Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia

The cathedral of Santa Creu i Santa Eulàlia

The Barcelona audio-guided tour invites you to quiet contemplation before the cathedral of Santa Creu i Santa Eulàlia, dedicated to the Holy Cross and to Saint Eulalia, patroness of the city. Seat of the archdiocese, it is the most important church in Barcelona after the Sagrada Família.

Layers of history superimposed

The present building, built between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries, rests on the vestiges of a Romanesque cathedral, itself raised on a Visigothic church preceded by an early Christian basilica. Of this temple of the first Christians, erected in the fourth century, the baptistery in particular survives, visible in the basement. The cathedral is thus a true layering of history, where each era has left its mark.

What there is to see

The Gothic interior impresses with its height, its chapels and the crypt of Saint Eulalia. The cloister, planted with palm and magnolia trees, shelters a peaceful garden where thirteen white geese traditionally live, in memory of the saint's age at her martyrdom. A place of faith and contemplation, the cathedral is visited with respect, in the silence conducive to contemplation.

Practical information

The cathedral stands in the heart of the Gothic quarter of Barcelona, on Plaça de la Seu. An active place of worship, it is visited with respect for the contemplation of the faithful; access follows its own schedule, whose opening times may vary according to services. Appropriate dress is required.

To whom is the cathedral dedicated?

To the Holy Cross and to Saint Eulalia, patroness of Barcelona, whose crypt is inside the building.

When was the cathedral built?

The present Gothic building was built between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries, on the vestiges of much older churches dating back to the fourth century.