BARCELONA, Spain (AP) 鈥� The motto for is 鈥淟ift up your eyes.鈥� And that鈥檚 exactly what millions of visitors to Barcelona鈥檚 Sagrada Familia already do as the unfinished basilica continues rising skyward a century after Catalan architect Antoni Gaud铆鈥檚 death.
On June 10, Leo will bless the recently completed central tower of Gaud铆鈥檚 masterpiece which, , has made it .
A dozen other cream-colored towers and spires stretch into the blue sky, rivaled only by the mountains surrounding the Mediterranean city.
Inside, sunlight filtered through towering stained-glass windows bathes tourists and worshippers in shifting colors.
Gaud铆鈥檚 Catholic faith infused every detail with sacred meaning, but the experience transcends religion and culture. Nearly 5 million people visited in 2025 alone, with Americans, Spaniards and Chinese making up the three largest groups, according to the church.
Some visitors peer into the crypt, where regular services are held, or attend multilingual weekend Masses in the main nave.
But most, entering the vast interior for the first time, simply stand transfixed, necks craned upward, eyes fixed on the light, absorbing the otherworldliness created by 鈥淕od鈥檚 architect.鈥�
___
This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
