The eighteen towers of the Sagrada Familia are one of the most distinctive elements of Gaudí’s masterpiece and have become true icons of the city of Barcelona. Each tower represents a figure related to the Christian tradition, from Jesus Christ himself to the four evangelists. In this article, we invite you to learn more about them. In short: the Sagrada Familia will have 18 towers and 14 are finished today (8 of the apostles, the 4 of the evangelists, the Virgin Mary’s and Jesus Christ’s). The 4 towers of the Glory façade are still missing.
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Table of Contents
- History of the Towers
- The 12 Apostles’ Towers
- The 4 Evangelists’ Towers
- The Virgin Mary Tower
- The Jesus Tower
- Climbing the Sagrada Familia Towers
- Which tower to choose: Nativity or Passion?
Eighteen Towers to Tell a Story
Gaudí’s project (he took over the works in 1883) planned the construction of eighteen towers grouped into different families to honor some of the most important figures of the New Testament.
With these towers, the architect sought to follow the example of great builders of the past, who used every element of their religious buildings to spread the word of God, whether subtly or explicitly.
From an artistic and cultural perspective, we can distinguish four different groups: the Apostles’ Towers, the Evangelists’ Towers, the Virgin Mary Tower, and the Jesus Tower. The Jesus Christ tower, inaugurated in 2026, was a decisive step in the long history of the Sagrada Familia.
At present, fourteen of them have been completed, and it is already easy to imagine how the temple will look once the scaffolding and cranes are permanently removed. The Tower of Jesus Christ was inaugurated on 10 June 2026, and only the four towers of the Glory façade remain.
The Glory towers will start in 2027 and the façade will take about ten years, being optimistic. The big complication is the access staircase designed by Gaudí over Carrer de Mallorca: negotiations with Barcelona City Council are well advanced, but there is still no agreement (September 2026), and the Basilica proposes moving the affected building.
With those timescales, the temple as a whole will not be finished before 2036 (we explain it in when will the Sagrada Familia be finished).
If you’re wondering whether you can enjoy them from a special perspective, today the Sagrada Familia allows access to one of its two towers open to the public, as we explain at the end of this article.
The 12 Towers of Apostles
The height of the Sagrada Familia’s towers dedicated to the twelve apostles ranges from 98.5 to 120 meters, depending on their position on each façade. There are four on each of the three façades: Nativity, Passion and Glory.
Those of the Nativity façade belong to a group that represents the early years of Jesus’ life. Their shapes are visually appealing, with many depictions of animals and symbols such as the Tree of Life.
The Passion Facade, on the other hand, focuses on Christ’s death and resurrection. When visiting this area, you will notice that the forms are more rigid and aggressive, as the designer wanted to convey the complex episodes of loneliness and fear that Jesus experienced.
These towers are dedicated to the apostles who accompanied Jesus. However, not all twelve apostles of the Gospels appear: Matthew and John already have their own towers as evangelists, and Gaudí gave no prominence to Judas Iscariot.
Who takes those three places? Saint Matthias (chosen to replace Judas), Saint Barnabas and Saint Paul. This is how the twelve towers are distributed:
- Nativity façade: Barnabas, Simon, Jude Thaddeus and Matthias.
- Passion façade: James the Less, Bartholomew, Thomas and Philip.
- Glory façade (still to be built): Andrew, Peter, Paul and James the Greater.
The 4 Towers of the Evangelists
These four towers surround the great Jesus Tower. They are dedicated to the evangelists Mark, Luke, Matthew, and John and are topped with representative symbols: a lion, an ox, an angel, and an eagle.
Those wondering about the height of these towers should know that they stand at 135 meters. All were completed in 2023 and were inaugurated with an exterior lighting display.
The Virgin Mary Tower
The second most important tower of the Sagrada Familia is dedicated to the mother of Jesus. Completed as well, it stands three meters taller than the Evangelists’ Towers, reaching a total height of 138 meters.
The most striking feature of this structure is its twelve-pointed star, which lights up every night with a bright white light of hope, visible from miles away.
The Jesus Tower
The Jesus Tower is the true centerpiece of Gaudí’s project: 172.5 meters that made the basilica the tallest building in Barcelona (July 2025) and the tallest church in the world (October 2025).
Interestingly, Gaudí wanted the tower not to exceed Montjuïc mountain, believing that man’s work should not surpass God’s creation.
Its summit is already crowned by the imposing four-armed cross, completed on 20 February 2026. The tower was inaugurated on 10 June 2026 in a ceremony presided over by Pope Leo XIV, who blessed it during his trip to Spain, coinciding with the exact centenary of Gaudí’s death. The tower will have viewpoints open to visitors at 85 and 143 meters and inside the cross itself, expected to open later, probably in 2027. More information in when will the Sagrada Familia be finished.
What you need to know to access the towers
The Sagrada Familia opened the Nativity tower and the Passion tower to visitors.
These two towers belong to the group of the apostles, but they take their names from the facades where they are located.
At present, visitors who want to guarantee entry to the towers of the Sagrada Familia must purchase a special ticket that includes access to the church and entry to one of the two towers. Tickets can be purchased on the official website (36 € for the ticket with tower; 40 € with a guided tour). It is also possible to buy Sagrada Familia tickets + tower through accredited providers in a very straightforward way.
Which tower to choose: Nativity or Passion?
Each ticket includes only one tower, so it’s worth choosing before you buy:
- Nativity Tower: it’s on the façade built by Gaudí himself, and the route includes a bridge between towers.
- Passion Tower: it’s on the façade sculpted by Josep Maria Subirachs and is usually less crowded.
In both you go up by lift and come down on foot via a spiral staircase. Children under 6 cannot go up and under-16s must be accompanied by an adult; it’s not suitable for people with reduced mobility, pregnant women or people with vertigo. If the tower closes due to the weather, only the tower part is refunded. You’ll find all ticket types and prices on our Sagrada Familia tickets page.