Taiwan's TVBS made history last month by becoming the only Taiwanese media organization granted access to report from inside Barcelona's Sagrada Família during the blessing and inauguration of the Tower of Jesus Christ. The ceremony, which completed the central spire of Antoni Gaudí's masterwork after 144 years of construction, drew global attention to one of the world's most visited cultural landmarks. TVBS partnered with Japan's NHK, which has documented the basilica's construction for decades, to provide live coverage that showcased Taiwan's growing international media presence.
The collaboration enabled TVBS crews to film in areas rarely accessible to media, including the crypt where Gaudí is buried, architectural workshops, and key structural sections of the basilica. The team conducted interviews with architects and experts involved in the project during preparations for the inauguration. Construction on the church began in 1882, one year before Gaudí took over as chief architect, and the completion of the Tower of Jesus Christ represents a defining milestone in the Sagrada Família's history.
Taiwanese actress Lin Chi-ling joined the reporting team as a cultural ambassador, meeting with architects and experts to explore the basilica through the perspectives of architecture, aesthetics, and cultural heritage. Her involvement added a cultural dimension to the coverage beyond conventional architectural reporting, reaching audiences in Taiwan and Chinese-speaking communities worldwide.
The coverage brought together partners from Taiwan's technology and financial sectors. HTC, through its VIVE Arts initiative, contributed its immersive experience "Gaudí, the Atelier of the Divine", a virtual reality program that allows audiences to explore Gaudí's architectural world in new ways, transcending geographical and physical boundaries. TS Financial Holding Co., Ltd., which has long supported arts and cultural exchange, sponsored the live broadcast, citing values of integrity, innovation, and sustainability in joining the project.
TVBS integrated AI-powered real-time translation technology throughout the live coverage, facilitating multilingual communication across international production teams. The project demonstrated Taiwan's ability to connect industries and communities across borders, extending the nation's cultural advocacy onto the international stage. The cross-sector collaboration connected the 144-year architectural endeavor to audiences in Taiwan and beyond, underscoring the significance of the Sagrada Família's completion as both a cultural and technological achievement.
