Spain - Barcelona
Cathedral of Barcelona
By @entrespacios
Rising above the Gothic Quarter stands the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, the seat of the archbishop and Barcelona’s main church since the Middle Ages. Beneath its foundations lie the remains of a Paleochristian basilica and a Romanesque temple, bearing witness to the continuity of worship since the city’s origins. Construction of the current Gothic building began in the 13th century, reflecting the rise of a city in expansion. The Cathedral is a prime example of Catalan Gothic architecture: three naves of nearly equal height, side chapels dedicated to guilds and families, and a 15th-century choir at its center. Its cloister, added around the same period, preserves the fountain, garden, and the famous white geese. The main façade is not medieval —it was added in the late 19th century, financed by the banker Manuel Girona and designed by Josep Oriol Mestres in a Neo-Gothic style inspired by ancient plans. This detail makes the Cathedral a true architectural palimpsest, where Romanesque, Gothic, and Neo-Gothic coexist within a single space.
Address: Pla de la Seu, s/n, Ciutat Vella, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
About @entrespacios
I’m Carmen, a Colombian historian. I arrived in Barcelona in 2015, convinced that a master’s degree in Art History, combined with my experience as a teacher and museum guide, would open many doors for me. Spoiler: it didn’t. After several rejections, I started working as a tour guide, thinking it would be temporary. What I didn’t expect was that this job would become a true passion: historical storytelling. Today, I dedicate myself to sharing the history of Barcelona (and the occasional other topic) with the world, one street and one screen at a time.
