Cathedral

2023/12/29

If you are sightseeing in Barcelona, you cannot miss the church architecture. Cathedral means “cathedral” in Catalan. Moreover, it is a title granted only to the most prestigious cathedral in the diocese.

The Cathedral of Santa Eulalia also known as the Catedral of Barcelona is a church located in the Gothic Quarter one of the oldest in Barcelona.

As the name suggests, this is the cathedral of the Catholic Church that represents Barcelona. Built between the 13th and 15th centuries, this cathedral is said to be the most important Gothic building in Catalonia, and is a must-see for anyone interested in architecture.

The official name is “Cathedral of Santa Creu y Santa Eulalia,” but when you think of cathedrals in Barcelona, you don’t have to go out of your way to explain this cathedral. You can see that it is not only a beautiful building, but also a genuine symbol that is firmly rooted in the local community. In other words, this is a cathedral that can be called the “soul” for the citizens of Barcelona.

It appears that a church was built in the 4th century on the site of the current Cathedral of Santa Eulalia. Later, in the 11th century, a Romanesque church was built.

Construction of the current Gothic cathedral began in May 1298 and took approximately 150 years to complete.

Since then, expansions have continued. The neo-Gothic façade(a splendid ocher facade!), which is the face of the Cathedral of Santa Eulalia, was created for the 1888 Barcelona Universal Exhibition, and the two towers on either side were built in 1913, but the interior of the church is said to be from the mid-15th century and is quite old.

If you look at the map of the church, you will see that there is a basilica-style auditorium, with a large gallery next to it. The sightseeing route seems to be to see the church first and then proceed towards the cloister.

Immediately, a choir altar suddenly appear in front of you, and a magnificent landscape spread out behind it! First impressions are old.

Although the facade dates from the late 19th century, the auditorium was built in 1448.

The history of the church is even older, dating back to the 3rd century, and it seems that there was a predecessor church before this cathedral was built. Some of the interiors were built before the church was built in the 15th century, so you can see its long history.

There are stained glass windows installed here and there in the church, which are also colorful and beautiful! The stained glass windows in this church have a uniform design, and are said to be made so that saints and coats of arms are arranged in a certain way.

The majestic pipe organ is also impressive! The cathedral’s pipe organ is built into the wall of the central aisle of the church. Its huge appearance is impressive just by looking at it from a distance.

Although the organ was restored between 1985 and 1994, it dates from 1537 to 1539.

The size is reasonable, but the old materials used give it a dignified feel.

Highlights

① Catalan Gothic style cathedral

The cathedral is an attractive building in itself, so it’s no exaggeration to say that everything you see is a highlight. The first thing that catches your eye is its distinctive exterior. When you head towards the cathedral, you are first greeted by the three towers, which are reminiscent of the Gothic style.

However, it should be noted that the Gothic architecture of this region has a slightly different atmosphere from the Gothic architecture of Western Europe, and is uniquely called “Catalan Gothic.” Although they share a sense of grandeur and gorgeous decoration, they do not have the same intimidating feeling of Gothic architecture in France or Germany, and you will feel as if you are being welcomed.

② Stained glass in the vaulted ceiling

When you think of a Gothic style cathedral, the first thing that comes to mind is the beautiful stained glass. This cathedral in Barcelona also has many stained glass windows to let in light inside the majestic cathedral.

The most spectacular part is the stained glass in the Gothic-style hall with a vaulted ceiling. Stained glass surrounds the ceiling, and the light shining in from above is nothing short of mysterious.

These stained glass windows may not be visible during mass. If possible, you would like to avoid mass when visiting.

The cathedral building is 79 meters long and 25 meters wide. Inside, there are highlights such as the choir seats decorated in gold.

This basement is unusual. There is a staircase in front of the altar, and there is a small room. There are no staff checks, and anyone can come and go as they please.

In the center of the chamber is a coffin, with a narrow corridor around it. There were chairs set up, and I even saw people praying here.

The person enshrined in this coffin is St. Eulalia, the owner of this church. This place is called “Saint Eulalia’s Underground” and was built in the early 14th century.

She is a saint who was martyred in Barcelona in the 4th century. At the young age of 13 she was strung up and beheaded. She has become the patron saint of Barcelona. Her remains are kept in the crypt of her cathedral.

There are many carvings of saints on the coffin, which makes it look a bit creepy,

but you can easily access the crypt where the saint is buried, which is something you won’t find anywhere else.

Once you’ve finished touring the interior, go out to the cloister on the right side of the cathedral. The cloister surrounds a beautiful courtyard. In the courtyard there is the Sant Jordi Fountain.

The most popular people in the courtyard are the 13 geese that are kept here. The number 13 is said to be the same as the number of persecutions St. Eulalia suffered and the age at which she was martyred. This bird is said to be a member of the wild goose family, but perhaps because it’s friendly with people, it gathered around where tourists were.