Catedral de la Seu - Barcelona´s most impressive example of Gothic architecture

Catedral de la Seu is one of the most visually stunning sites in Barcelona. It´s official name is Catedral de la Santa Creu i Santa Eulàlia (Catalan for Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulàlia). The commonly used name La Seu refers to the status of the church as the seat of the diocese, and also to the plaza in which it´s located. 

It is a gothic cathedral, appropriately located in the Barrio Gotico (Gothic quarter) of Barcelona that dates back to the 14th century.  Construction began in 1298 and was completed in 1448, although the gothic facade, including the central spire, was not completed until the beginning of the 20th century.  In true Gothic fashion it features spires, pinnacles, arches, and of course, bell towers. 

The site where it was built has always been a spiritual center for Barcelona.  A Roman temple was built there during the Roman Empire which was destroyed by the Moors in 985 and replaced with a mosque.  Later, between 1046 and 1058, the mosque was razed and a Roman chapel was built. The chapel still remains today, added to the cloister.

The interior has a large nave and high ceilings (84 feet high in some places), all of which were cleaned during a recent period of renovation, and is divided into three aisles.  On the side aisles are chapels from the 16th and 17th century which include some impressive works of medieval art.  Also worth mentioning is the Cappella de Sant Benet, a 15th century altarpiece by the artist Bernat Matorell which depicts the crucifixion of Christ. 

Beneath the high altar there is a staircase illuminated by candles which leads to the crypt.  The body of Santa Eulàlia, the children´s saint and to whom the cathedral is dedicated, is entombed there.  She is considered the children´s saint as she was killed by the Romans at the age of 13 for her Christian beliefs.  The crypt also contains an alabaster sarcophagus of her; an Italian work by the sculptor Lupo di Francesco which dates back to 1330. 

The cloister is considered one of the best parts of the cathedral and was referred to as “the loveliest oasis in Barcelona” by the historian Cirici.  It was built in the 15th century and is lined with chapels containing alters of various saints, and the tombs of members of the ancient guild of the Barri Gòtic are underneath the stone floor.  The cloister overlooks a beautiful garden filled with orange trees, palm trees and a pond with fish. 

In the center there is a Gothic fountain crowned with a statue of Sant Jordi (Saint George).  The cloister is also home to a gaggle of white geese, and has been for the last five centuries.  No one is sure how they came to live in the cloister but there are several theories, one of which suggests that thirteen geese were placed in the cloister to represent the age of Saint Eulàlia when she died, and another that says that they represent her purity.

From Monday to Saturday visitors can take an elevator (ascensor als terrats) to the roof.  It is located just to the left of the crypt steps and has amazing views of the neighborhood and the cathedral towers.  There is also a museum, the Museu Diocesá, which contains a collection of medieval art and church treasures from around Barcelona.

Every Sunday, normally at 12:00pm, a group of locals meet in front of the cathedral to dance the Sardana, which is the traditional dance of Catalonia, while band members play on the front steps.  The dance is not nearly as vibrant or flamboyant as some of the other Spanish dances, such as flamenco, but its intricate steps still make it worth watching.  An antiques market is also held here every Thursday, and the Christmas fair each December.

During the feast of Corpus Christi in June a unique Catalan tradition takes place, known as “l’ou com balla” which means “how the egg dances”.  It consists of an empty eggshell being placed on top of the fountain in the cloister and left to “dance” on the water, while the fountain itself is decorated with flowers.  The tradition dates back to 1637 but no one is sure of the significance.  Some say that the egg represents spring and the beginning of a new life cycle, and others believe that it represents the Eucharist. 

A view of the Cathedral at night is breathtaking, you can sit on one of the benches at the Plaça de la Seu looking at the subtly lit up façade.

All visitors should dress conservatively in order to enter the cathedral, and this is strictly enforced.  Both men and woman must cover their shoulders, and shorts and skirts above the knee are not acceptable.  If you visit in summer the general rule is to make sure your knees are covered and if necessary bring a scarf or sweater to cover your shoulders before entering.   

