World's Tallest Church, Sagrada Familia, Is Finally Completed After 144 Years

For 144 years, visitors to Barcelona have watched the Sagrada Família rise slowly towards the sky. On 10 June 2026, that long wait reached a significant milestone.

Pope Leo XIV blessed the newly completed Tower of Jesus Christ, which at 172.5 metres makes the basilica the tallest church in the world. The ceremony took place on the 100th anniversary of Antoni Gaudí's death, the visionary architect who dedicated his life to the project.

Tens of thousands of people gathered in the streets of the Eixample district to witness the event. A fireworks display, a drone show, and a children's choir accompanied the evening, while King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia attended the Mass inside the basilica.

For many travellers, this moment answers a long-standing question: Is the Sagrada Família finally finished?

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A complete skyline, but not a complete building

The answer is both yes and no.

Image credit: Ticket Sagrada Familia | Official Website

The exterior silhouette is now complete. Gaudí always intended the central tower to be the highest point, standing deliberately half a metre shorter than Barcelona's Montjuïc hill – a respectful gesture, as he believed no human work should surpass the natural height of God's creation.

However, several elements remain unfinished. The interior of the Tower of Jesus Christ still requires staircases and viewing platforms, with work expected to continue until 2028. More significantly, the Glory Façade, the grand main entrance that Gaudí envisioned as the most impressive of all, has yet to be built.

This final phase has proven controversial. The proposed monumental staircase would require the demolition of apartment blocks along Carrer de Mallorca, potentially displacing thousands of residents. Local neighbours have protested for years, and legal challenges remain unresolved.

The Construction Board maintains that the staircase was always part of Gaudí's original vision. Critics note, however, that the architect's original plans were destroyed in a fire in 1936, leaving modern architects to interpret rather than follow.

Should travellers visit now or wait?

For those planning a trip to Barcelona, the answer is clear now.

Image credit: Ticket Sagrada Familia | Official Website

Waiting for "full completion" (optimistically projected for the mid-2030s) means missing the unique pleasure of witnessing a masterpiece in its final stages of becoming. As Gaudí once said: "The fact that it is incomplete is not a flaw, for it bears witness to a desire; it does not signify a shortcoming, but rather expresses a promise."

Practical information for visitors

What is still to come

• 2028: Completion of staircases and viewpoints inside the Tower of Jesus Christ

• 2030–2034: Glory Façade (subject to the ongoing planning dispute)

• Mid-2030s: Optimistic projection for full completion

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The Sagrada Família is not yet entirely finished. The Glory Façade remains unbuilt, and the dispute over the monumental staircase has yet to be resolved.

However, for the first time in nearly a century and a half, the basilica looks complete. The central tower is blessed, illuminated, and open to the sky. Visitors who make the journey now will witness a rare moment in architectural history: a masterpiece arriving at its final form, even if a few details remain for future generations to complete.