Video reveals Sagrada Familia becoming tallest church in the world
The Sagrada Familia in Barcelona has become the world's tallest church with the latest addition to the tower of Jesus Christ, which has been captured in this video.
The footage shows the lower portion of a cross being lifted into place on the central and tallest tower, marking the start of the final phase of construction at Antoni Gaudí's famous basilica, which commenced in 1882.
With this 7.25-metre-tall addition, the Sagrada Familia now reaches a height of 162.91 metres, surpassing Germany's 161.53-metre-tall Ulm Minster to become the tallest church in the world.
The Sagrada Familia's tower of Jesus Christ, the last of 18 spires to be built, is expected to rise to 172 metres upon completion in 2026, which will coincide with the centenary of Gaudí's death.
Weighing 24 tonnes, the recently constructed segment forms the lower arm of the 17-metre-tall cross that will top the tower of Jesus Christ.
It has a square base that becomes octagonal at the top, clad in white glazed ceramic and glass panels.
Construction on the Sagrada Familia has accelerated in recent years thanks to the use of prefabricated stone panels designed by engineering firm Arup. These have also minimised the weight of the basilica's colossal elements, including the tower of the Virgin Mary.
The construction history of the Sagrada Familia has been long and complex. Gaudí drastically changed the church's design in 1883 when he took over from the previous architect, who resigned.
Gaudí led the project until his death in 1926, when less than a quarter was estimated to be complete. Construction subsequently slowed due to funding and was then halted by the Spanish civil war, during which the majority of the Catalan architect's original plans were lost.
Other places of worship recently featured on Dezeen include a brick and glulam church in Denmark by Henning Larson, and Shigeru Ban's Cardboard Cathedral in New Zealand, which we named the most significant building of 2013.
The photography and video are by the Foundation Construction Board of the Expiatory Temple of the Sagrada Familia.
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