Overview
- A crane placed the upper arm of the 17‑meter, four‑armed cross on Feb. 20, completing the Tower of Jesus Christ’s exterior and setting the basilica’s height at 172.5 meters.
- The cross is a prefabricated multi‑material structure built in Germany with glass and white enameled ceramic, transported in modules and installed in seven staged lifts.
- The milestone confirms Sagrada Família’s status as the world’s tallest church, a title it overtook from Ulm Minster in 2025.
- Interior and decorative works now take priority, including cladding and the Agnus Dei sculpture by Italian artist Andrea Mastrovito, with overall completion projected at roughly a decade away.
- Construction is funded mainly by admissions and donations—about 5 million visitors generated over €130 million in 2024—and the cross’s internal viewing platform is expected to open in 2027, according to the church.