Antoni Gaudí's Sagrada Família feels like part of Barcelona's DNA. It's been slowly reaching for the sky for generations, a piece of living history that seems to change every time you look at it. And it has just hit a massive milestone, officially growing tall enough to become the city's highest structure and reshaping the Barcelona skyline once again.
How tall is the Sagrada Família right now?
As of summer 2025, Gaudí's masterpiece stands at just over 155 metres, officially making it the tallest building in Barcelona. It now surpasses the 154-metre height of the city's twin skyscrapers, the Hotel Arts and the Mapfre Tower.
The road to completion: the Basilica’s final height and timeline
The grand plan is for the basilica to eventually reach 172.5 metres, making it one of the 10 tallest buildings in Spain. Gaudí was quite clear that his work shouldn't try to outdo God's creation, so he deliberately designed the central spire to be just a little shorter than Barcelona's Montjuïc hill, which reaches 177 metres.
The current schedule aims to have the Chapel of the Assumption finished during 2025, with the main event—the completion of the central Tower of Jesus Christ—set for 2026. This final tower will be crowned with a huge, 17-metre-tall, four-armed cross.
Upon completion, it will become the tallest church in the world, overtaking Germany's Ulm Minster.
When will Gaudí's Basilica de la Sagrada Família be finished?
The plan is to have the main architectural work, including all six central towers, completed by 2026. This date is hugely symbolic, as it marks 100 years since Gaudí's death.
However, the final, and rather grand, element is the main staircase for the Glory Façade, which is projected to be finished around 2034 or 2035. The delay comes down to complicated city planning issues, as finishing the grand entrance as Gaudí envisioned would involve rehousing people from buildings that currently stand in the way.
Gaudí's vision: design and symbolism of the Sagrada Família towers
The whole building is like a giant storybook carved in stone, with every detail packed with meaning and interesting facts you didn't know. His vision was for a total of eighteen towers, each a tribute to a key figure from the Bible.
There’s a clear hierarchy to them, arranged in ascending order of height. The first twelve, and the shortest, represent the twelve Apostles. Standing taller are four towers for the Evangelists: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Above them all are the two most significant spires. One is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, which is the second-tallest and was topped with a huge, glowing star back in 2021. The final, crowning jewel will be the central tower representing Jesus Christ.
Visiting the Sagrada Família Catholic Church
Gaudí's creation is a UNESCO World Heritage site for a reason. Its unique design has made it one of the world's most popular landmarks on social media.
If you're planning a trip to see it up close, the best advice is to book your tickets online well in advance, as the queues can be huge. When you book, you can often choose to add a trip up one of the towers, which gives you some fantastic views over the city. The museum in the basement is also well worth a look to get an insight into Gaudí's incredible mind and methods.
Living in the Sagrada Família neighbourhood of Barcelona
It's easy to think of the area around the basilica as just a tourist hotspot, but the neighbourhood itself, also called La Sagrada Família, is a really pleasant residential spot. It’s part of the Eixample district, so you get that classic Barcelona grid layout with lovely wide streets.
Once you step away from the main avenues, you’ll find it has a proper local vibe with plenty of families and long-term residents. There are local markets like the Mercat de la Sagrada Família, neighbourhood cafes, and great transport links to the rest of the city.
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