Sagrada Familia reaches its peak with completion of soaring central tower

People watch as a crane lifts the upper arm of the cross on to the Tower of Jesus Christ (Emilio Morenatti/AP)

Barcelona’s towering Sagrada Familia basilica reached its maximum height on Friday, though the magnum opus of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi remains years away from completion.

A crane placed the upper arm of a cross atop the Tower of Jesus Christ, the church’s soaring central piece, which now stands 566 feet above the city, the church said.