FAMOUS toy brand LEGO have excited construction enthusiasts all over the world after unveiling their largest-ever set – paying homage to one of Spain’s most iconic monuments.
To mark the centenary of the death of its master architect Antoni Gaudi, the Danish company has released an exact replica of Barcelona’s iconic Sagrada Familia basilica.
The announcement also coincides with next week’s historic visit by Pope Leo XIV, the first pontiff to tour Spain in 15 years.
The Pope will land in Madrid on Saturday before leading a mass at the Sagrada Familia on Wednesday, where he will also bless the Tower of Jesus, marking the completion of the central and tallest structure of the church.
Launched as part of the LEGO Architecture series, the model stands at a height of 62cm and requires the meticulous construction of a staggering 12,060 pieces.
It is now available for pre-sale before hitting the shops this November, coming in at a price of €750.
“Our goal was to honour Gaudi’s vision with the utmost respect, capturing the rhythm of the basilica’s construction, its extraordinary complexity and ambition, and translating that into an immersive building experience,” said Roz Zgalin Kobe, LEGO’s design master.
LEGO lovers will be able to recreate the construction of the Sagrada Familia brick-by-brick, mimicking the monument’s own journey through time.
Hopefully, though, construction of the LEGO set will take less time than the real thing.
The first foundations were laid in 1882 with the church famously still unfinished.
Earlier this year, the gothic basilica finally reached its peak height after the 17-metre-tall Tower of Jesus Christ was winched into position by crane.
That meant the building now sits at a final height of 172.5 metres, just 144 years after construction first began.
While the basilica has now reached its full planned height, work on other sections and intricate details could continue for a decade.
That includes plans for an ambitious stairway leading up to the main entrance that would force more than 1,000 locals to be booted out of their homes.
The Sagrada Familia welcomed over 4.8 million paying visitors in 2024 – a 2.7 per cent increase on 2023.
Almost five per cent of its visitors come from the UK.
Click here to read more Spain News from The Olive Press.
