The Sagrada Familia reaches its peak

BarcelonaThe Sagrada Família reached its highest point this Friday. From early morning, work began to install the upper arm of the cross atop the Tower of Jesus. With this operation completed, the basilica reached its highest point at 172.5 meters, confirming its status as the tallest religious building in Europe. The installation of this arm completes the cross, a structure 17 meters high, 13.5 meters wide, and weighing 100 tons. In the future, several spotlights will emanate from the center of this cross, clad in white ceramic and featuring glass windows, to gently illuminate the Barcelona sky. It will also serve as a viewing platform with a capacity for 11 people.

The cross that crowns the top of the temple was built according to Gaudí's vision, who in his writings imagined a "grand cross with four fluted arms from which to admire the panorama." The architect's intention was that, in honor of the light of Christ, this figure would reflect the sunlight by day and project beams of light over the city by night. To achieve this, it has been covered with pieces of gleaming, glazed white ceramic, which will cause the cross to emit a different light depending on the time of day and the weather. The pyramidal elements and curved glass will help to give the cross a crystalline effect.

Once the cross was installed, Jordi Faulí, the lead architect and coordinator of the Sagrada Familia Expiatory Temple, affirmed that it was an "important" day in the history of the Sagrada Familia because the completion of the Jesus Tower also marks the completion of the temple's six towers. "The project isn't finished; the Glory façade is still to be completed, but this is an important day," he said, and expressed his gratitude and remembrance for those who designed the cross based on Gaudí's ideas and drawings, and for those who have been working on it in recent weeks to bring it to fruition. Although the cross is now fully assembled, its seven component pieces having been joined, it is still partially hidden by scaffolding. This is because the interior of the cross—which will also serve as a viewpoint—is not yet finished, and some "interior details" still need to be completed. According to Faulí, the scaffolding will begin to be dismantled "in a few weeks," revealing the cross as it truly is from the outside. The giant crane used to crown the temple will also be dismantled at that time. The inauguration of the Tower of Jesus will take place on June 10, coinciding with the anniversary of Gaudí's death. Faulín has not confirmed whether Pope Leo XIV will officiate the celebratory mass. However, the president of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, explained on Wednesday in an interview on La 2 that "it is unofficially assumed" that the pontiff will visit Barcelona on June 9 and 10, and indicated that a mass will probably be held in the basilica itself for the completion of the Tower of Jesus.

A few meters below Montjuïc

144 years after construction began, the Sagrada Família has reached its maximum height with the installation of the cross atop the tower of Jesus, reaching 172.5 meters. This height reflects Gaudí's insistence that his great work not be taller than any other work created by God. For this reason, he set the basilica's maximum height below Montjuïc, which stands at 177 meters above sea level. Another of Gaudí's wishes will be fulfilled within the upper arm. There, the Agnus Dei sculpture created by the artist Andrea Mastrovito will be placed. Thus, the lamb that the architect wanted in the center of the cross will be positioned at the top of the upper arm, perfectly visible from inside the cross.