Barcelona’s skyline set a new record on October 30, 2025, after the city’s world-renowned Sagrada Familia basilica officially became the tallest church on the globe.
As reported by the BBC, the milestone was achieved during ongoing construction when workers, using a towering crane, placed the first part of a cross atop the basilica’s central tower, known as the ‘Tower of Jesus Christ’.
The Spanish church has officially broken the record for Germany’s tallest church, Ulm Minster, which has held the title since 1890.
Sagrada Familia has now been measured as 162.91 meters tall (534 feet), nudging past the Ulm Minster’s 161.53 meters (530 feet), reports AP.
The place of worship has been under construction in the centre of Barcelona for more than a century, with the main building due to be completed next year.
The central tower will reach its final planned height of 172 meters (564 feet) in the coming months, making the church even more commanding and unique among the world’s sacred architecture.
The next stage will see the rest of the cross added to the Tower of Jesus Christ, cementing Sagrada Familia’s place in the record books for years to come.
Sagrada Familia is known as the world's largest unfinished church, and its construction is expected to continue for several years.
Work on the Sagrada Familia's elaborate facades and the decoration of its interior is expected to be completed around a decade from now, according to the church.
According to church officials, the first stone of the Sagrada Família was laid in 1882 by acclaimed architect Antoni Gaudí, who transformed the original designs for the basilica into a far more ambitious proposal, initially funded by donations from repentant worshippers.
At the time of his unexpected death in 1926, just one of the planned 18 towers had been built.
Since then, the construction of the architectural marvel has been managed by the Sagrada Família foundation and funded by contributions from tourists, visitors, and private donors.
Additionally, the church is planning to hold several events to celebrate the legacy of architect Gaudí on his 100th death anniversary next year.
