Sagrada Familia tower of Jesus Christ Barcelona building photos, architect Antoni Gaudi church location, tower pictures

Sagrada Familia tower of Jesus Christ

20 February 2026

Cross lands in sky above Barcelona

• The Sagrada Família has culminated the tower of Jesus Christ with the upper arm of the cross

• This completes the exterior of the central tower, the Temple’s tallest

Photos by Pep Daudé unless stated otherwise

All photos © Fundació Junta Constructora del Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família

Barcelona, 20th of February 2026 – Today the upper arm of the cross was put in place on the tower of Jesus Christ at the Sagrada Família, a milestone that completes works on the exterior of this tower. In 2027 and 2028, works will continue inside the structure.
This piece is the highest point of the Temple, measures 4.5 metres by 4.5 metres by 4.9 metres, and completes the grouping of the six central towers of the Sagrada Família.

Sagrada Familia tower of Jesus Christ Cross News

“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.”

Quart Àlbum del Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, 1927-1929

The tower of Jesus Christ is the central tower of the Sagrada Família tower grouping. It is surrounded by the four towers of the Evangelists (each connected to the central tower by a bridge) and the tower of the Virgin Mary (which connects to the tower of Jesus Christ from the inside). It has 12 faces and stands 172.5 metres tall, built with 12 levels of panels that started going in on 16 October 2018, from 85 metres off the ground.

photo : Sean Mitchell Henry

The panels for the tower of Jesus Christ use a tensioned-stone building system, combining stone and steel. This system made it possible to build the panels off-site and then bring them to the Temple and put them in place by levels when they were finished. The final level was completed on 4 December 2024, reaching 142.5 metres.

The base of the tower pinnacle features inscriptions praising Jesus Christ“Tu solus Sanctus, tu solus Dominus, tu solus Altissimus” (You alone are the Holy One, you alone the Lord, you alone the Most High) in white enamelled ceramic and brick, surrounded by palms. This element is 29 metres tall and construction began in May 2025.

The tower is topped with a three-dimensional four-armed cross, clad in glass and white enamelled ceramic. It is 17 metres tall and 13.5 metres wide. The first piece of the cross, the lower arm, was put in place on 27 October 2025, taking the tower to 162.91 metres.

photo : Sean Mitchell Henry

Assembling the cross: key info

It was built in Germany in 2025 and assembled almost entirely at the Sagrada Família. The white enamelled ceramic tiles, stone interior and glass were made in factories and workshops in Catalonia.

The cross arrived from Germany in several modules that were pre-assembled on a work platform 54 metres above the central nave. These were taken up to be installed in seven pieces: the lower arm, the core, the four arms and the upper arm, which was put in place today, 20 February 2026.

Inside the upper arm there will be a sculpture of the Agnus Dei created by artist Andrea Mastrovito. The Lamb Gaudí envisioned for the centre of the cross will be placed on top of the upper arm, visible from inside the cross.

The culmination of the tower of Jesus Christ coincides with the hundredth anniversary of the death of Antoni Gaudí, a historic milestone for the Sagrada Família and a tribute to its architect. There will be commemorative events held all year, the programming is available on https://sagradafamilia2026.org/

In the words of the Head Architect Jordi Faulí:

“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.”

For more information about the construction process of the cross, you can consult https://blog.sagradafamilia.org/

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Previously on e-architect:

Barnabas Tower

Barnabas tower commemoration – Antoni Gaudi architecture. Guide to famous building in Catalonia, Spain.

post updated 1 December 2025

Sagrada Família hosts commemoration of hundredth anniversary of Barnabas tower

Sagrada Familia

Barcelona, 30 November 2025 -This evening, the Basilica of the Sagrada Família hosted an event commemorating the hundredth anniversary of the completion of the tower of Barnabas, the first of the eighteen towers Antoni Gaudí designed and the only one the architect lived to see finished.

The event aimed to commemorate this important moment in history, a tangible symbol of the beginning of a dream shared by generations that will culminate with the central tower dedicated to Jesus Christ.

During the event, the Sagrada Família neighbourhood castellers created a human tower and the tower of Barnabas was lit up. It also featured a conversation with Dr Jordi Faulí, head architect of the Sagrada Família, and Dr Chiara Curti, architect and PhD in Art History:

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Previously on e-architect:

Post updated 31 October 2025

Sagrada Familia is the Tallest Church in the World

The Sagrada Família has become the tallest church in the world, after construction workers placed the first part of a cross at the top of its central tower.