History of Barcelona Cathedral

Cathedral Of Barcelona History

Barcelona Cathedral is known as the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, which is a significant religious place for the people of Barcelona. It was built by architects, namely August Font I Carreras, and Josep Oriol Mestres I Esplugas. The architectural structure of the Cathedral has a Gothic revival and gothic structure. It has a length of approximately 90 meters, a width of 40 meters, and a height of 53 meters. The history of the Cathedral of Barcelona can be traced back to the 13th and 15th centuries when it was constructed, and it is still active in the province of the Archdiocese of Barcelona.

In the cathedral, there are tombs of Saints Eulàlia, Olegarius, Saint Raymond of penafort, Roman Berenguer, Almodis de la Marche, Berenguer de Palou II, Arnau de Gurb, and Salvador Casanas Pages. The rich Cathedral of Barcelona's history is one of the main reasons that attract tourists to visit this place from all over the world. It took around two centuries to make this beautiful church, which holds amazing examples of Gothic architecture. It is believed that the place has been associated with various myths and legends, which can be seen in the carvings on the pillars.

3rd - 4th centuries

Christianisation in Barcelona began during the 3rd and 4th centuries. It is assumed that it was a church, as it was a three-nave building. Saint Eulàlia's relics were kept in one of the chapels of this church. There are no proven historical records but people believe in the history of this Cathedral.

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7th - 10th centuries

The grounded conjectures made people believe there was a cathedral or episcopal temple at that time. In 599, the Cathedral appeared in a document dedicated to the Holy Cross. During the excavations, it was found that it was a building consisting of three naves separated by two white marble columns.

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12th century - 1913

The Cathedral of Barcelona history states that the Barcelona cathedral that can be found today started building in 1298. It was built on the foundation of the subsequent Romanesque Cathedral and the primitive paleo-Christian basilica. The period can be divided into approximately 150 years of construction, in which it was planned to build a building, the building of apse and radial chapels, building of three naves. In 1448, the Cloister was finished and by the end of the 19th century.

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Cathedral of Barcelona Historical Facts

The Barcelona Cathedral has an open-air garden, also termed cloisters. Every day, 13 geese roam around in this area, taking a bath in the water fountain named Font de les Oques. The number “13” signifies the age at which Eulalia took her last breath.
It took approximately two centuries to construct the entire Cathedral. Finally, on May 1, 1298, the first stone of this historical structure was laid under the reign of James II The Just.
The Cathedral of Barcelona is the seat of the Archbishop of Barcelona. That's why it's considered the supreme church in the city.
In the Cathedral, one can see 21 bells out of which the largest one, also known as Eulalia, weighs more than three tons.
If you book your Cathedral of Barcelona tickets and take a tour inside the church you’d be surprised to see the remarkable choir. The choir stalls of the church have coats-of-arms of the knights of the Order of the Golden Fleece on the back of the seats

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