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Sagrada Familia enters a new phase: the tower of Jesus Christ now displays its first cross arm
The silhouette of the Sagrada Familia is changing again. In a precise operation requiring heavy-duty cranes, the first horizontal arm of the cross that will crown the tower of Jesus Christ, the future highest point of the temple, was lifted and fitted this Tuesday.
The piece, facing the Nativity façade, weighs over eleven tonnes and marks a key milestone in the final stretch of one of the most symbolic parts of the project.
The installation comes after the placement of the lower arm and the central core, the structure that will serve as the joint for the four arms of the cross. In the coming weeks, the arrival of the second horizontal arm is expected—the one facing the Passion façade—and shortly after, the remaining two. Before being hoisted into their final position, the pieces are prepared on a platform at a height of 54 metres, where the glass is installed and interior details are finalised.
All four arms share the temple’s characteristic double-twist geometry: octagonal on the inside, square on the outside, with proportions that reveal the scale of the whole—4.4 metres wide on each side and over 11 tonnes each.
With this installation, the tower of Jesus Christ is progressing according to schedule. The Junta Constructora is sticking to the date marked in red: 2026, the centenary of Gaudí’s death, when the tower will be completed. The official inauguration is scheduled for 10 June, a moment that will close a historic chapter and open another in the transformation of Barcelona’s skyline.