Gaudí's Masterpiece Sagrada Família Completes Exterior After 145 Years of Construction

On June 10 (local time), a ceremony will be held to mark the completion of the central tower of the Basilica of the Sagrada Família, the representative masterpiece of Antoni Gaudí i Cornet (1852–1926), the master Catalan architect often called "God's Architect," on the centennial of his death.

To coincide with the milestone, Pope Leo XIV will visit Barcelona to preside over a memorial Mass commemorating the centennial of Gaudí's death and bless the "Tower of Jesus Christ," which serves as the crowning glory of the basilica's exterior.

Dedicated to the Holy Family of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, the Sagrada Família is one of Spain's most iconic landmarks, drawing 4.9 million Catholic pilgrims and tourists from around the world each year.

The 4.9 million visitors represent the highest number of paying visitors among the many attractions in the tourism powerhouse of Spain, with the number of free visitors who only view the exterior estimated to reach 20 million annually.

Drawing such a massive crowd, the Sagrada Família is an unfinished basilica that has been under construction for 145 years since groundbreaking in March 1882, and it stands as the tallest church in the world.

In February, the upper section of the cross was installed atop the central "Tower of Jesus Christ," reaching its maximum height of 172.5 meters and completing the overall structure and exterior.
In accordance with Gaudí's belief that human creations should not rise higher than God's creation of nature, the tower is slightly lower than Montjuïc (173 meters), the tallest hill in Barcelona.

Although the main entrance, the "Glory Facade," and the basilica's interior are still under construction, and the installation of a large outdoor staircase has caused friction with the local community—pushing final completion to around 2034—the overall exterior and structure of the basilica are officially completed this year.

Last month, the installation of the sculpture "Agnus Dei" (Lamb of God) inside the Tower of Jesus Christ was completed. Soon, the remaining crane anchoring structures on the exterior will be dismantled, and an elevator will be installed inside the tower.

The completion and blessing ceremony of the "Tower of Jesus Christ" on the evening of June 10 will be the highlight of the Gaudí centennial celebrations and the main event of the Pope's visit to Spain, which runs from June 6 to June 12.

A total of 3.2 million euros (approximately 5.7 billion won) has been allocated to organize 31 commemorative programs running from September 2025 to December this year.

Around 8,000 people, including high-ranking church and government officials such as King Felipe VI of Spain, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and Salvador Illa, the head of the Catalan regional government, as well as citizens, will be seated inside and outside the basilica, with a much larger crowd expected to gather nearby.

Spain has deployed over 13,000 police officers to maintain tight security during the Pope's visit.
Xavier Martínez, the general director of the Sagrada Família Construction Board, emphasized, "Through this blessing ceremony, we aim to once again share Gaudí's great body of work and artistic achievements with the entire world. It will be an occasion to pay deep respect to Gaudí, who is an asset not just to Catalonia, but to all of humanity."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.