Sagrada Família becomes tallest building ever built in Barcelona after reaching 155.58 meters

The unfinished Sagrada Família basilica, designed by architect Antoni Gaudí, is now the tallest building ever built in the Barcelona urban area after reaching a height of 155.58 meters on Thursday.

The church surpassed the titleholders, the Mapfre and Hotel Arts towers, measuring 154 meters. These two buildings were completed ahead of the 1992 Olympic Games at the Port Olímpic area.

Sagrada Família sources confirmed to Catalan News on Thursday morning that the building had reached the new height, getting closer to its highest point, 172.5 meters.

Barcelona's unfinished basilica is expected to reach its highest point by the end of 2025. Earlier, it was expected to be in 2026, coinciding with the century since architect Gaudí's death. By the end of this year, a large viewpoint will crown the Tower of Jesus Christ, the tallest tower in the church. Although construction managers unveiled a prototype of such a cross in September 2024, the viewpoint will not be accessible until 2027 due to security 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 spans 162m.

A couple of weeks ago, Sagrada Família received the first parts of the viewpoint, which will now be assembled, at a height of 54 meters above sea level, in place. The pieces will then be carried to the highest point of the tower.

In Barcelona, not only the urban area, the tallest building is the Collserola Tower at 288 meters, designed by architect Sir Norman Foster to host the broadcasting facilities for the 1992 Olympic Games.

172.5 meters tall

Sagrada Família started construction in 1882, and a year later, in 1883, Antoni Gaudí took over the project. Since then, he has always wanted to respect God's creation.

Based on 1914 texts written by the managing board secretary, Martí Manlleu, 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.