Entry to the church and cloister is free but entry to the museum costs €2, to the choir €2.20, and the roof elevator €2.50.  There is a combined ticket available from 1:00pm to 5:00pm Monday through Saturday and from 2:00pm to 4:45pm on Sunday for €5 which gives you entry to everything.  The normal hours, without the combined ticket, are 8:00am to 12:45pm and 5:15pm to 7:00pm Monday to Friday, and 8:00am to 12:45pm and 5:15 to 6:00pm on Saturday and Sunday.  The cathedral is located in Plaza de la Seu in the Gothic Quarter, and the nearest metros are Jaume I (the yellow line L4) and Liceu (the green line L3).

Barrio Gotico - the most complete Gothic quarter on the Continent?

Barrio Gótico district (Gothic Quarter) is the oldest part of Barcelona, it lies between the Las Ramblas and Via Laetana and expands from Plaça de Cataluña till the Paseo of Colon. It used to be the ancient fortified Roman village and years later when the city started growing considerably it converted in one of the most valued districts of Barcelona, much of which is pedestrianized.

Nowadays Barrio Gótico represents a mixture of new and old: because of constant modernization quite trendy new buildings share the scene with ancient houses which bear features of Romanesque and Gothic style. Thus for example, the Bridge of Sighs in Carrer de Bisbe seems to be very old and looks gothic in style but in reality dates from the 1920s revival in Gothic architecture.

Though not much is left from those Roman walls, you can still stumble upon some ancient roman ruins near to the Cathedral de la Seu, one of the most outstanding examples of Gothic architecture.  Its imposing façade subtly lit at night, bell towers and the tranquil square just in front of the cathedral recreate the ambience of the medieval city.

El Call, a Jewish ghetto, also once lay within Barrio Gótico, a tiny area between the Carrer de Call and l´Arc de Sant Ramon de Call. Unfortunately only little visual evidence remains of medieval Jewish culture.

This district always was a centre of commerce, its twisting little streets still bear the name of the activity of the workshops that stood here for centuries, such as Escudellers (shield market) or Brocaters (brocade market). Nowadays Barrio Gótico invites you as well to go shopping to the numerous little shops and boutiques which are in abundance here, starting from the most commercial area de Portal de L´Angel to the tiny artisan shops deeply in the maze of narrow streets.

There are lots of peaceful squares in Barrio Gótico; one of the prettiest and least visited ones is probably Sant Felip Neri. It might be tricky to find it, as it is neatly tucked away to the right of the cathedral, but once you have found it you will be rewarded with peace and silence in the area which is often overcrowded with visitors. In the corner of the square there is a curious Museu de Calçat (Museum of Shoes), which demonstrates the evolution of the shoe through different ages.

Another lovely square is La Plaça del Pi, a home of the Gothic masterpiece Iglesia Santa Maria del Pi, a solemn church with a rose window noted to be the largest in the world. This square holds two regular markets as well as plenty of cafés.

Plaça del Rei which also resides in Barrio Gótico is considered to be the noblest in old town, as it represents a small courtyard of the great Royal Palace (Palau Reial Mayor). It is said that Cristophor Columbus announced his discoveries n this palace.

Plaça de Sant Jaume is another magnificent square which hosts two stunning building which face one another: the Ajuntament (Town Hall) and the Palau de Generalitat. Catalan people often gather here to dance Sardana, popular regional folk-dance.

If you come here on Sunday morning, you will see that performance accompanied with ensemble of wind and stringed instruments. Another Catalan folk tradition that takes place here is castellers – human towers, usually held on public holidays.
Moreover whenever there is a demonstration, people generally start off or finish at Plaça de Sant Jaume.

Beside the historical part, Barrio Gótico is a very popular entertainment place; it has plenty of restaurants, bars, cafés and clubs to suit all tastes.

How to get there:
By metro: green Line 3 Liceu, Drassanes, yellow Line 4 Jaume I.
By bus: 14, 38, 59, and 91

Some useful tips:
The Palau de Generalitat is only open to the public twice a year: on the 23 of April and the 24th of September.
Be careful with your personal belongings, as Barrio Gótico is a very popular tourist area, there are lots of pickpockets.