English
Español
Français
Italiano
PortuguêsTourist Attraction in Barcelona:
Catedral de la Santa Creu i Santa Eulàlia
The Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, awarded in 1867 the title of minor basilica, since November 1929 is a Historic, Spanish Artistic Monument. The cathedral is dedicated to Santa Creu (the Holy Cross) and to Saint Eulalia, the patron saint of Barcelona, who suffered martyrdom in Roman times. The legend says that it was exposed naked until, in mid-spring, snow fell to cover its body; the authorities of the time, put it in a spiked barrel and made it roll down a narrow street that is now called Baixada de Santa Eulàlia. The current cathedral was built in Gothic style between the 13th and 15th centuries on the remains of previous churches. The first building was an early Christian basilica (5th and 7th centuries) with three naves, with a square-shaped baptistery that housed an octagonal baptismal font. It remained intact during the Visigoth invasion, perhaps it was turned into a mosque during the Muslim occupation of the city (718-801), to be restored around 877 by Bishop Frodoí. Transformed in Romanesque style, it was consecrated in 1058. Smaller than the present, it too had three naves with three raised apses, a portico in the façade and bell tower. The cathedral is composed of three naves of equal height, with the central one measuring twice as many as the side aisles, closed by a semicircular ambulatory that passes behind the presbytery, onto which ten chapels overlook, with Gothic windows giving light to the apse, covered with pointed arches. The stained glass windows, characteristic of Gothic, are all drawn with the same tripartite pattern: in the center the image of the saint titled, and on the sides geometric decorations. The oldest (1317- 1334), with the coat of arms of Bishop Ponç de Gualba, are contained in the radial chapels of the head of the church. Besides these, the lateral ones of San Pietro, of the Pope Sylvester and of Santo Stefano (1386), are of the author called the master of San Silvestro. Successive are those at the ends of the apse representing Sant'Andrea (1400) and Sant'Antonio Abate (1407), created by Nicolau de Maraya. In the triforium at the foot of the temple, modern stained glass windows (20th century) are placed representing various saints venerated in Barcelona. In the central nave there are also the remains of some sovereigns: on the wall of the sacristy painted in 1545 by Enrique Ferrandis, those of Raimondo Berengario count of Barcelona and his wife Almodis de la Marche. On the other side of the nave, between the transept and the Chapel of the Holy Innocents, are the sepulchres with sculptures by Frederic Marès, with the remains, in an urn, of Alfonso III of Aragon and James the first of Urgell, and Frederick, sons of Alfonso IV of Aragon and in the other the remains of Constance of Sicily, wife of Peter III of Aragon. On the side aisles there are another 17 chapels, with pointed arches at the entrance. The Gothic cloister (15th century), sees great architects like Andreu Escuder and sculptors like the Claperòs, father and son. It is accessed from inside the building through a Romanesque door in white Italian marble with archivolts decorated with geometric patterns and, above the capitals, sculptures of the Old and New Testament. Above the archivolts later Gothic battlement to place the door in the Gothic context of the church. Text processing: Giovambattista Spagnuolo (Myooni)
Attractions in Barcelona
