Sagrada Familia will light up to celebrate completion of new towers

If you happen to be in the Catalan capital and want to witness the show mark 12 November on your calendars

Barcelona’s iconic Sagrada Familia basilica now looks one step closer to the way it was envisioned by the Catalan modernist architect Antoni Gaudi. Following the completion of the Towers of Matthew and John, the building cuts an even more majestic profile on the city skyline.

The addition of these towers means that now Sagrada Familia has its four Evangelist towers in place, each dedicated to one of the four authors of the New Testament. And to celebrate this project milestone, all four towers will light up on 12 November as part of a show for the residents and guests of Barcelona.

The celebrations will also feature a concert and castellers

The completion of the Evangelist towers, however, shouldn’t be understood as the completion of the basilica itself. That project is still very much ongoing, and it makes the Sagrada Familia probably the only example of a World Heritage Site, which is still being built even after its inclusion on the prestigious list.

It was begun in 1882 and the aim is to have it completed by 2026 on the centenary of Gaudi’s death. This makes the basilica a unique example of a monument where the past, present and future converge into one to an astounding effect.

As for the milestone celebrations of the four Evangelist towers, they will already begin on 4 November with a concert by the Barcelona Municipal Band at 11 am. The Band will perform a repertoire of music that pays homage to the connection between nature, faith, and art. 

One week later, on 11 November, at 11 am, four of the city’s traditional casteller collectives will create human towers in homage to the ones on the basilica.

Then, on 12 November, a service will be held by Cardinal Joan Josep Omella at 5:30 pm as he blesses the towers.  

Following the service, Sagrada Família will light up its four Evangelist towers for the very first time.  

This will not be the end as on 16 November, at Casa de l’Almoina in the Diocesan Museum, there will be a discussion on the topic of the Evangelists and their representation in the towers.