http://www.catedralbcn.org/
The gothic Cathedral of Barcelona, known as La Seu is on the Plaza de la Seu in the Barri Gotic. This is in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona, close to Mons Taber, the original site of the Roman settlement of Barcino, the origin of the city.

The official name is "Cathedral de la Santa Creu i Santa Eulalia", named after Barcelona's patron saint Eulalia, but it is generally referred to as "La Seu."

 Click here to read about the "Festival of Santa Eulalia" in Barcelona

Originally there was a early Christian basilica with three naves built on this site in 343 A.D in the fourth century. The remains of this basilica can be seen in the City History Museum.

This was destroyed in 985 was destroyed by the Moors, led by Al-Mansur. It was then replaced by a Romanesque cathedral. Building started in 1046, at the initiative of Bishop Guislabert, and was consecrated in 1058.

A Roman chapel, the Capella de Santa Llucia, was added between 1257 and 1268, which was later incorporated in the cloister next to the cathedral.

The West Front of the Barcelona Cathedral is currently being restored and visitors are encouraged to help by "sponsoring a stone"

1 stone is 10 euros, 2 stones are 20 euros..... and 3 stones are...............you guessed it.. 30 euros.. this is religion, not a car boot sale! The financial cost of restoring the West Front is very high and all donations will help.


In 1298 work began on the present day gothic structure under the reign of King Jaume II, known as 'the Just'. During the construction of the gothic cathedral, the existing roman buildings were demolished, except for the Santa Llucia chapel.

Construction was slow due to civil wars and plague. The main building was not completed until 1460. The design of both the gothic facade and the central spire were made in 1408 by the French architect Charles Galters.

But the facade was first finished in 1889 and the last part, which was the central spire, was not finished until 1913. Even though it took 453 years the original design was followed 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 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 geese in its central courtyard. Each goose represents one year in the life of the martyr Santa Eulalia, a young girl tortured to death in the 4th century by the Romans for her 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 Eulàlia. Her remains are in the crypt below the high altar.