The 18th tower’s de facto grand opening marks exactly 100 years since the death of the church’s visionary architect, Antoni Gaudi, in 1926|@sagradafamilia|X
More than 144 years after construction began, Barcelona’s Sagrada Família has officially reached its end, with Pope Leo XIV leading a Solemn Mass and a ceremonial blessing on Wednesday.
Now standing at 566 feet, the basilica is officially the world’s tallest church. The achievement came after workers installed a 100-ton, five-story-tall cross atop the central Tower of Jesus Christ in February.
The 18th tower’s de facto grand opening marks exactly 100 years since the death of the church’s visionary architect, Antoni Gaudi, in 1926.
Despite structural disruptions during the 1936 Spanish Civil War, which destroyed many of Gaudi’s original plans, current chief architect Jordi Fauli and his team successfully decoded the remaining design fragments.
Funded entirely by donations and tourism, the basilica rebounded strongly from pandemic-era shortfalls, welcoming nearly 5 million visitors in 2025 alone.
While the Catholic church’s interior work is expected to continue till 2028, a current pressing issue for neighbors in the area is the upcoming Glory Facade. The proposed main entrance staircase, sitting 13 feet above street level, could require the demolition of nearby residential buildings, drawing fierce pushback from locals.