The long-gestating construction of Barcelona’s famous Sagrada Familia reached a milestone this week as workers completed the upper half of its tallest tower – a monument to Jesus Christ, making the fantastic building the tallest church in the world.
Construction on architect Antoni Gaudi’s masterpiece began in 1882, and by the time of his death in 1926 at the age of 73, only one tower had been completed.
But it is reported The GuardianAs a 56-foot-tall cross was hoisted into place on Friday, the project’s lead architect said, “It’s a happy day and a wonderful day for everyone who made it possible.” Construction is expected to last about a decade, but The Guardian Calling the day “an emotional day for a city where Gaudí’s unfinished works have been passed down from generation to generation.”
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as pointed out Popular science“The cross features a combination of glass, tiles and stone from the Catalonia region of Spain but was built in sections by German craftsmen. From there, each piece was transported by ferry and truck to Barcelona, where crane crews carefully installed the final components of the cathedral’s exterior work. The structure is large enough to accommodate an interior spiral staircase, designed to fulfill Gaudí’s original goal of making the cross glow day and night.”
The tower’s completion ceremony is scheduled to take place on June 10, which is the centenary of Gaudí’s death. This coincides with Barcelona being designated as the World Capital of Architecture for 2026 by UNESCO. The city will also host the UIA World Congress of Architects from June 28 to July 2. Earlier this month, a contemporary art exhibition space opened in Barcelona’s other Gaudí-designed landmark, the UNESCO World Heritage Site Casa Batlló.
