BARCELONA’S iconic Sagrada Familia has officially become the world’s tallest ever church – almost a century since the death of its master architect.
Construction workers added the first part of the cross set to crown the final Tower of Jesus Christ on Thursday morning, bringing the basilica to an official height of 162.91 metres tall.
The addition means the Antoni Gaudi-designed church, which began construction in 1882, has now surpassed the record previously held by Ulm Minster in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany, which stands 161.53 metres high.
And that is not all – further construction over the coming months will bring the Sagrada Familia to a final height of 172 metres.
Earlier this year, the building, which lays claim to the title of Spain’s most popular tourist attraction, became Barcelona’s tallest, leapfrogging the 154-metre-tall Torre Mapfre and Hotel Arts.
Building of the final Tower of Jesus Christ will finish next year, the basilica’s general director has said, to coincide with the centenary of Gaudi’s death, with several events planned to celebrate the legacy of an architect whose other masterpieces include Park Guell and Casa Batllo.
In total, seven of Gaudi’s works have been declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Last year, the Sagrada Familia welcomed over 4.8 million paying visitors, a 2.7% increase on 2023.
That means the basilica raked in an eye-watering €133.9 million last year – over 50% of which was directed towards funding the final months of construction.
Almost 5% of all visitors to the basilica in 2024 came from the UK.
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