The Sagrada FamĂ­lia has become the tallest church in the world, after workers placed the first part of a cross at the top of its central tower. Now measuring 162.91 metres tall, the Spanish basilica has officially pipped the record from the Ulm Minster in Germany, which has held the crown since 1890. Designed by acclaimed architect Antoni GaudĂ­, the place of worship has been under construction in the centre of Barcelona for more than a century, with the main building due to be completed next year. The central Tower of Jesus Christ will grow with the addition of the rest of the cross over the next few months, eventually standing at 172 metres tall. The first stone of the Sagrada FamĂ­lia was placed in 1882, with up-and-coming architect GaudĂ­ taking over the project the following year. He transformed the original designs for the basilica into a far more ambitious proposal, initially funded by donations from repentant worshippers. At the time of his unexpected death in 1926, just one of the planned 18 towers had been built. The basilica has faced numerous roadblocks throughout its nearly 150-year history, including destruction of plans during the Spanish Civil War and construction halts due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The final goal is to complete the Tower of Jesus Christ by 2026, commemorating GaudĂ­'s legacy.