Sagrada Familia tops Ulm Minster as world’s tallest church at 162.91m with new cross segment on Jesus Christ Tower, nearing 2026 Gaudí centenary finish.
Newsroom (31/10/2025, Gaudium Press ) The Sagrada Familia basilica has officially surpassed Germany’s Ulm Minster to claim the title of the world’s tallest church, reaching a height of 162.91 meters following the installation of a key cross segment on its Tower of Jesus Christ.
The milestone was achieved yesterday with the placement of the cross’s lower arm, a 7.25-meter, 24-tonne structure that elevates the iconic Barcelona landmark 1.41 meters above the previous record-holder, the Ulm Minster‘s 161.53-meter spire.
“Today the first part of the cross of the Sagrada Família’s tower of Jesus Christ has been placed, signalling the start of the final phase of construction of this central tower of the temple,” the Sagrada Familia foundation stated in a press release.
The lower arm, featuring a double-twist geometry that transitions from a square base to an octagonal top, arrived in July divided into four panels. These were assembled on a platform 54 meters above the main nave to facilitate glazing, stone masonry, and other interior preparations. Clad in white glazed ceramic and glass for enhanced brightness and weather resistance, the component aligns with the basilica’s organic style envisioned by its late architect, Antoni Gaudí.
Once fully assembled, the cross will stand 17 meters tall—roughly the height of a five-story building—and span 13.5 meters wide. It will be open to the public, providing panoramic views of Barcelona. The steel framework supporting the cladding was manufactured by Josef Gartner, a German firm based in Gundelfingen on the Danube, just 30 kilometers east of Ulm.
This installation marks a pivotal advance toward completing the Tower of Jesus Christ, the tallest in the basilica’s central group. The tower’s full realization will coincide with the centenary of Gaudí’s death in 2026, prompting commemorative events detailed at sagradafamilia2026.org.
The basilica’s official inauguration is scheduled for June 10, 2026, exactly 100 years after Gaudí’s fatal tram accident en route to the site. Construction, which began in 1882, will persist post-inauguration, with full completion projected for the 2030s—nearly 150 years after groundbreaking.
The Ulm Minster, a Gothic masterpiece, has held the title since 1890, remarkably surviving World War II bombardments that devastated much of the surrounding city.
Gaudí, born in 1852 in Reus, Catalonia, drew inspiration from nature during a childhood marked by rheumatism, which limited his play with peers and influenced his fluid, organic designs. A vegetarian, lifelong bachelor, and devout Catholic, he dedicated his career to Catalan modernism. Notable works include the Episcopal Palace in Astorga and Casa Batlló in Barcelona. Beatification proceedings for Gaudí, initiated by the Catholic Church in 2000, remain ongoing.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from https://brusselssignal.eu/
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