Barcelona Cathedral

The Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, known simply as Barcelona Cathedral or La Seu, is the seat of the Archbishop of Barcelona and stands in the heart of the Gothic Quarter. Many visitors take the Sagrada Família for the city’s cathedral, but Gaudí’s church is a basilica: the archbishop’s cathedral is this one.

It was built in 1298–1448 on the site of an early Christian basilica and a Romanesque cathedral; the small Chapel of Santa Llúcia, finished a few decades before the Gothic works began, survives beside it. The neo-Gothic main façade was added only in 1887–1890, and the central spire, about 70 metres high, was completed in 1913.

Inside, slender Gothic pillars rise to star vaults above some 25 side chapels, and the crypt under the high altar holds the alabaster tomb of Saint Eulalia, the city’s co-patron, who was martyred at the age of 13. That is why 13 white geese live in the palm-shaded Gothic cloister, around a fountain with a statue of Saint George. A lift takes visitors up to the rooftop terraces, with views over the old town to Montjuïc.

Key Facts

• Hours: tourist visits Monday to Friday 9:30–18:30, Saturday 9:30–17:15 and Sunday 14:00–17:00, with the last entry 30–45 minutes before closing; at other times the cathedral is open free of charge for worship.
• Tickets (2026): €16, reduced €14; the cultural visit includes the rooftop terraces.
• Getting there: metro L4 to Jaume I, a 5-minute walk.