THE Sagrada Familia, the magnificent gothic basilica that looms over the Barcelona city skyline, has finally reached its peak height after workers laid the final piece of its central tower in place.
At 11am on Friday morning, after several agonising days when high winds meant it was too dangerous to work, the upper arm of the 17-metre-tall cross that sits atop the Tower of Jesus Christ was winched into position by crane.
That means the Sagrada Familia now sits at a final height of 172.5 metres, 144 years since construction first began and a century on from the death of its master architect, Antoni Gaudi.
The historic moment was livestreamed on YouTube and witnessed by thousands of tourists, locals and journalists on the ground – including the Olive Press.
Speaking to the media after the milestone, chief architect and coordinator of the project Jordi Fauli said: “It’s been a joyful day, wonderful for all the people who have made it possible.
“It’s an important day, both to celebrate and to remember the people who designed the cross based on Gaudi’s ideas and drawings, and those who today and in recent weeks have been working on the cross to make this possible.”
The top section of the tower is currently covered in scaffolding although that will be removed next month, allowing the ceramic and glass cross to be viewed in all its glory from across Barcelona.
The cross itself is hollow – as expertly designed by Gaudi – opening up the possibility that it could be used as a viewing platform to hand locals and visitors beautiful vistas of Spain’s second largest city.
A celebration marking completion of the tower will take place on June 10 later this year to coincide with the centenary of Gaudi’s death, with several events planned to toast the legacy of an architect whose other masterpieces include nearby Park Guell and Casa Batllo.
In total, seven of Gaudi’s works have been declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The Sagrada Familia welcomed over 4.8 million paying visitors in 2024 – a 2.7 per cent increase on 2023.
That means the basilica rakes in around an eye-watering €140 million every year – over half of which is directed towards construction.
Almost 5 per cent of all visitors to the basilica in 2024 came from the UK.
READ MORE: The Sagrada Familia: how Gaudi’s masterpiece became a myth and a divisive political tool
Last October, the building officially became the world’s tallest ever church after leapfrogging Ulm Minster in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany, which stands 161.53 metres high.
While the basilica has now reached its full planned height, work on other sections and intricate details could continue for a decade.
That includes an ambitious stairway leading up to the main entrance that would force more than 1,000 locals to be booted out of their homes.
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