Historic and monumental Barcelona Cathedral sits in the middle of the Gothic Quarter. With its magnificence design and historic importance it should be explored for its architectual importance.
The Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia also known as Barcelona Cathedral is in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona. You will find the cathedral just a few minutes walk from the Rambla and Plaça Reial. Construction started in 1298 and the cathedral completed in 1420. The neo-Gothic style facade and central tower were completed in 1913. The cathedral is 93 meters long and 40 meters wide and has a total height of 70 meters. The cathedral named after the patron saint of Barcelona Santa Eulalia whose crypt remains in the cathedral.
Inside the Cathedral, the amazing cloisters built in the 14th and 15th centuries and are in gothic style. Inside the garden are thirteen geese always present, one for each year of the age of Saint Eualalia. It is possible to take a lift to the top of the cathedral’s rooftop. It is here where you will be able to see more clearly certain details such as the bell towers and roof.
The Jewel In The Gothic Quarters Crown
The sheer dominance of this towering gothic building truly makes you feel you are at the heart of the historic center. You can feel the intimate history of the building, and the hundreds of years of history it hides. Standing majestically from the medieval times to the age of the iPhone, you can’t help but wonder that the structure has seen it all. A visit to the cathedral must be top of your itinerary when visiting the Gothic Quarter. Admission at certain times of the day is free, however leaving a donation to help preserve this building is recommended. Guided tours are available for visitors wishing to learn more about this building. Dress code should be respectful when visiting religious buildings or places.
Once you have visited Barcelona Cathedral, you may also be able to add to your day’s itinerary other nearby places to visit. The historic square of Plaça Sant Jaume is a few minutes walk from the cathedral. This square that dates back to the Roman times is also home to Barcelona’s town hall. The Plaça del Rei is a minute or two away from Barcelona Cathedral. It is in this square you can view the city’s Roman ruins in the MUHBA underground museum.
Alternately, you can explore the historic Gothic Quarter with the narrow streets that are great for your Instagram photos! The nearby Plaça Reial is also worthy of visiting, if not just to see Gaudí designed street lampposts. If you enjoy Gothic churches, the nearby Basilica de Santa Maria del Pi is very much worth visiting.
How to get to Barcelona Cathedral
This must visit historic attraction is in the heart of the Gothic Quarter. You can get to the cathedral by taking the metro line 3 to Liceu and then walking straight in to the Gothic Quarter. You could also take the metro line 4, to Jaume I, the cathedral is about 5 minutes walk. The metro station Jaume I is the closest metro to the Cathedral.
Since there are many narrow streets, a GPS navigation app or Google Maps will be an aid worth having to navigate the maze of streets of the Gothic Quarter. However, getting lost in this historic part of Barcelona is never a bad thing to happen as you explore and discover. You can also get to this attraction by getting one of the cities many buses to the Via Laietana. The cathedral is about 10 minutes from the famous Plaça Catalyuna.
