Last step before completing the tower of the Virgin Mary - Last step before completing the tower of the Virgin Mary

This Tuesday 20 April, as per the 2021 work plan of the Junta Constructora de la Sagrada Família, work will begin to build the shaft: an essential piece to be able to crown the pinnacle of the tower of the Virgin Mary with its star in December.

The shaft is the middle part of the tower’s pinnacle. It has a hyperboloid shape, starting from six legs and ending in three points or arms that will hold up the luminous star.

The Sagrada Família grows 11 meters

Today, works will begin to put in the formwork for the shaft and then the reinforcement for most of the shaft, which will be the tallest piece (10.8 metres) to be lifted up onto the Sagrada Família so far, with the top reaching 127 metres off the ground.

Next steps for the works

Then, over the coming months, concrete will be put on the piece and it will then be covered in trencadís mosaic. Afterwards, the shaft will be completed with a prefabricated piece for the top third and, in December, will be crowned with the star

What will the pinnacle of the tower of the Virgin Mary look like?

This pinnacle is made up of three parts: from the bottom up, the first is the crown. It is a stone piece that is 6 metres tall and supports twelve wrought-iron stars. The stars wrap around the pinnacle from the bottom up.

The shaft is the middle part of the pinnacle, which is 18 metres tall. With the geometry of a hyperboloid, it ends in three arms that hold up the star. Its whole outer surface is done in white and blue trencadís mosaic. The bottom part rises out of the stone crown and its triangular and rhomboid openings bring light into the inside of the tower, which is why the shaft can also be called a “lantern”.

The shaft is 18 metres tall and will be built of reinforced concrete and covered in white and blue trencadís mosaic.

Finally, the star is the topmost element of the tower. In size, it has a diameter of 7.5 metres and has twelve points. Each of its faces is made of textured glass and it is lit up from inside. The star, the morning star, is a symbol of the Virgin Mary as Jesus’ mother; loyal and protective, she guides towards Jesus, day and night.