Barcelona Cathedral - La Seu. Catedral de la Santa Creu i Santa Eulalia. Barcelona's cathedral is also called 'La Seu' - the seat - and is located on the 'Plaza de la Seu' in the Barri Gotico gothic quarter of Barcelona, close to Mons Taber on the original site of the Roman city of Barcino. The official and full name of Barcelona cathedral is 'Catedral de la Santa Creu i Santa Eulalia' and is named after Barcelona's co-patron saint, Santa Eulalia. The cathedral is generally referred to as 'Catedral de Barcelona' or 'La Seu.'  On Sundays you can see traditional Sardana dancing on the square in front of the cathedral. Barcelona cathedral is open to the general public but charges admission at certain times. Visitors Tip: visit the roof gangway for lovely views of Barcelona and the old Gothic area and take note the plaque above the baptism font in Barcelona cathedral where six indigenous people 'indios,' taken to Spain by Christopher Columbus on his first voyage to the new world, were baptized in April 1493.

Barcelona Cathedral admission

WEEKDAYS
Free entry 8.00 to 12.45 (Cloister: 8.30 to 12.30)
€7 donation 13:00 to 17:00 
Free entry 17.45 to 19.30 (Cloister: 17.45 to 19.00)

SATURDAYS AND FESTIVE VIGIL
Free entry 8.00 to 12.45 (Cloister: 8.30 to 12.30) 
€7 donation 14.00 to 17.00
Free entry 17.45 to 19.00  (Cloister: 17.45 to 19.00)

SUNDAYS AND HOLIDAYS
Free entry 8.00 to 13.45 (Cloister: 8.30 to 13.00) 
€7 donation 13.00 to 17.00
Free entry 17.15 to 20.00  (Cloister: 17.15 to 19.00)

Cathedral opening times
Pictures Barcelona cathedral
Santa Eulalia Festival 
Pictures Sardana dancing

History Barcelona cathedral 

An early Christian basilica with three naves was originally built in 343 A.D, in the fourth century, on the site of the current Barcelona cathedral. The remains of this basilica can be seen in the MUHBA Barcelona history museum. The original church was destroyed in 985 during the destruction of Barcelona by the ruler of Islamic Iberia, Almanzor (Al Mansur). Much later in 1046 a Romanesque cathedral was built by Bishop Guislabert which was consecrated in 1058.

A Roman chapel, the 'Capella de Santa Llucia,' was added between 1257 and 1268 and was later incorporated in the cloister of the cathedral. In 1298 work began on the present day gothic structure under the reign of King Jaume II 'the Just.' During the construction of the gothic cathedral, the existing romanesque buildings were demolished, except for the Santa Llucia chapel. Construction of the gothic cathedral was slowed by civil wars and plagues and the main building was not completed until 1460.

The design of both the gothic facade and the central spire are from 1408 by the French architect Charles Galters. facade was not completed until 1889 and the the central spire was not completed until 1913. Even after 453 years the original design was still used by the architects Josep Oriol Mestres and August Font i Carreras.

The church is 93m/305ft long and 40m wide. The octagonal clock towers reach a height of more than 50m. They were built between 1386 and 1393. The spire of the central tower reaches a height of 70m or 230ft. The interior consists of one wide nave with 28 side chapels. The crypt below the high altar contains the sarcophagus of Santa Eulalia. The cathedral also has a beautifully carved choir. A lift in the northeast of the cathedral brings you to the top of the roof of the cathedral.

Cloister. Adjacent to the cathedral is a 14th century cloister. There are always 13 white geese in the cloister courtyard. Each goose represents one year in the life of the martyr Santa Eulalia, the young virgin tortured to death in 303 by the Romans for her Christian religion. The cloister also contains a small museum with liturgist artifacts. The Cathedral is decidated to the Holy Cross, and since the 9th century also to Saint Eulalia.

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