The Sagrada Família (Barcelona, Catalonia) is now the tallest church in the world
Last week, the construction workers placed the first part of the cross that will stand on the central tower. This lower part of the cross is 7.25 meters tall and weights 24 tonnes.
With it, the Sagrada Família has become the tallest church in the world, surpassing Germany's Ulm Cathedral. Right now, the Sagrada Família measures 162.91 metres tall. When the building is finished, it will be 172.5 meters tall.
The church building started in 1885 following the design by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, who based the basilica's architecture on his observations of nature as well as references to Catalan culture. The building process has had to survive Gaudí's death in 1926, the Civil War (1936-1939), part of Gaudí's plans being burned in the war, the poverty of the post-war period, covid-19... and all of this, since it's an expiatory temple, it can only be built using money donated specifically to build it (as well as visitors ticket prices, since the ticket is considered a donation to the construction effort). The team in charge plans to finish building it in the year 2033, though the magnificent entrance staircase that Gaudí had planned might never be finished, since appartment blocks have been built where it would have gone.