‘A joyful day’: final piece of Sagrada Familia’s central tower put in place

Completion of glass cross brings Antoni Gaudi's church to maximum final height of 172.5m, 144 years after work began

The final piece of the central tower of Barcelona's Sagrada Familia has been laid in place, bringing the church to its maximum final height 144 years after work began.

After several days when it has been too windy to work, the upper section of the 17 metre-high four-sided steel and glass cross was winched into position at 11am on Friday, completing the tower dedicated to Jesus Christ. At 172.5 metres, the Sagrada Familia, to which the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi devoted the later part of his life, is Barcelona's tallest building and the world's tallest church.