The world witnessed a historic milestone on June 10 as the newly completed Jesus Tower of the Sagrada Família was illuminated for the first time, marking a major step toward the completion of Antoni Gaudí’s iconic basilica.
More than a century after its conception, Gaudí’s long-envisioned masterpiece moved closer to realization with a ceremony that drew global attention. The inauguration and blessing of the tower were led by Pope Leo XIV and attended by members of the Spanish Royal Family, underscoring the significance of the occasion.
For the lighting designers at Licht Kunst Licht (LKL), the illumination of the cross crowning the Jesus Tower represented both a privilege and a profound responsibility. The design responds to the spiritual, architectural, and global significance of the Sagrada Família while honoring the generations of craftsmen, architects, engineers, and builders whose collective efforts brought the project closer to completion.
The lighting concept is based on a comprehensive masterplan developed by LKL in 2019, which considers the basilica as a unified symbolic composition. Reflecting Antoni Gaudí’s vision and the hierarchy of the temple’s 18 towers, the lighting guides the eye upward from the Apostles’ and Evangelists’ towers to the illuminated Star of the Virgin Mary, and ultimately to the central Jesus Tower. As the tallest religious structure in the world, the tower now completes the iconic silhouette envisioned by Gaudí more than a century ago.
Extensive research into Gaudí’s writings and architectural symbolism informed the design approach. Rather than relying solely on brightness, the concept uses darkness and contrast to emphasize the tower’s presence within Barcelona’s skyline. Light appears to emerge from the architecture itself, reflecting Gaudí’s belief that illumination should be an integral expression of a building’s spiritual character.
Realising this vision required years of development and close collaboration with the Sagrada Família team. More than twenty on-site lighting tests, supported by physical models, digital simulations, and detailed calculations, were conducted to ensure a precise and coherent appearance of the monumental cross from viewpoints across the city. Custom-developed optics enabled the careful coordination of lighting positions, while warm 3000K illumination enhances the stone’s materiality and preserves the sculptural depth and legibility of the architecture.
Beyond the illumination of the cross itself, the design incorporates a feature rooted directly in Gaudí’s vision for the Jesus Tower. He conceived the structure not only as an illuminated landmark rising above the basilica, but also as a symbolic source of light radiating into the city. Narrow-beam projectors integrated within the cross can project four beams of light into the night sky above Barcelona on special occasions, transforming one of the architect’s most ambitious ideas into reality.
For the first time, the illuminated cross now rises above Barcelona after dark, establishing a new landmark within the city’s skyline. With the completion of the Jesus Tower, a new chapter begins in the ongoing story of the Sagrada Família, an enduring testament to Gaudí’s vision and to the generations of people who dedicated themselves to bringing it to life.
Project Details:
Project: Exterior lighting of the Cross of the Tower Jesus of the Basilica Sagrada Família in Barcelona
Client: Fundació Junta Constructora del Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, Barcelona
Architects: Antoni Gaudí, Fundació Junta Constructora del Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, Barcelona
Lighting design: LKL Design Hub Barcelona SL, www.lichtkunstlicht.com
Project team: Alejandra Kuri, Naiara Caballero, Nicolas Neira, Martina Weiss
Completion: June 2026
