The first church that comes to mind when thinking about Barcelona is the Sagrada Familia. Gaudi would probably be pleased, but it’s important to remember that it’s not the only religious landmark in the capital of Catalonia. We’re talking about a Gothic temple located in the very center of Barcelona.
The Barcelona Cathedral, or rather the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia (Catedral de la Santa Creu i Santa Eulàlia), is one of the most interesting Gothic temples in Barcelona. Its construction began on May 1, 1298, on the foundations of an ancient Roman temple. The name of the saint comes from an event in 877, when the relics of St. Eulalia, one of the patron saints of Barcelona, were placed there for fear of being desecrated by Muslims.
The construction of the church lasted 150 years and was divided into 3 stages. The first stage included the plan of the entire building, the completion of the presbytery, the apse, and the altar. Then, the building was extended by three naves, and in the final stage, it was connected to the facade line.
The final result could be seen in 1448. Further work took place in the 19th century. In place of an ordinary elevation, the beautiful main facade, admired to this day, was created.
Inside the temple
The interior of the Barcelona Cathedral is a typical example of Catalan Gothic. The space is so well organized that even the interior of the buttresses was used. There are chapels there that surround practically the entire temple. As I mentioned earlier, the cathedral has 3 naves, the middle of which is the widest and crowned with a magnificent altar, on which there is a representation of the elevation of the Holy Cross.
An important point of the church is also, of course, the crypt with the tomb of St. Eulalia. In addition to valuable Gothic paintings and a historic monstrance, the cathedral is also decorated with beautiful stained glass windows depicting biblical scenes. On the walls of the building, there are over 140 depictions of saints. Among them, the most common is the image of Mary, but of course, Saint Eulalia was also commemorated there.
Winged residents
A mandatory point of the cathedral is to include a small courtyard with a fountain. It is home to thirteen geese. Yes, you read that right. This church is inhabited by geese, which symbolize the purity of Eulalia. Their number indicates the age at which the girl died a martyr’s death.
Every year on Corpus Christi, an egg is placed on top of the fountain, which is richly decorated with flowers, and it dances with the water! In addition to the classic reference to the newly born life, it also symbolizes the host. It looks quite amazing, as you can see in the video below.
The spring, which is located in the Barcelona Cathedral, is the most magnificent in this period, but not the only one decorated in this way. Similar fountains can be seen in patios or at churches throughout the Catalonia region. Decorating fountains is a deeply rooted Catalan tradition that is definitely worth seeing with your own eyes.
Novel versus reality
If you are at least a little interested in literature, you have probably heard of Ildefonso Falcones’s greatest work, “The Cathedral in Barcelona”. The book presents a panorama of the medieval, dynamically developing capital of Catalonia. Events from the time of wars and intolerance are the backdrop for the story of Arnau Estanyol, whose fate changes in every part of the book. The main storyline, however, is related to the cathedral, because in the novel, the inhabitants of one of the districts of Barcelona decide to build it with their own hands.
INTERESTING FACT: In 2018, Spanish television released a series based on the described book (also available on Netflix). In addition to many other locations, a lot of scenes were filmed in the Church of Santa Maria del Mar (Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar).
Practical info
- The Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia (Catedral de la Santa Creu i Santa Eulàlia) is one of the many landmarks that can be found in the Gothic Quarter. Take a guided tour to get a close look at the cathedral and other gems of Barcelona.
- Address: Pla de la Seu, s/n, Ciutat Vella, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
- Buy tickets on GetYourGuide
