Sagrada Familia in Barcelona is one of the foremost important structures attributed to the famed Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi, who has been responsible for the creation of many ingenious designs and structures in Barcelona.
The church which has been in existence for over 140 years now, is known for its incredible architecture. With exquisite facades and spires that run high in the sky, it truly stands as a remarkable place to visit. Read on to know more about Sagrada Familia's towers.
The plan for Sagrada Familia, laid down by Antoni Gaudi, was truly ahead of its time. Gaudi’s original vision for the towers includes 18 spires, to represent the Twelve Apostles, Virgin Mary, the four Evangelists, and Jesus Christ. Of the 18, only 8 spires have been completed so far. These correspond to the four Apostles of the Nativity Façade and the four Apostles of the Passion Façade.
The spires dedicated to the Evangelists will be surmounted by sculptures of their traditional symbols while the tallest spire, dedicated to Jesus Christ, will be surmounted by a giant cross and will have a height of 170 meters (560 ft). While the towers are a long way from completion, once completed they will make Sagrada Familia the tallest church building in the world. You'll need to purchase a special access ticket to visit Sagrada Familia towers where you can choose to climb either the Nativity or Passion towers.
Sagrada Familia TicketsEach of the three facades includes four towers dedicated to one of the 12 devoted followers of Jesus. At present, there are only 8 Sagrada Familia towers constructed— four belonging to the Nativity Facade on the East and four belonging to the Passion Facade on the West sides. There are four more to be completed on the Glory Facade side. The oldest of the towers, dedicated to St. Barnabas, was built during Gaudi's lifetime and was completed in 1925. Each of these towers rises up to 90m to 112m in height and is the smallest of the 18 towers.
The Sagrada Familia's plan features six central towers, of which four are dedicated to the four evangelists — Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John — whose works have led to the preservation of Christian history and religion. These towers are being built currently and have reached a height of 103.56m and will be 135 m when completed, making them the third tallest towers. They are slender in size compared to the towers dedicated to Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ and contain the staircases and lifts that lead to the interior of the tower of Jesus Christ.
The design of the Sagrada Familia is spectacular owing to the elaborate thinking that has gone in. Gaudi has deliberately made the tower of Jesus not be more than the height of the hill Montjuïc as a mark of respect to the Creator and has ensured that the tower of the Virgin Mary doesn’t go beyond Jesus’. This Sagrada Familia tower was inaugurated on 8 December 2021. The highlight of the tower is the beautifully crafted, mosaic decorated top and the star of Virgin Mary which is illuminated daily.
A careful observation of Gaudi’s design shows he envisioned the Temple structure to be in a hierarchical, vertical rise that depicts the rising of the human being to divinity - and the tower of Jesus is at the very top of it all. Right in the middle of the towers of the four evangelists, the tower of Jesus will stand tallest. It will rise to a height of 172m and will be the highest church tower in the world and the tallest structure in Barcelona. The completion of this Sagrada Familia tower will be a culmination of the work of more than 140 years and may finish in 2026 - on the 100th death anniversary of Gaudi.
One will have the opportunity to get to the top of the Sagrada Familia towers, to get a view of the magnanimous skies of Barcelona, overlooking the ocean. While you can get to the top via elevators, the way back down is only possible through the long, narrow series of winding stairs.
In theme with Gaudi’s personal architectural style that draws from nature, these spiral stairs resemble a snail's back. They are 60m in height and have a series of 504 steps in total. The stairs have no railings but spiral into themselves in such a way that the walls act as safe support while getting down. The stairs are completely safe to climb and not very physically tiring.
Visitors with physical disabilities, claustrophobia and heart conditions are requested to refrain from accessing the Towers as it can be a strain for them.
A. The Sagrada Familia towers are the 18 towers that comprise the structure of the famed basilica.
A. Yes, you can visit the Sagrada Familia Towers if you purchase Sagrada Familia tickets with access to the tower. You can book your Sagrada Familia tickets here.
A. No, entry to the Sagrada Familia Towers is not free. You need to purchase tickets to be able to enter the Sagrada Familia tickets.
A. Yes, you can buy tickets to the towers in Sagrada Familia online.
A. There are currently 9 Sagrada Familia Towers and 9 more are being constructed.
A. 9 of the total 18 Sagrada Familia Towers are completed.
A. The Sagrada Familia Towers are expected to be completed by 2026.
A. The Sagrada Familia Towers is the most visited place in Spain, which is a testament to its immense beauty, magnitude and sanctity. It is definitely worth it!
A. The Virgin Mary tower which has the Star of Mary and beautiful mosaic works at the base of the shaft makes it look better.
A. Yes, it is best to purchase Sagrada Familia Towers tickets online and in advance.
A. The must see highlights of the Sagrada Familia Towers are the 3 facades of the towers that depict three different aspects of Christ’s life.
A. The Sagrada Familia Towers were designed by the famous Catalan architect, Antoni Gaudi.
A. The Evangelist towers are at a height of 135m, the Apostle towers are of 90m-112m, while the Tower of Virgin Mary stands at 158m and the Tower of Jesus being the tallest, will stand at 172m.
A. The tallest tower in Sagrada Familia will be the tower of Jesus which is meant to stand at a height of 172m.