Sagrada Família tower reaches 172.5 m, becoming world’s tallest church

On 10 June 2026, Pope León XIV blessed the newly completed central tower of Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia. The spire now stands at 172.5 metres, giving the basilica the title of the world’s tallest church. The ceremony followed a mass attended by thousands and came as part of the Pope’s week‑long visit to Spain.

The tower’s completion ends a 140‑year construction saga that began in 1882. Engineers used a novel pre‑compressed stone panel system, developed with Arup, to overcome the original foundations’ limits. Panels were laser‑cut from 3‑D models, prefabricated off‑site and lifted by a 200‑metre crane, with the final panel placed on 4 December 2024. The whole basilica is expected to be finished within the next decade.