TL;DR
The Sagrada Família will have 18 towers dedicated to the 12 Apostles, 4 Evangelists, the Virgin Mary, and Jesus Christ (the tallest, at 172 metres). You can currently climb either the Nativity or Passion tower by elevator for panoramic views over Barcelona. Tower access costs approximately €10 extra and is not included in the standard entry ticket.
What Each Tower Represents
| Group | Count | Represents | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Apostles | 12 | One tower per Apostle — grouped around the three facades | ~107 m |
| 4 Evangelists | 4 | Matthew, Mark, Luke, John — surrounding the central tower | ~135 m |
| Virgin Mary | 1 | Dedicated to Mary — on the apse, the second tallest | ~138 m |
| Jesus Christ | 1 | The central tower — the tallest structure when complete | 172.5 m |
The Six Tower Groups Explained
Nativity Towers
East facade · 4 towers
The four towers on the east (Nativity) facade are the oldest completed towers — Gaudí personally oversaw their construction and they are the most ornate. Each is dedicated to an Apostle: Barnabas, Simon, Thaddeus, and Matthew. They are decorated with Venetian mosaic tops in yellow and green and are the most photographed of all the towers. These are the towers most commonly offered on visitor access tickets.
📍 Views toward the Mediterranean and Barcelona's eastern suburbs.
Passion Towers
West facade · 4 towers
The four Passion facade towers were completed in the 1970s–1980s. They are dedicated to James, Bartholomew, Thomas, and Philip. Compared to the Nativity towers, their decoration is sparser — consistent with the stark aesthetic of the Passion facade as a whole. Tower access tickets sometimes specify Nativity or Passion — check when booking.
📍 Views toward Montjuïc, the city centre, and the Collserola hills.
Glory Towers
South facade (main entrance) · 4 towers (planned)
The four Glory facade towers will complete the Apostle set: Andrew, Peter, Paul, and James the Elder. This is the facade Gaudí considered the most important — the main public entrance facing south toward the sea. Construction of this facade is ongoing as of 2025 and is the final major piece of the exterior.
📍 Will face south toward the waterfront.
Evangelist Towers
Surrounding the central tower · 4 towers
The four Evangelist towers surround and support the central Jesus tower. Each bears the symbol of its Evangelist: the winged man (Matthew), the lion (Mark), the bull (Luke), and the eagle (John). These are the second-tallest group and are decorated in the most complex mosaic programme of the exterior — deep blues and golds. They are not currently open to visitors.
📍 Not yet accessible to visitors.
Mary Tower
Apse (east) · 1 tower
The tower dedicated to the Virgin Mary rises above the apse on the east side. It is the second tallest completed tower and is topped with a 12-pointed star lantern in Venetian glass — the "Star of the Morning" that illuminates from inside at night. The Mary tower was the first of the tall inner towers to be completed and is visible from many parts of Barcelona.
📍 Not open to visitors — visible from the ground and surrounding streets.
Jesus Tower (Central)
Central crossing · 1 tower
The tallest of all 18 towers and the tallest church tower in the world. Topped with a radiant glass cross illuminated from inside, it became visible across Barcelona in December 2021 when the glass was installed. The tower is dedicated to Jesus Christ. Gaudí set the height at 172.5 metres — one metre below Montjuïc hill (173m) — as a deliberate act of architectural humility: human creation should not surpass natural creation.
📍 Visible from across Barcelona. Not currently open to visitors for access.
Why 172 Metres? Gaudí's Deliberate Height Limit
Gaudí designed the central tower to reach 172.5 metres — one metre shorter than Montjuïc hill at 173 metres. He believed human creation should never surpass natural creation. It was a deliberate act of theological humility built into the building's architecture from the very beginning.