 meters.

Listen to our Filling the Sink podcast episode to learn more about the famous basilica.

A previous version of this article said that the Basilica had surpassed the 154 mark, although this information was later changed due to being wrongly informed by Sagrada Família sources.