Sebastián Sansón Ferrari – Vatican
This is a new milestone in the construction of the Sagrada Familia Basilica. On February 20, the installation of the upper arm of the cross of the Jesus Tower was completed. This is the highest element of the entire monument.
With this operation, the exterior work on the central tower and on the entire set of six central towers envisioned in the temple’s design has been completed.
The installed element measures 4.5 × 4.5 × 4.9 meters and is part of the large three-dimensional cross that crowns the main tower. Although the exterior construction has been completed, work inside the tower will continue in 2027 and 2028.
The highest point of the temple
The Jesus Tower is the core of the tower system designed by Antoni Gaudí. It is surrounded by the four Evangelist towers – connected by bridges – and the Virgin Mary tower, internally connected to the central tower.
The tower has twelve sides and reaches a total height of 172.5 meters. The construction of individual panel levels began in October 2018, at a height of 85 meters, using a post-tensioned stone system combining stone and steel. This method allowed elements to be manufactured outside the temple and then assembled modularly. The last level of panels was completed in December 2024, when the structure reached a height of 142.5 meters.
A cross of great dimensions
The pinnacle of the tower is a four-armed cross, covered with glass and white, glazed ceramics. The total dimensions of the cross are 17 meters high and 13.5 meters wide. The installation was carried out in stages: the lower arm was installed in October 2025, reaching a height of 162.91 meters.
The individual parts of the cross were manufactured in 2025 in Germany and in workshops in Catalonia – for the ceramics, internal stone, and glass. The modules arrived separately and were pre-assembled on a platform located at a height of 54 meters, above the main nave. From there, they were lifted in seven parts to their final position. The last part, installed today, is the upper arm.
Agnus Dei in the center
A sculpture of the Lamb of God, by artist Andrea Mastrovito, will be placed in the upper arm. This figure corresponds to Gaudí’s original intention to place the Agnus Dei in the center of the cross, and will be visible from inside the structure.
At the base of the tower’s pinnacle are inscriptions praising Christ – “Tu solus Sanctus, tu solus Dominus, tu solus Altissimus” (You alone are Holy, You alone are Lord, You alone are the Most High) – made of white, glazed ceramics and brick, surrounded by palm motifs. The entire pinnacle is 29 meters high, and its construction began in May 2025.
A milestone in Gaudí Year
The completion of the tower’s exterior coincided with the centenary of Gaudí’s death, which is celebrated in 2026.
The project’s chief architect, Jordi Faulí, noted that the completion of the cross “means much more than the completion of a construction stage: it is the result of years of work and research into the legacy that Antoni Gaudí left us,” and also described it as “a strong commitment to the future to continue working on the completion of the temple.”
