- This morning, the chairman of Endesa and the Endesa Foundation, Juan Sánchez-Calero, and the cardinal and archbishop of Barcelona, Juan José Omella, signed a collaboration agreement at the Episcopal Palace in Barcelona to carry out the lighting project.
- The initiative will illuminate the cross crowning the Tower of Jesus Christ which, at 172.5 metres, will make the basilica the tallest in the world.
- The project incorporates high-efficiency LED technology while enhancing the symbolic and architectural value of the tower.
- The Endesa Foundation’s mission is to contribute to a fair and sustainable energy transition. To date, it has carried out more than 700 lighting projects, 82 of them in Catalonia — 24 in Barcelona — including two previous interventions at the Sagrada Familia: the star of the Tower of the Virgin Mary and the Passion Façade.
Barcelona, 26 February 2026. – This morning, the Endesa Foundation signed a collaboration agreement to carry out the artistic lighting project for the cross crowning the Tower of Jesus Christ at the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia. The signing ceremony took place at the Episcopal Palace in Barcelona and was attended by the chairman of Endesa and the Endesa Foundation, Juan Sánchez-Calero; the cardinal and archbishop of Barcelona, Juan José Omella; the general manager of the Endesa Foundation, María Malaxechavarria; and the managing director of the Sagrada Familia, Esteve Camps, together with the director of Endesa in Catalonia, Enric Brazís; Endesa Foundation trustee Isabel Buesa; and the general director of the Sagrada Familia, Xavier Martínez.
The Foundation’s mission is to contribute to a fair and sustainable energy transition, improving people’s lives. To this end, one of its main areas of action is the efficient lighting of Spain’s historical and artistic heritage.
The Endesa Foundation has strong ties to Catalonia, its culture and its art. Over more than 25 years, the Foundation has illuminated over 80 monuments, including the Palau de la Música, Girona Cathedral, Montserrat Abbey and the Sagrada Familia, as this is not the first time it has contributed to the construction process of the Sagrada Familia.
In 2007, coinciding with the 125th anniversary of the temple, it participated in the lighting of the Passion Façade. Later, in 2021, it collaborated on the artistic lighting of the star of the Tower of the Virgin Mary. With this new initiative, the Endesa Foundation continues to support one of the most emblematic architectural projects in the country and worldwide.
The Tower of Jesus Christ, at 172.5 metres high, makes this basilica the tallest in the world and marks the final stretch of the temple’s construction. The tower is crowned by a large cross clad in glass and white enamelled ceramic, the completion of which represents one of the most significant architectural milestones of the complex designed by the renowned Antoni Gaudí.
In addition to enhancing the symbolic and architectural value of the tower, the lighting project incorporates sustainability and energy efficiency criteria, in line with all initiatives undertaken by the Endesa Foundation. The installation will enable an estimated energy saving of 38%, avoiding the emission of approximately 845 kg of CO₂ per year, representing significantly lower electricity consumption than other conventional systems such as discharge lamp projectors, halogen or traditional fluorescent lighting required to achieve the same level of illumination.
Inside the cross, the Agnus Dei will be installed — a large artistic piece in glass and gold integrated into a hyperboloid with 24 light beams. The project includes symbolic lighting at the ends of the arms of the cross, as well as interior lighting on the staircase surface, the landing and the upper arm of the tower. The overall design has been conceived to make use of natural daylight, allowing the glass and ceramic materials to enhance their brilliance, while at night the cross will project its symbolism through a phosphorescent inscription system activated by laser technology, reinforcing the spiritual and monumental character of the temple.
For Juan Sánchez-Calero, chairman of Endesa and the Endesa Foundation, “this project shows how technology can serve heritage by enhancing its beauty while making it more efficient, sustainable and accessible to society. Our collaboration in lighting the cross of the Tower of Jesus Christ reflects our commitment to combining innovation with respect for Gaudí’s work. We are delighted to once again help enhance the splendour of this emblematic monument, an undisputed landmark in the history of Barcelona and our country.”
Cardinal Juan José Omella, for his part, stated that “For Gaudí, light is the reflection of the divine and the essence of beauty, and its use is fundamental to the inspiration of the Sagrada Familia. The exterior structure of the recently crowned Tower of Jesus Christ uses white ceramic and glass to reflect sunlight, and at night it will be illuminated internally in a sustainable and efficient manner.”
With more than 700 lighting projects carried out in Spain, the Endesa Foundation reaffirms its commitment to preserving cultural heritage and improving energy efficiency, a key element of a fair and sustainable energy transition. These interventions help reduce consumption and emissions without altering the historical and artistic value of monuments, while bringing heritage closer to society and enabling both present and future generations to enjoy its artistic and historical richness under more sustainable conditions.
About Endesa Foundation
The Endesa Foundation was established in 1998 as an expression of Endesa’s social commitment to respond to the needs of the communities in which it operates and to contribute to social progress.
Its mission is to contribute to a fair and sustainable energy transition, improving people’s lives and the environment around us. To achieve this, the Endesa Foundation develops projects that promote quality education aligned with today’s challenges by encouraging STEM vocations and providing training in energy transition; offer training and employment opportunities to the most vulnerable in the green sectors of the economy; promote Spain’s culture and art; and contribute to a more sustainable world by protecting biodiversity and the ecosystems in which it exists.
More information at: www.fundacionendesa.org