Sagrada Família Barnabas Tower Hundredth Anniversary

Barcelona’s iconic Basilica of the Sagrada Família marks 100 years of the tower of Barnabas with illuminations and exhibitions.

The Basilica of the Sagrada Família commemorated a significant architectural milestone on November 30th, 2025, marking exactly one hundred years since Antoni Gaudí’s tower of Barnabas was completed. This tower holds particular significance as the first of eighteen towers the visionary architect conceived for the basilica, and remarkably, the only one Gaudí himself witnessed finished during his lifetime.

The evening celebration honored both this historic achievement and the generations of craftspeople who have continued Gaudí’s ambitious vision. The tower of Barnabas represents the tangible beginning of a dream that will ultimately culminate in the central tower dedicated to Jesus Christ, currently in its final construction phase.

A Night of Tradition and Light

The festivities blended Catalan tradition with architectural appreciation. Local castellers from the Sagrada Família neighborhood constructed one of their signature human towers, while the tower of Barnabas itself was dramatically illuminated against the Barcelona skyline.

The program also featured an insightful conversation between Dr. Jordi Faulí, the basilica’s head architect, and Dr. Chiara Curti, an architect and Art History PhD specialist, offering attendees deeper context into Gaudí’s groundbreaking work.

An Immersive Historical Exhibition

Coinciding with the anniversary, the Sagrada Família unveiled a new exhibition titled “1925-2025. A hundred years of the completion of the tower of Barnabas. Gaudí’s first witness at the Sagrada Família.” Running through May 26, 2026, the exhibition provides visitors an opportunity to explore this pivotal moment in the basilica’s construction history.

The exhibition showcases the evolution of construction techniques from Gaudí’s era to modern methods, demonstrating how the architect masterfully combined technical innovations with profound symbolic meaning in his tower designs. Among the highlights is a detailed model of the tower of Barnabas’s spire, alongside the original bell that Gaudí personally tested during his lifetime – a tangible connection to the architect’s hands-on approach to his masterwork.

A Year of Tribute

This celebration forms part of a comprehensive commemorative program organized by the Sagrada Família Foundation in collaboration with the Gaudí Council. The year-long tribute honors the centenary of Antoni Gaudí’s death, with events scheduled from autumn 2025 through Christmas 2026. The programming invites Barcelona’s citizens and international visitors to participate in honoring the architect’s legacy.

The celebrations are structured around four thematic periods: “Gaudí, the Spirit of the Creator” (2025), “The Collective Work of an Entire People” (2026), “The Tower of Jesus Christ, the Light that Culminates” (2026), and “Originality is Returning to the Origin – The Sagrada Família, the Legacy that Inspires” (2026). Events range from concerts featuring the renowned Escolania de Montserrat and visiting European choirs to solemn masses and special liturgical celebrations.

Additionally, an exhibition at Barcelona’s Palau Robert titled “The Sagrada Família and Barcelona, 144 years of shared journey” traces the intertwined history of the temple and the city that has watched it rise across multiple generations.

Progress on the Tower of Jesus Christ

Just weeks before this celebration, on October 30th, 2025, construction teams positioned the lower arm of the cross that will crown the tower of Jesus Christ. This massive component measures 7.25 meters and weighs an impressive 24 tonnes. After arriving in Barcelona last July in four separate panels, the cross arm underwent careful preparation on a work platform 54 meters above the main nave, where teams completed glazing work and interior stone masonry.

The cross features intricate double-twist geometry, transitioning from a square base to an octagonal crown. Its exterior showcases white glazed ceramic and glass, materials selected for their luminous quality and durability against Barcelona’s Mediterranean climate. When complete, the entire cross will stand 17 meters tall – roughly equivalent to a five-story building – and span 13.5 meters in width.

The tower of Jesus Christ will be the tallest of the central tower group, and its completion represents both a historic achievement for the Sagrada Família and a fitting tribute to Antoni Gaudí as the world approaches the centenary of the architect’s death.

For Barcelona visitors, these commemorative events offer a rare opportunity to witness history in the making at one of the world’s most extraordinary architectural projects – a temple that continues to evolve more than a century after Gaudí first imagined it. Full programming details are available at sagradafamilia2026.org.

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