Sagrada Família Finally Done

Lesson overview

The Sagrada Família took 144 years to build, and in 2026 it finally reached its full height. Antoni Gaudí took over the project in 1883 and spent 43 years on it, but died after being hit by a tram before seeing it finished. On February 20, 2026, workers placed the final cross on the Tower of Jesus Christ, making it the tallest church in the world at 172.5 meters. Use this ESL news lesson to explore one of the world’s most extraordinary construction stories with your students. A great lesson for adult learners who enjoy culture, architecture, and history.

If your students enjoyed this lesson, they might like our B1 lesson “The Copycat City”. It uses a short video about Tianducheng, a Chinese city built to look like Paris, complete with its own Eiffel Tower. Just like the Sagrada Família, it raises big questions about architecture and what we build and why.