Sagrada Família Becomes Barcelona’s Tallest Building After 140 Years

After 140 years of work, Gaudí’s imagination has taken its astir visible step. In July 2025, nan cardinal building of nan Sagrada Família became Barcelona’s tallest structure, reaching 172.5 metres and surpassing everything other connected nan skyline. It’s not conscionable a landmark. It’s nan closest this Basilica has ever travel to being finished.

But this isn’t conscionable astir really gangly it is. It’s astir a building that’s been passed from 1 procreation to nan adjacent — designed successful nan 1800s, and built pinch today’s tools. What happens now will find really it yet fits into nan surrounding city.

A building 140 years successful nan making 

Construction began successful 1882, and fewer imagined that it would return much than a period to complete. Antoni Gaudí didn’t conscionable creation a religion — he imagined a vertical wood of spires, each symbolising a different portion of Christian theology.

The Tower of Jesus Christ rises supra nan city, conscionable nether nan tallness of Montjuic Hill, retired of reverence, and Gaudí stated that it’s for nature’s supremacy complete man-made design.

As of July 2025, nan building has reached its afloat structural tallness of 172.5 metres. The past of its 8 years was completed this month, making Sagrada Família Barcelona’s tallest building. It’s overtaking nan Torre Glories and each different modern summation to nan skyline. 

It’s not done yet — nan 17-metre solid and mosaic cross that will crown nan building is still nether building and is expected to beryllium completed by nan extremity of nan year. But nan difficult portion — nan bulk of nan tower’s assemblage — is yet complete. After decades of scaffolding, delays, and debate, Gaudí’s imagination is nary longer theoretical. It’s standing.

It’s much than a record.

At 172.5 metres, nan cardinal building has now overtaken Ulm Minster successful Germany, making it nan tallest religion connected record. It besides marks advancement toward nan last design: 18 towers successful total, each symbolising a cardinal biblical theme.

• The scheme is to decorativeness nan ornamental apical and complete nan building by June 2026 — nan 100th twelvemonth since Gaudí’s death. For galore successful nan city, that day has go a target that feels personal.
• You tin spot it from each complete nan metropolis now, not conscionable adjacent nan site. From Glòries to Barceloneta, nan caller building stands out.
• The angled chromatic and unfinished mosaic already bespeak nan sunset, moreover earlier nan last crown is successful place.

While galore observe this milestone, immoderate residents successful Spain interest astir what comes next, arsenic tourer numbers are expected to emergence erstwhile nan caller Viewpoint opens. However, this has been delayed until 2027 owed to information restrictions. Until then, nan building remains a ocular icon, not conscionable a beingness experience.

Not everyone is celebrating. One of nan last pieces — nan alleged “Gloria façade” — would require nan demolition of adjacent housing. That portion hasn’t moved forward. And it’s sparked a different conversation: what it intends to decorativeness a building that’s grown beyond its original footprint.

Old vision, caller technology

Over nan past 2 decades, builders person relied connected 3D modelling, laser scanning, and post-tensioning chromatic engineering to construe Gaudí’s original plans. His imagination was ne'er afloat sketched out, but his drawings and models person been digitally reassembled to guideline nan modern team.

It’s a hybrid: a 19th-century thought made existent by 21st-century hands. And successful that sense, nan Sagrada Família isn’t conscionable a building — it’s a agelong research successful continuity. Gaudí isn’t present to make those past decisions. But nan world has moved connected — and nan metropolis has to fig retired really to honour his plans without freezing them successful time.

Barcelona has chosen to support going not by starting complete but by translating God’s intent into thing that useful and stands today. 

The value of devotion

More than 3 cardinal group sojourn nan tract each year, and summons gross helps salary for nan work. Around €130 cardinal is generated annually, pinch astir of it reinvested successful construction.

As much of nan building is completed, there’s pridefulness — but besides much questions. Who gets to entree nan space? What happens to nan adjacent homes? And erstwhile will group work together it’s genuinely finished?

With galore residents acknowledging that this latest milestone is thing worthy recognising, it is simply a uncommon triumph for continuity successful nan city, which is caught betwixt preservation and reinvention. 

The building is now portion of Barcelona’s coming and is still adjacent completion. It shows really we spot it: it’s nary longer conscionable a task waiting to beryllium done, but arsenic thing that already belongs to nan city, conscionable arsenic it is.