Key Facts:
- Pope Leo XIV inaugurated and blessed the Tower of Jesus Christ at the Sagrada Família on 10 June, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of Antoni Gaudí's death.
- The Tower of Jesus Christ rises to 172.5 metres, making the Sagrada Família the tallest basilica in the world.
- The ceremony began with a solemn Mass dedicated to Antoni Gaudí, presided over by Pope Leo XIV and attended by 8,000 people.
- Spain's leading institutional authorities attended the event, underlining its historic, spiritual and cultural significance.
- The celebration concluded with a spectacular music and light show, featuring a children's choir, live orchestra, fireworks and drones, including a final image of Gaudí appearing in the sky as though contemplating his masterpiece
Barcelona marked a historic milestone in Gaudí's masterpiece with a solemn Mass, the blessing of the Tower of Jesus Christ and a spectacular tribute of music, light, fireworks and drones.
Barcelona, 10 June 2026 – Barcelona marked one of the most significant moments in the history of the Sagrada Família on 10 June at 8:00pm local time, as Pope Leo XIV presided over the solemn blessing and inauguration of the Tower of Jesus Christ, the highest and most symbolic point of Antoni Gaudí's basilica.
Rising to 172.5 metres, the Tower of Jesus Christ is the tallest of the 18 towers conceived for the basilica and makes the Sagrada Família the tallest basilica in the world. Its inauguration represents a decisive milestone in the architectural development of the temple and the culmination of one of the central elements of Gaudí's original design.
The ceremony took place on the day marking 100 years since the death of Antoni Gaudí, the visionary Catalan architect whose work transformed Barcelona's skyline and became one of the world's most recognisable expressions of architecture, spirituality and creativity.
The event began with a solemn Mass presided over by Pope Leo XIV and dedicated to Antoni Gaudí on the centenary of his death. Attended by 8,000 people and Spain's leading institutional authorities, the Mass underlined the historic, spiritual and cultural significance of the occasion.
Following the Mass, Pope Leo XIV solemnly blessed and inaugurated the Tower of Jesus Christ, giving the occasion a unique spiritual and institutional dimension. The presence of the Holy Father placed the event among the most important moments in the recent history of the basilica and reinforced the universal significance of Gaudí's legacy.
The inauguration concluded with a spectacular artistic tribute created especially for the occasion. A children's choir performed as the Tower of Jesus Christ and the Barcelona sky became the setting for a music and light show, accompanied by a live orchestra and fireworks. The celebration culminated in a drone show, in which the figure of Antoni Gaudí appeared in the sky, as though contemplating his masterpiece from above, in a moving homage to his imagination, faith and enduring vision.
This historic moment was also a gesture of gratitude to the five generations of architects, artisans, builders, donors and visitors who, over more than a century, have contributed to bringing Gaudí's vision closer to completion. Their collective effort has allowed one of the world's most ambitious architectural projects to continue evolving and become a shared cultural legacy.
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About the Catalan Tourist Board
The Catalan Tourist Board is the official tourism promotion body of the Government of Catalonia, a region in north-eastern Spain whose capital is Barcelona. The organisation is responsible for positioning Catalonia internationally as a leading travel destination, promoting its culture, gastronomy, nature, heritage, meetings industry and premium travel experiences.
Through its headquarters in Catalonia and its network of offices abroad, the Catalan Tourist Board works with the tourism sector to promote a high-quality, sustainable and diverse tourism model.
