Almost a century and a half after construction began on La Sagrada Familia, the exterior structure of the tallest church in the world was finally completed last Friday in Barcelona, Spain.
The Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, as it's officially named and the only way I refer to it in casual conversation, has now had its tallest tower, the tower of Jesus Christ, reach its maximum height. It's been topped with the upper arm of a three-dimensional four-armed cross that's clad in glass and white enameled ceramic.
Last week saw the upper arm of this roughly 56-ft (17-m) tall cross fitted with the help of a giant crane. That final piece, which is nearly 15 ft (4.5 m) tall, completes the grouping of the six central towers of the church – and brings the basilica's height to a dizzying 566 ft (172.5 m).
Interestingly, the cross was built in Germany using white enameled ceramic tiles, stone interior and glass that were made in the Spanish region of Catalonia. It was then transported in parts back to Barcelona by ferry and trucks, and finally assembled at the church.
Those materials were chosen to realize celebrated architect Antoni Gaudí’s idea of having the cross shine day and night. Indeed, the cross, with its double twist geometrical design, is large enough on the inside that it has a spiral staircase running up it, and will have light streaming through its windows.
That's a monumental milestone for this church, which saw construction originally begin all the way back in 1882. This storied project has taken ages because it's been funded solely by private donations, and has seen numerous architects take the lead in building it over several decades.
This UNESCO World Heritage Site was consecrated as a basilica – a Catholic church building bearing a specific designation and meant for special ceremonies – by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010, with a view to encourage followers to support its completion. You can see the sunning transformation of the unfinished church over last several years in the short clip below:
Gaudí, who applied Gothic and Art Nouveau styles to design this magnificent church, devoted his last 43 years to the project before dying in a tragic accident; by that time in 1926, not even a quarter of the Basílica de la Sagrada Família had been finished. He lies buried in the church's crypt.
While the exterior is technically complete, there's still work to be done over the next eight years in the church, including decorative elements, the cladding on the arms of the cross, and sculptures – including the Agnus Dei, or the Lamb of God. This will be created by Italian artist Andrea Mastrovito, who won a competition last year to design it. Mastrovito's Agnus Dei features the Lamb, made of hollow glass and covered in glass fragments, suspended in the air from the cross' upper arm within a hyperboloid covered in gold leaf. This structure is meant to symbolize the relationship between matter and energy, and between the Son and the Father.
The completion of the cross, the tower of Jesus Christ, and in effect, the exterior of the Basílica de la Sagrada Família coincides with the 100th anniversary of Gaudí's death. The church notes it'll hold commemorative events all through this year to celebrate the milestone; hopefully, that will drum up enough interest among Catholics and visitors of other faiths to help get the remainder of the project over the finish line by 2034.
Source: Fundació Junta Constructora del Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família
