cross tops gaudí’s tallest tower at sagrada família in barcelona
The upper arm of the monumental cross has been installed atop the tower of Jesus Christ at Antoni Gaudí’s Sagrada Família in Barcelona, marking the completion of the tower’s exterior at 176 meters above ground (find designboom’s previous coverage here). The milestone positions the cross as the highest point of the basilica and finalizes the grouping of its six central towers. Interior works within the structure are scheduled to continue through 2027 and 2028.
Conceived as the vertical and symbolic center of the Temple, the tower of Jesus Christ stands at 172.5 meters and is surrounded by the four towers of the Evangelists, each linked to it by bridges, and the tower of the Virgin Mary, connected internally. With its twelve-sided geometry and twelve levels of prefabricated panels, construction of the shaft began in October 2018 at a height of 85 meters. The final level was completed back in December 2024, reaching 142.5 meters before the pinnacle elements began to rise.
all images © Fundació Junta Constructora del Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família by Sean Mitchell Henry, unless stated otherwise
tensioned stone and off-site assembly
The tower employs a tensioned-stone building system that has shaped much of the recent construction strategy at the Sagrada Família, combining stone and steel that allows large panels to be manufactured off-site and installed level by level. At the base of the pinnacle, a 29-meter-high element clad in white enameled ceramic and brick carries the inscription ‘Tu solus Sanctus, tu solus Dominus, tu solus Altissimus’ (You alone are the Holy One, you alone the Lord, you alone the Most High), framed by sculpted palms. Construction of this section began in May 2025.
The cross itself measures 17 meters in height and 13.5 meters in width, formed by four corrugated arms clad in glass and white enameled ceramic. Built in Germany in 2025, it was transported to Barcelona in modules and pre-assembled on a work platform 54 meters above the central nave. Installation took place in seven stages, including the lower arm, the core, four lateral arms, and finally the upper arm, positioned on February 20th, 2026.
The placement of the lower arm in October 2025 brought the tower to 162.91 meters. With the final piece now secured, the cross completes Gaudí’s envisioned silhouette. As described in the Quart Àlbum del Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família (1927–1929): ‘Resting on the four extremely tall columns of the crossing, the great lantern will rise up, topped at 176 metres above the ground with a magnificent cross with four corrugated arms from which to look out over the surroundings. In the middle, the Lamb of God.’ Inside the upper arm, a sculpture of the Agnus Dei by Andrea Mastrovito will be installed, while the Lamb envisioned by Gaudí will occupy the center of the cross, visible from within.
The upper arm of the monumental cross has been installed atop the tower of Jesus Christ at Antoni Gaudí’s Sagrada Família in Barcelona | image © Fundació Junta Constructora del Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família by Pep Daudé
a centenary milestone
The culmination of the tower coincides with the centenary of Antoni Gaudí’s death, linking the latest phase of construction to the architect’s long-studied drawings and models. ‘Completion of the cross on the tower of Jesus Christ represents much more than the culmination of a phase of construction: it is the result of years of work and studying the legacy Antoni Gaudí left us. It is also a firm commitment to the future, to continue working to complete the Sagrada Família.’ head architect Jordi Faulí notes.
With the exterior of the tower of Jesus Christ now complete, attention shifts inward. The basilica’s vertical center has reached its intended height, but the project remains in motion, continuing the layered construction process that has defined the Sagrada Família for more than a century.
the completion of the tower’s exterior at 176 meters | image © Fundació Junta Constructora del Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família by Pep Daudé
the milestone positions the cross as the highest point of the basilica | image © Fundació Junta Constructora del Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família by Pep Daudé
conceived as the vertical and symbolic center of the Temple | image © Fundació Junta Constructora del Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família by Pep Daudé
construction of the shaft began in October 2018 at a height of 85 meters | image © Fundació Junta Constructora del Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família by Pep Daudé
the tower employs a tensioned-stone building system | image © Fundació Junta Constructora del Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família by Pep Daudé
the cross itself measures 17 meters in height and 13.5 meters in width
project info:
name: tower of Jesus Christ and cross, Sagrada Família | @basilicasagradafamilia
architect: Antoni Gaudí (original design)
head architect: Jordi Faulí
location: Barcelona, Spain
client: Fundació Junta Constructora del Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família
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