Sagrada Familia finish date
The board of works projects the Sagrada Familia completion date in the 2030s after a construction process that began in 1882. The exterior of the Tower of Jesus Christ was completed on 20 February 2026, bringing the basilica to its definitive height of 172.5 metres. Work now focuses on the Glory Façade, the interior of the central tower, and the final decorative phases planned for the next decade.
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When will the Sagrada Familia be finished?
The Junta Constructora del Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família estimates the Sagrada Familia finish date might occur during the 2030s, though the timeline remains subject to change. This long-term project began in 1882 and has encountered multiple delays over the decades, preventing a definitive completion year.
Although workers installed the final piece of the Tower of Jesus Christ in February 2026, the basilica remains an active construction site. Work now focuses on the complex Glory Facade and the artistic details of the monumental stairway. While completing the central towers represents a historic milestone, project leadership has refrained from setting a fixed final date because of the intricate sculptural work that still needs to be carried out. Consequently, the project maintains a flexible timeline while finishing the last architectural phases. This approach ensures the monument's structural integrity in accordance with the geometric models left by Antoni Gaudí.
The board has scheduled the inauguration of the Tower of Jesus Christ for 10 June 2026, the centenary of Antoni Gaudí's death. Pope Leo XIV will preside over the blessing ceremony and a solemn mass inside the basilica. The 2026 calendar combines this milestone with the Gaudí Year commemoration and Barcelona's designation as UNESCO World Capital of Architecture 2026, framing the building's symbolic completion within a broader cultural programme. The construction board projects ten more years to finish the verticality of the Glory Façade, while final decorative work is expected to extend until 2034.
What happens on 10 June 2026 at the Sagrada Familia?
The basilica will hold its central commemorative event on 10 June 2026, the hundredth anniversary of Antoni Gaudí's death. The programme combines a religious ceremony with the official inauguration of the completed Tower of Jesus Christ, after the surrounding scaffolding was removed during April 2026.
- Floral offering at Gaudí's tomb in the basilica's crypt, with institutional representatives present.
- Blessing of the Tower of Jesus Christ, the temple's tallest structure at 172.5 metres.
- Solemn mass presided over by Pope Leo XIV, the first papal visit to the Sagrada Familia since Benedict XVI's consecration in November 2010.
The Vatican confirmed Leo XIV's attendance during the spring of 2026 as part of his pastoral visit to Spain. Visitor access to the basilica will be temporarily restricted on the day of the ceremony.
What is the cross on the Tower of Jesus Christ like?
The four-armed three-dimensional cross stands 17 metres tall and 13.5 metres wide, clad in white enamelled ceramic, glass, and stone. Each arm follows the double-twist geometry that Antoni Gaudí applied to the columns and crosses across the basilica.
- Modular assembly: the structure was built in Germany during 2025 in fourteen prefabricated concrete and stainless-steel pieces, then hoisted in seven combined sections from a working platform 54 metres above the central nave.
- Lower arm placed on 27 October 2025, the moment when the basilica became the world's tallest church at 162.91 metres, surpassing Ulm Minster's 161.53 metres.
- Upper arm placed on 20 February 2026, completing the exterior at 172.5 metres.
- Inside the upper arm, an Agnus Dei sculpture by Italian artist Andrea Mastrovito will hang surrounded by golden rays forming a hyperboloid, visible through the cross's windows.
- Lighting plan: the original design includes a beam of light projected from each arm of the cross, pending approval by Barcelona's city council.
Current status of the towers
The following table summarizes the status of the main structures with respect to the Sagrada Familia's projected completion dates:
| Structure | Final height | Status / Completion date |
|---|---|---|
| Virgin Mary Tower | 138 metres | Inaugurated in December 2021 |
| Evangelists Towers | 135 metres | Completed in September 2023 |
| Jesus Christ Tower (exterior) | 172.5 metres | Cross completed on 20 February 2026; world's tallest church since October 2025 |
| Jesus Christ Tower (interior) | — | Under construction; visitable from 2028 once the elevator is installed |
| Chapel of the Assumption | — | Under construction along Provença Street |
| Glory Façade (verticality) | — | Foundations and first eight columns under construction; structure projected for the 2030s |
| Glory Façade decorative work | — | Sculptural finishes expected until 2034 |
Why is Sagrada Familia taking so long?
The construction of the basilica has spanned more than 140 years for three main reasons: historical, financial, and technical:
- Spanish Civil War (1936–1939): The conflict destroyed Gaudí’s workshop. Vandals burned the original plans and smashed the plaster models, forcing subsequent architects to reconstruct the designs using ruled geometry.
- Expiatory financing: The Sagrada Familia receives no public or government funding; the work is funded exclusively by private donations and visitor ticket sales.
- Architectural complexity: Antoni Gaudí’s design employs complex geometric forms such as paraboloids, hyperboloids, and conoids. These structures require advanced computer technology to execute faithfully.
- The Glory Façade staircase conflict: the original Gaudí plan extends the main entrance over Mallorca Street with a monumental staircase and esplanade that would require demolishing residential blocks. As of spring 2026, the construction board and Barcelona's city council are negotiating a relocation agreement; the decision conditions when, and how, the principal entrance can be finished.
What will the Sagrada Familia look like when it’s completed?
When construction is finished, the basilica will function as an architectural organism of Christian symbolism consisting of the following elements:
The three monumental façades
Each façade narrates an episode of the life of Jesus:
- Nativity Façade: Facing East, it represents the human and life-affirming side of Christ.
- Passion Façade: Located to the West, it conveys pain and sacrifice through an angular sculptural style.
- Glory Façade: Facing South, it will be the largest and will serve as the main entrance from Mallorca Street.
The set of 18 towers
The basilica will feature a system of 18 towers prioritized by height and symbolism:
- 12 Apostles Towers: Distributed among the three façade groups.
- 4 Evangelists Towers: Surrounding the main tower and topped by the Tetramorph figures.
- 1 Virgin Mary Tower: Located above the apse.
- 1 Jesus Christ Tower: The completed Jesus Christ Tower reaches the highest elevation of the basilica and features a massive 17-meter cross at its summit.
The interior: the forest of columns
The interior of the basilica is currently open to visitors and showcases Gaudí’s definitive naturalistic design:
- Arborescent columns: The pillars branch out toward the ceiling like trees, supporting the vaults without external buttresses.
- Light and color: Installed polychrome stained glass windows filter natural light to create a spiritual atmosphere that changes with the sun’s position.
- Chapel of the Assumption: This space, currently under construction, will provide an additional area for reflection within the temple’s deambulatory.
Construction timeline of the Sagrada Familia
The following milestones define the evolution of the temple toward the final Sagrada Familia finish date:
| Year / Period | Historical and construction milestone |
|---|---|
| 1882 | Construction begins on the crypt under architect Francisco de Paula del Villar. |
| 1883 | Antoni Gaudí takes charge and redefines the design into his signature style. |
| 1926 | Gaudí dies on 10 June; the project is approximately 25% complete. |
| 1936–1939 | The Spanish Civil War halts work; Gaudí's workshop and plaster models are destroyed. |
| 1954 | Construction begins on the Passion Façade. |
| 2010 | Pope Benedict XVI consecrates the temple as a Minor Basilica. |
| 2018 | The Passion Façade is structurally completed. |
| 2020 | The COVID-19 pandemic halts work, delaying the original 2026 completion goal. |
| 2021 | The Tower of the Virgin Mary is inaugurated with its 12-pointed star. |
| 2023 | The four Towers of the Evangelists are completed. |
| April 2025 | Pope Francis recognises Gaudí's heroic virtues; the architect is declared Venerable. |
| October 2025 | The lower arm of the cross is installed on 27 October; the basilica becomes the world's tallest church at 162.91 metres. |
| February 2026 | The upper arm of the cross is placed on 20 February, completing the Tower of Jesus Christ exterior at 172.5 metres. |
| June 2026 | Pope Leo XIV inaugurates and blesses the Tower of Jesus Christ on 10 June, the centenary of Gaudí's death. |
| 2027–2028 | Interior works of the Tower of Jesus Christ continue; the tower opens to visitors in 2028 with the new elevator. |
| 2030s | Verticality of the Glory Façade is structurally completed. |
| 2034 | Sculptural and decorative finishes are projected to be complete. |