Catalunya 1400

Barcelona cathedral, also known as La Seu, is dedicated to the Holy Cross and to Saint Eulàlia, Barcelona’s patron saint. From Pla de la Seu we can see the most modern part of the building, which is the Neo-Gothic façade (late 19th century) built by Josep Oriol Mestres and August Font following 15th-century plans. It is highly ornate, with gargoyles, delicate stonework and a tower.

The rest of the building was begun at the end of the 13th century, during the Romanesque period, but it was not finished until the 15th century and the predominant style is Gothic. Apart from the façade, the exterior is sober, with no more decoration than the vertical buttresses and the octagonal towers.

Inside we find a large nave and two large aisles of almost the same height, which stand out for their breadth and height thanks to the slender pillars that are a characteristic of Catalan Gothic architecture. The cathedral is one of the few religious buildings that was not assaulted by the anarchists during the Spanish Civil War, for which reason much of the interior decoration has survived in its original state.

Two points of interest are the crypt of Saint Eulàlia and the chapel of Saint Lucy. There is a lift up to the roof of the cathedral, where we have an excellent view over the narrow streets making up the Gothic quarter.

The doorway of Saint Ivo, a good example of Catalan Gothic art, provides access to the cloister, a delightful spot full of trees where there is a pond with 13 geese that symbolise the age of Saint Eulàlia when she suffered martyrdom and was executed for professing the Christian faith.

In the middle of the garden there is a figure of Saint George and a fountain, the site during the Corpus Christi celebration of the ‘dancing egg’, a tradition which consists in placing an egg on the jet of water so that it dances around.

It can be visited from Monday to Saturday and on the eve of holidays (1 pm to 5 pm) and on holidays (2 pm to 5 pm).

• Thanks to a loan by this institution, visitors to the exhibition can admire the following work: the Missal of Saint Eulàlia, by Rafael Destorrents, also known as Rafael Gregori.