One hundred years ago, on June 10, 1926, a tram struck Antoni Gaudí, the architect who had devoted his life to building Barcelona's Sagrada Família. The church was less than a quarter finished when he died. On Wednesday, exactly a century later, Pope Leo XIV blessed the cross that finally completed the basilica.
The Sagrada Família is now the tallest church in the world at 172.5 meters, surpassing Germany's Ulm Minster, which had held the title for over a hundred years. Construction began in 1882, and Gaudí took over the project the following year. After his death, work continued through wars and pandemics, funded mainly by millions of tourists.
The Tower of Jesus Christ, the central and tallest of eighteen towers, was finally completed in February 2026. It is crowned with a four-armed cross made of glass and white ceramic tile. Interestingly, Gaudí stopped the tower deliberately short of Barcelona's Montjuïc hill because he believed nothing made by human hands should stand taller than God's creation.
The basilica attracted nearly five million visitors in 2025, making it one of the most visited monuments worldwide. Engineers expect the entire project to reach full completion around 2034. However, not everyone in Barcelona is celebrating. Plans to build the remaining Glory Façade could require demolishing residential buildings nearby, concerning local residents.