The Catalan Gothic in Barcelona

The Ribera Quarter is one of the most beatiful places of Barcelona. Everybody who comes to the city has to do a walk around, admiring some of the hidden corners that you must know. Today we recommend you one of the churches more representative of the Catalan Gothic, Santa María del Mar, perfectly described from the post of Barcelona Urbany.

Santa María del Mar is the best and only finished example of Catalan Gothic in Barcelona. It is located in the Ribera quarter, near the Passeo del Borne and it has been built between 1329 and 1383.

The main peculiar thing about this amazing church is that originally it was exclusively for parishioners living in the area around the harbour and in the Barceloneta quarter. In fact these are the ones who contributed to the construction of the temple, with their money and as well with their job. The whole population actively participated to it and the dockers brought the big stones for the building from the Montjuic hill or from the harbour to the church square, carrying them on their own shoulders. In the same period the Cathedral of Barcelona was getting built and on differently than Santa María del Mar, it was for the aristocracy, the nobility and the high class clergy.

Continue reading.