When fully complete, the Sagrada Família will have eighteen towers — twelve representing the apostles, four the evangelists, one the Virgin Mary, and the tallest, at over 172 metres, representing Jesus Christ. Today, visitors can ascend two of the completed towers, and the experience is unlike anything else in Barcelona.
Nativity Tower vs. Passion Tower
Ticket holders choose between the Nativity façade towers or the Passion façade towers at the time of booking. Both offer an elevator ride up and sweeping views over Barcelona, but the descent differs slightly in character — the Passion tower's spiral staircase is generally considered marginally more dramatic, winding tightly past exposed stonework close to the tower's exterior.
What the Experience Involves
An elevator carries you up to roughly 65–70 metres, where a narrow walkway connects you to the descent route. From there, visitors walk down a tight spiral staircase — several hundred steps in total — that winds through the tower's interior, passing close to the bells and offering glimpses of the fruit-topped pinnacles up close.
- Not recommended for visitors with mobility issues, vertigo, or claustrophobia
- Bags are limited in size; large backpacks may need to be left at the cloakroom
- Children must generally be tall enough to see over the safety barriers — check current age/height guidance when booking
- Photography is permitted, though the walkway is narrow, so move quickly to avoid a backlog behind you
Is It Worth the Extra Cost?
Tower tickets cost more than basic entry, but they offer a genuinely unique vantage point — close-up views of the intricate stonework, the ceramic fruit finials, and rooftop details invisible from ground level, plus a panoramic look over the Eixample district's grid layout. For visitors with the time and mobility to include it, most consider it the single best upgrade available.
The Full Plan: 18 Towers in Total
The completed Sagrada Família will have 18 towers in total, arranged in a hierarchy of symbolic importance. The 12 apostle towers — four per façade, one for each of the twelve apostles — are the most visible from the street. At approximately 107 metres each, they are the towers that visitors can ascend on the Nativity and Passion sides. Four of the twelve are on the Nativity façade (Saints Barnabas, Simon, Thaddeus, and Matthias); four on the Passion (Saints James, Bartholomew, Thomas, and Philip); and four on the yet-to-be-completed Glory façade.
Rising above the apostle towers are the four evangelist towers, each approximately 135 metres — Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John — arranged around the crossing of the nave and transept. These were completed between 2023 and 2025. Above them rises the Tower of the Virgin Mary (138 metres), completed in 2021, positioned over the apse at the east end. And at the centre of everything stands the Tower of Jesus Christ, the tallest of all at 172.5 metres, completed in 2026 — the centenary of Gaudí's death. The central tower is not open to visitors; its completion marked the full structural height of the building for the first time.
The Bells and When They Ring
The Sagrada Família has a system of tubular bells installed in the apostle towers — a technology chosen by Gaudí himself, who was fascinated by the acoustic properties of tubes of varying lengths and diameters. Unlike traditional cast bells, tubular bells can be precisely tuned and produce a distinctive, singing tone rather than a metallic clang. Gaudí spent years studying bell acoustics and specified that the sound of the Sagrada Família's bells should carry to every corner of Barcelona.
The bells were first rung publicly in November 2010, when the basilica was consecrated by Pope Benedict XVI. Since then, they ring the Angelus — the traditional Catholic prayer at 6am, noon, and 6pm — and mark liturgical hours on feast days. During major Catholic feast days, including Christmas, Easter, and the feast of the Holy Family (in December), the full complement of bells creates a sound experience that carries across the Eixample district and beyond. If you are visiting on a feast day, position yourself outside on the plaza several minutes before the hour to experience the bells from the open air.
Booking Tips
Tower slots are more limited than general entry and sell out faster, particularly in summer. Book as far in advance as possible, and arrive at your tower time slot promptly — unlike general entry, tower access has a stricter check-in window since visitors are released to the elevator in small groups.
If you're choosing between the Nativity and Passion towers, here is a detailed comparison:
Nativity vs Passion Tower — Which to Climb? →The stained glass you'll see from the towers is best photographed at specific times:
Best Light for Sagrada Família Photography →Ready to visit?
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