The Basilica of the Sagrada Familia, iconic work of the architect Antoni Gaudí and one of the emblems of the Spanish city of Barcelona, is already the tallest Catholic temple in the world, above the German cathedral of Ulm.
This Thursday, the Sagrada Familia technicians placed the first element that is part of the tower cross of jesus christthe tallest in the basilica, which now reaches 162.91 meters, surpassing the 161.53 meters in height of the Lutheran church in the German city of Ulm, completed in the 19th century.
The tower of Jesus Christ It will have a final height of 172.5 meters when the placement of the cross is finished.
According to the Sagrada Familia, one of the most visited monuments in Spain along with the Alhambra in Granada, the piece placed this Thursday corresponds to lower arm of the cross, with a height of 7.25 meters and a weight of 24 tons.
Historical fact: the Sagrada Familia becomes the tallest church in the world after placing the first element of the cross on the tower of Jesus Christ
With the placement of this piece it reaches 162.91 meters in height pic.twitter.com/wbBfXNiBpU
— EL ESPAÑOL (@elespanolcom) October 31, 2025
It arrived last July divided into four panels that were placed on a work platform, above the central nave, 54 meters high, to carry out the assembly tasks, the installation of glass and interior works, and the placement of stone.
With a double twist geometry, the lower arm has a square shape at the base that becomes octagonal at the top.
The exterior is covered with white glazed ceramic and glass, materials that stand out for their luminosity and resistance to atmospheric conditions.
Today we experienced one of the great moments in the construction of the Sagrada Família!
The first element that is part of the cross of the tower of Jesus Christ has already been placed: the lower arm of the cross, 7.25 meters and weighing 24 tons.
Today we have experienced one of the great… pic.twitter.com/YLfTs3Zpyw
— The Sagrada Familia (@sagradafamilia) October 30, 2025
The installation of the lower arm represents a relevant step in the completion process of the tower of Jesus Christ, the tallest of the set of central towers of the Holy Family.
Once completed, The cross will have a total height of 17 meters, approximately equivalent to a five-story building, and a width of 13.5 meters.
The Holy Family will reach the 172.5 meters of altitude of the Tower of Jesus Christ in June 2026 and will be ready for the central event of the centenary of Gaud’s deathyes, the one who has been invited to Pope Leo XIV.
The Sagrada Familia in Barcelona becomes the tallest church in the world after placing the first element of the cross in the tower of Jesus Christ.
With the placement of this piece it reaches 162.91 meters in height. The finished monument will have a height of 172.5 meters. pic.twitter.com/952IP9okcI
— Catholic University Students (@UniCatolicos_es) October 31, 2025
The Sagrada Familia becomes the tallest church in the world after placing the first element of the cross on the tower of Jesus Christ.pic.twitter.com/ZmCzeUpbnL
— THE OBJECTIVE (@TheObjective_es) October 31, 2025
Related
The post The Sagrada Familia in Barcelona is now the tallest church in the world appeared first on Veritas News.
