Barcelona’s Sagrada Família has hit a major milestone this month. The upper arm of the cross has been installed on the central Tower of Jesus Christ, bringing the basilica to its final height.
The famously unfinished Catholic church is one of the most intricate and ornate works of architecture in the world and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The world-renowned church is one of Europe’s most popular tourist attractions, with over 4 million visitors a year. Construction first began in 1882, which means it has been under construction for 142 years.
In 2023 a statement was released expecting the tower of Jesus Christ to be finished in 2026. A date timed to coincide with the centenary of architect Antoni Gaudí’s death.
So what’s to come next? Time is ticking.
This week, workers installed the upper arm of the cross on top of the central Tower of Jesus Christ, bringing the Sagrada Família to its final planned height of 172.5 metres. The towers of the Sagrada Família are laid out in a pyramid-shaped structure that have finally been fully realised with the completion of the the tower of Jesus Christ, the central, tallest tower.
At a glance: the answers people are searching for
- How long is left to build? The project still targets 2026 for completion of the main structure, but finishing works are expected to continue beyond that.
- What was added this week? The upper arm of the four-armed cross was installed atop the Tower of Jesus Christ, taking the basilica to its maximum height: 172.5m.
- Is the Sagrada Família finished now? No — the central tower’s exterior milestone is complete, but interior works and major finishing elements remain.
What exactly was added this week at the Sagrada Família?
On 20 February 2026, cranes lifted the upper arm of the cross into place on the Tower of Jesus Christ — the basilica’s central and tallest tower. The piece is the highest point of the entire site and completes the exterior work on the tower.
Here’s what’s worth knowing about the new addition:
- It completes the central tower’s exterior. Work will continue inside the structure through 2027 and 2028.
- It locks in the basilica’s final height: 172.5 metres above the city.
- The cross is designed to be recognisable from every direction. It has four arms, and plans include lighting elements so it can glow at night.
The cross itself has been assembled in stages. Earlier pieces were installed in 2025, and the final upper arm has now gone on — the “capstone” moment for the central tower.
So how long does the Sagrada Família have left to build?
If you mean “the main structure”: the target remains 2026. That’s the headline completion date the Sagrada Família has repeatedly linked to the 100-year anniversary of Gaudí’s death.
If you mean “everything a visitor would assume is complete”: think beyond 2026. Large-scale finishing work — including sculptural and decorative elements and the complicated question of the grand main-entrance approach — is expected to extend well past the central tower milestone.
Why there are two timelines
Cathedral projects don’t finish in one clean line. The Sagrada Família is balancing:
- Structural milestones (towers, roofs, major sections that define the building’s silhouette), and
- Finishing works (sculpture, decorative stonework, detailed façades, and the urban-design decisions around its main entrance).
So yes — 2026 is still meaningful. But it’s not the end of the story.
What’s left after the central tower reaches full height?
1) Interior works are still underway
The central tower’s exterior may now be complete, but its interior still has significant work ahead. This is the behind-the-scenes stage: structural fit-out, access, internal finishing, and safety systems that won’t change the skyline — but do determine when spaces can open.
2) The “last 10%” takes the longest
The Sagrada Família is famous for intricate detail — and that detail is slow, specialised work. Final sculptural programmes and decorative elements can take years, even after the headline structural milestones are reached.
3) The main entrance question is complex
The proposed approach to the main entrance (often discussed in connection with the Glory Façade) is one of the most complicated parts of the project because it intersects with city planning, streetscapes, and how people will move through the space.
Why it has taken more than 140 years
Construction began in 1882. Gaudí took over early in the project, and famously never expected to see it finished. Since then, progress has been shaped by everything from historic disruption to modern logistics — and, crucially, funding.
Unlike many historic cathedrals, the Sagrada Família is funded largely through visitor ticket sales. MiNDFOOD previously reported that the basilica welcomed 4,707,367 visitors in 2023, and that ongoing work depends on those ticket revenues.
