• Mark Zuckerberg Buys 19th-Century Irish Castle for Tens of Millions of Dollars

  Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have purchased a Gothic castle in Ireland...

• Populous Unveils Design for the World's Largest Football Stadium Ahead of the 2030 World Cup

  As Morocco gears up to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal, the country has presented a monumental design for the Grand Stade Hassan II, Hypebeast reports...

• The Rebirth of a Masterpiece: Casa Batlló Unveils Gaudí’s Hidden Living Spaces

  The grand unveiling was preceded by three years of painstaking restoration work that closely resembled an archaeological excavation. Craftsmen and conservators meticulously peeled back numerous 20th-century layers to uncover and display the remarkably well-preserved 1906 architecture...

• A forgotten skyscraper for New York: Antoni Gaudí's project "comes to life" after 118 years

  More than a century after the great Antoni Gaudí conceived one of his most grand, yet never realized projects—a fantastic skyscraper in New York known as "Hotel Attraction"—the building has finally "appeared" in Manhattan. Belgian artist and photographer Thierry Leshanter has recreated the legendary tower using neural networks...

• World’s Longest Asymmetric Bridge, Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, Opens in Taiwan

  Taiwan has officially commissioned a unique infrastructure marvel—the Danjiang Bridge. As of today, it stands as the world’s longest single-tower, asymmetric cable-stayed bridge. Stretching 920 meters in length, the structure surpasses the height of Dubai’s famous Burj Khalifa skyscraper (828 m)....

• Secret Tour of the Sagrada Família: 5 Divine Mysteries and Hidden Treasures of the Great Cathedral

  With spires resembling sandcastles, lush flora frozen in stone, kaleidoscopic interiors, and hiding places hidden in plain sight, Barcelona’s world-famous Sagrada Família never ceases to amaze even its regular parishioners...

• "You Need a Psychiatrist": Architect Claps Back at Criticism over 'Sodomized' Gargoyle at Spain’s Oldest Hotel

  An architectural face-lift at one of Spain’s oldest and most famous late-Gothic hotels has spiraled into an international scandal and a breeding ground for savage jokes...

• Trump Tower to Be Built in Tbilisi: What We Know About Georgia’s Tallest Skyscraper and Its Estimated Cost

  The Trump Organization has announced plans to construct a 70-storey skyscraper in Tbilisi, which is set to become the tallest building in Georgia. The project is being developed in partnership with Biograpi Living, Archi Group, The Sapir Organization, Blox Group, and Finvest Georgia, with architectural design led by the US-based firm Gensler....

The iconic Sagrada Familia basilica — Antoni Gaudí’s unfinished masterpiece — has officially become the tallest church in the world after a section of its central tower was lifted into place this week, reports NYP.

The basilica now soars 162.91 meters (535 feet), narrowly surpassing Germany’s Ulm Minster, which had held the record since 1890 at 161.53 meters (530 feet).

Construction of the Sagrada Familia began in 1882, with Gaudí taking over the project in 1883. He transformed a modest Neo-Gothic design into a stunning example of Catalan Modernism.

By the time of Gaudí’s tragic death in 1926, only one of the planned 18 towers had been completed. Nearly a century later, cranes still crown the basilica, but the finish line is finally in sight.

The final stage — the Tower of Jesus Christ with its crowning cross — will reach 172 meters (564 feet) when completed, making it not only the tallest church in the world but also one of the tallest religious structures ever built.

Construction has faced numerous challenges. During the Spanish Civil War, anarchists set fire to Gaudí’s workshop, destroying detailed plans and plaster models. It took decades to recover and continue the project.

Modern obstacles also affected progress. In 2020, construction was fully halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which cut off the basilica’s main source of income — tourism. In 2024, nearly 4.9 million visitors paid to enter, 15% of them from the U.S.

Despite wars, epidemics, and political upheavals, Gaudí’s masterpiece has endured. Today it remains an active construction site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of Europe’s most visited landmarks.

The Sagrada Familia Foundation reports that the central tower will be completed in 2026, coinciding with the centenary of Gaudí’s death. A series of events are planned next year to celebrate the architect’s legacy, which also includes Casa Batlló, Parc Güell, and Casa Milà (La Pedrera).

Meanwhile, the basilica’s facades and interior decorations will continue to evolve, with full completion expected by the mid-2030s.

Follow NEWS.am STYLE on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram