Sagrada Família

Construction began in 1882 to a neo-Gothic design by Francisco de Paula del Villar; Gaudí took over in 1883 and rebuilt the project as his own from the foundations up, devoting his last twelve years to it almost exclusively and living on site until his death in 1926, by which point less than a quarter of the building stood. In July 1936, anarchist militants set fire to the crypt during the Spanish Civil War, destroying Gaudí’s workshop models and plans; reconstruction of his intentions since has relied on photographs and surviving fragments. Only the Nativity façade and the crypt, built substantially under Gaudí’s own direction, are inscribed within the "Works of Antoni Gaudí" UNESCO World Heritage Site. Benedict XVI consecrated the building as a minor basilica in 2010. In February 2026 the last section of the central Tower of Jesus Christ was set in place, at 172.5 metres making Sagrada Família the world’s tallest church; interior work continues, with full completion of the remaining façades and surroundings not expected before the mid-2030s.