BARCELONA CATHEDRALS AND BASILICAS

Tour and exclusive entrance to the Basilica of La Merced, the Cathedral of the Sea, the Cathedral of Barcelona and the Church of Sant Felip Neri, to enter with an official guide, who will accompany you through these magnificent Gothic, neo-Gothic and Baroque buildings, explaining the history they keep: doors that currently lead to the void, works of art where the physiognomy of Sant Felip Neri corresponds to Gaudí… among others.

Cathedrals and Basilicas. Do you know where the difference is? The main difference is that the cathedral is the seat of the bishop and its capitol. This makes the cathedral the most important place within a diocese from the point of view of the religious hierarchy, however, a basilica can be larger and more majestic than some cathedrals.

BARCELONA CATHEDRAL: Previously there was an early Christian basilica from the fourth century. Later there was a Romanesque church, which was demolished, there is still the chapel of Santa Lucía and later the Gothic Cathedral, the Santa Cruz began to be built in 1298 thanks to the contributions of the most modest faithful and the Catalan bourgeoisie. Of these, only the baptistery remains today.

The Pietà Desplá, a Gothic altarpiece with a Renaissance air dating from the 15th century and which is the masterpiece of the Cordovan painter Bartolomé Bermejo. A work that was in the Prado Museum for years and that, since 2017, has been recovered by the Cathedral of Barcelona, is well worth a visit.

On the other hand, the interior of the Cathedral of Barcelona, considered one of the first examples of the Catalan Gothic style, is composed of three naves of the same height, two lateral naves and a central one twice as large as the lateral naves, and numerous chapels along the sections of the lateral naves. At the entrance of the cathedral we find the baptismal font, one of the few preserved elements of the ancient Roman basilica, and the chapel of the Christ of Lepanto, one of the most important and most devotional images of the cathedral. The space surrounding the altar has the Exaltation of the Cross, surrounded by six angels and, under the presbytery, we find the crypt, where the remains of Saint Eulalia, patron saint of Barcelona until the 12th century, are preserved. Do you know why the Virgen de la Merced was later the patron saint of Barcelona?

BASILICA DE LA MERCED: The Basilica of the Virgen de la Merced is a Baroque style church, dedicated to the patron saint of the city of Barcelona and located in the Plaza de la Merced, in the Gothic Quarter. Its construction began in 1765 and, ten years later, in 1775 it was inaugurated. A church with a single nave, with chapels located in the buttresses, four vaulted arches and a dome.

The Basilica of La Merced is one of the most important spiritual and artistic attractions in Barcelona, as well as the international point of reference for Marian piety.

In 1868, the Virgen de la Merced became the official patron saint of the city, a title that until then had been held by Santa Eulalia alone.

CATHEDRAL OF THE SEA: The Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar, a church of Gothic architecture, was built in a record time of 54 years, taking into account that this type of building normally took an average of 100 years to complete.

Santa Maria del Mar, an emblematic symbol of Barcelona, is characterized by its austerity and simplicity compared to other Gothic temples in Northern Europe and is considered the best example of Catalan Gothic Style in Catalonia.

CHURCH OF SANT FELIP NERI: The Church of Sant Felip Neri, presided over by the figure of the Saint, was formerly a dependency of the convent of the “felipones”, established in 1673. Completed in 1750, this Baroque church is very unique. It is a single-nave building with a transept and rectangular apse, in which the side chapels stand out with neoclassical altars and paintings by Joan Llimona, brother of the sculptor Josep Llimona i Bruguera and a close friend of Antoni Gaudí, who agreed to be the model for several works, such as the transept of the church of Sant Felipe Neri in Barcelona in 1902. where it can be seen that the physiognomy of the saint corresponds to Antoni Gaudí.