Location of Santa Maria del Mar church
    Literary tour "Cathedral of the Sea"


The Santa Maria del Mar Church - La Basílica de Santa María del Mar - is in the Ribera area - also called El Born-  in Barcelona. This magnificent church is widely regarded as the most important and beautiful example of Catalan gothic churches. The church used to be much closer to the sea, when El Born in La Ribera neighbourhood of Barcelona's old city, was close to the sea front of Barcelona. The earliest mention of a church of Santa Maria by the sea dates back to the year 998. The Santa Maria del Mar church was built from 1329 to 1383. It is still used for services and concerts and recently was the theme of a very popular novel called Cathedral of the Sea by Catalan author Ildefonso Falcones

Front facade at west end of La Basílica de Santa María del Mar with rose window


Aerial view of La Basílica de Santa María del Mar in modern times.
The church is hemmed in by neighbouring buildings.











Rose window at the west end of the church. 









Depiction of a stone mason carrying stones on doors of the church.
The stone for the Basila came from quarries on Montjuic hill in Barcelona


Santa Maria del Mar has three aisles that form a single space full of light












See a 360 virtual photograph of Santa Maria del Mar
More pictures of Barcelona attractions