Barcelona’s iconic Sagrada Familia, the masterpiece of architect Antoni Gaudí (25 June 1852 – 10 June 1926), is approaching a historic milestone: the completion of its 172.5-meter (566-foot) Jesus Christ Tower, its highest spire. The event, scheduled for June 2026, will be the centerpiece of celebrations marking the centenary of the architect’s death, and Pope Francis has been invited to attend.
“We hope to have his response this very month,” stated the president of the Construction Board, Esteve Camps, during a press conference in Barcelona covered by Iberian media. He confirmed the invitation was extended by the Board of the Sagrada Familia.
The external structure of the tower is slated for completion on June 10 of this year, coinciding with the anniversary of the Catalan architect’s death. However, public access to the viewpoint, which will be built within the tower’s cross arms, will take longer to open. This inauguration does not signify the temple’s final completion, which, according to Camps and chief architect Jordi Fauli, is now projected for 2035 due to pandemic-related delays to the schedule.
Work is currently focused on three main fronts: installing the cross on the basilica’s tallest spire, the Jesus Christ Tower; restoring Antoni Gaudí’s studio; and constructing the controversial Glory Façade. This façade, envisioned by Gaudí as the building’s main entrance, remains at the center of a heated debate. The plans call for a large staircase whose construction would require the demolition of several residential blocks in the Eixample district. The temple’s management, committed to the original design, has reaffirmed that “the staircase will be built,” despite strong local opposition and potential legal challenges. Once the Jesus Christ Tower is finished after 2026, focus will shift entirely to this façade.