World's Tallest Church, Sagrada Família sets world record

June 14, 2026

BARCELONA, Spain--Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, or simply Sagrada Família, a church in the Eixample district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, was designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, consecrated by Pope Benedict XVI on 7 November 2010, and proclaimed it a basilica, setting the world record for the largest unfinished Catholic church in the world according to the World Record Academy.

All photos: Basilica Sagrada Famila

"Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, or simply Sagrada Família, is a church under construction in the Eixample district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.

"Designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, it is the largest unfinished Catholic church in the world. On 7 November 2010, Pope Benedict XVI consecrated the church and proclaimed it a basilica. Parts of the Sagrada Família (Nativity façade and Crypt) were declared as an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005, under "Works of Antoni Gaudí".

"The central Tower of Jesus Christ reached structural completion on 20 February 2026, when the final piece was installed,^[14]^[15] and it was inaugurated and blessed by Pope Leo XIV on 10 June 2026 during his visit to Spain, coinciding with the centenary of Gaudí's death. The tower, with a height of 172.5 m (566 ft), makes the Sagrada Família the world's tallest church." (Wikipedia)

"Describing Sagrada Família, art critic Rainer Zerbst said "it is probably impossible to find a church building anything like it in the entire history of art", and Paul Goldberger describes it as "the most extraordinary personal interpretation of Gothic architecture since the Middle Ages".

"Though sometimes described as a cathedral, the basilica is not the cathedral church of the Archdiocese of Barcelona; that title belongs to the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia (Barcelona Cathedral). (Wikipedia)

"On 30 October 2025, Sagrada Família became the world's tallest church after a part of its central tower was lifted into place and reached 162.91 m, surpassing Ulm Minster (161.53 m). The tower reached its full height of 172.5 m on 20 February 2026." (Wikipedia)

"Nevertheless, 100 years on from Gaudí's death, Pope Leo XIV is visiting Sagrada Família as the central pinnacle of the church – the Tower of Jesus Christ – is inaugurated. It stands complete at 172.5m (566ft). It has earned Sagrada Família the title of tallest church in the world," the BBC reports

"Standing in the church's nave, lit with oranges and reds bleeding through the western stained-glass windows, the tree-columns give the illusion of weightlessness. As you crane your neck to see where the trees meet the ornate ceiling studded with flowers, it's hard to believe that each tree carries an unimaginable pressure from above."

"The Sagrada Família is a one-of-a-kind temple, for its origins, foundation and purpose. Fruit of the work of genius architect Antoni Gaudí, the project was promoted by the people for the people. Five generations now have watched the Temple progress in Barcelona. Today, more than 140 years after the laying of the cornerstone, construction continues on the Basilica,"the official website says.

"Original design for the project for the Sagrada Família by diocesan architect Francisco de Paula del Villar following the prevailing guidelines of the time, with neo-Gothic elements: ogival windows, buttresses, flying buttresses and a pointed bell tower. Technical differences, about the cost of materials, led this architect to be replaced with another who was starting to stand out in the field, Antoni Gaudí, who took the project in a different direction, transforming it into an ambitious proposal for the church of the future."

"It’s inevitable — everyone looks up. When visitors arrive at Barcelona’s Sagrada Família, their eyes instinctively follow the surreal twisting lines of the basilica’s sculptural towers until they reach the tip of each spire," the CNN reports.

"Their gazes now extend higher than ever: More than 144 years after construction began, the world’s tallest church reached its final height of 566 feet upon the installation of its last major structural element, a cross atop the central Tower of Jesus Christ, in February."

"It has been a long wait but 144 years after work began, Pope Leo XIV has blessed the recently completed central tower of Antoni Gaudí’s Sagrada Família church in the presence of members of the Spanish royal family, the prime minister and hundreds of bishops," The Guardian reports.

"With the completion of the Jesus Christ tower, the tallest of 18 in the temple, the basilica has reached its full height of 172.5 metres. It is now not only the world’s tallest church but Barcelona’s tallest building. It was consecrated in 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI."