The Sagrada Familia Basilica in Barcelona becomes the tallest church in the world

The Sagrada Familia became the tallest church in the world after workers placed the first part of a cross on top of the central tower.

Now standing 162.91 meters tall, the Spanish basilica has officially beaten Germany’s Ulm Cathedral, which has held the crown since 1890.

Designed by renowned architect Antoni Gaudí, the place of worship has been under construction in central Barcelona for over a century, with the main building due to be completed next year.

The central tower of Jesus Christ will grow as the rest of the cross is added over the next few months, eventually reaching a height of 172 meters.

The first stone of the Sagrada Familia was laid in 1882, with the future architect Gaudí taking over the project the following year.

He transformed the original designs for the basilica into a much more ambitious proposal that was originally funded by donations from repentant worshippers.

At the time of his unexpected death in 1926, only one of the planned 18 towers had been built.

In the following years, the construction of the architectural wonder was led by the Sagrada Família Foundation and financed by donations from tourists, visitors and private donors.

In addition to the death of its primary architect, the basilica faced a number of obstacles during its nearly 150-year construction.

During the Spanish Civil War, Catalan anarchists set fire to the crypt, destroying the plans and plaster models created by Gaudí that would guide future construction.

Most recently, the Covid-19 pandemic brought construction on the building to a halt, with foundation members attributing the pause to a lack of tourism and the subsequent drop in funding for the project.

In September of this year, Sagrada Familia Director General Xavier Martinez told The Associated Press that the Jesus Christ Tower would be completed in 2026 to coincide with the centenary of Gaudí’s death.

The foundation will hold a series of events in honor of the architect, who is buried in the church’s crypt.

Work on decorative details, sculptures and a staircase leading to the building’s main entrance is expected to continue over the next decade.