Scraping the clouds: New contender among Barcelona's tallest buildings

Barcelona will soon have a new skyline, marking a historic feat as the city's landscape changes forever.

The construction of the unfinished Sagrada Família Basilica, by architect Antoni Gaudí, is quickly reaching new heights, with the Tower of Jesus Christ surpassing the 143.5-meter mark in early April.

Once fully finished, the temple will be 172.5 meters tall, becoming Barcelona's tallest building.

But before the Sagrada Família takes the record, it will need to win the battle against the 154-meter-tall Torre Mapfre and Hotel Arts, which have held the title of being the tallest buildings in the city since 1992, when construction on those towers concluded.

Barcelona's unfinished basilica is expected to reach its highest point by 2026, a century on from the death of architect Gaudí, when a large viewpoint will crown the Tower of Jesus Christ, the tallest tower in the church. Although construction managers unveiled a prototype of such a cross in September 2024, the viewpoint will not be accessible until 2027 due to security issues.

When completed, Sagrada Família will not only be Barcelona's tallest building but also the world's tallest church, overtaking the Ulm Minster in Ulm, Germany, which spans 162m.

172.5 meters tall

Sagrada Família started construction in 1882, and a year later, in 1883, Antoni Gaudí took over the project. Since then, he has always wanted to respect God's creation.

Based on 1914 texts written by the managing board secretary, Martí Manlleu, Gaudí was clear in his desire not to surpass God's creation: Nature.

In the Catalan capital, that limit is set by Montjuïc Mountain, which stands at 177 meters above sea level.

The towers of the Four Evangelists, Luke, Mark, John, and Matthew, each 123 meters tall, surround the Tower of Jesus Christ, which is next to the Tower of the Virgin Mary, measuring 138 meters.

Listen to our Filling the Sink podcast episode to learn more about the famous basilica.