The beautiful Santa Maria del Mar, or the folk church that became the Cathedral of the Sea

In the very heart La Ribera district (part of El Born) you will find a church who considered by many to be the most beautiful in all of Barcelona. And at the same time, many tourists skip it and prefer to go see the nearby one Cathedral or visit Gaudí Sagrada Família. 

The main facade of the Church of Santa Maria del Mar

We are talking about the Gothic church of Santa Maria del Mar. It is also sometimes referred to as the People's Church or simply the Cathedral of La Ribera. Most people know it as the Cathedral of the Sea, which is also the name the critically acclaimed 2006 historical novel, under which the lawyer and the writer are signed Ildefonso Falcones. (And if you don't happen to like classic literature, it was also filmed based on the book series of the same name, which is really good quality!). 

It all started with the Romans...

Although today Santa Maria del Mar is one of the most visited monuments in the La Ribera district, the church itself was created when Barcelona did not exist. At least as we know it today. 

Santa Maria del Mar grew up in places where once the city walls of the original Roman settlement ended and the sea began. Previously, an amphitheater stood in these places, and a little later in the 10th century, the modest church of Santa Maria de les Arenes was built here. It served the residents of the city of Vila Nova del Mar, who were mainly represented by merchants and buyers. 

However, Santa Maria del Mar in its present form dates back to the 14th century, when the original church was partially demolished and some walls were integrated into the newly built structure. 

Access to the church through one of the side streets

The People's Church as a symbol of the economic and political power of Catalonia

The construction of Santa Maria del Mar began in 1329 and unlike other church buildings, everything was financed by the money of local companies and residents: most often it was shipbuilders and maritime merchants who wanted to build a place in their homeland where they could meet and talk to God. 

A lot of workers working in the nearby port participated in the creation of the church, the so-called " los bastaixos. They were stout and strong because they normally unloaded and loaded seagoing ships. Here, however, their task was to carry heavy stones from the quarry on Montjuic to the building. (Today, they are commemorated by statues, reliefs or in the motifs of colored stained-glass windows inside the cathedral). 

Los Bastaixos seamen who carried the stones to build the church

Construction began around the same time that construction began on Santa Maria del Mar Barcelona Cathedral. Unlike this one, however, it was exclusively paid from the pockets of the rich bourgeoisie and local nobility. 

The church was completed already in 1383, that is, after 54 years since the foundation stone was laid. This is an unprecedented speed compared to other constructions of the time: the construction of churches of a similar scale normally took more than 100 years. 

Among other things, the speed of construction contributed to the stylistic purity and again, unlike the competition, there was no mixing of different architectural styles and influences: Santa Maria del Mar is so directly a prime example of Catalan Gothic.

What is Catalan Gothic?

Probably everyone who paid more attention in history classes to what Gothic buildings look like. However, Catalan Gothic differs from "European" Gothic in several ways: it has much more moderate decorations, fewer statues and various decorative elements, it has a more austere and simpler impression and is generally more functional. 

Visit Santa Maria del Mar

Barcelona's Santa Maria del Mar has three fronts (naves):

1. The main one faces the picturesque square Pl. de Santa Maria, where you will find many cafes and bars
2. The second is on the side Carrer de Santa Maria, where there are only a few entrances to shops and the pieta on Pl. Fossar de les Moreres (see below)
3. The third one is in the back at the end of the street Passeig del Born, which intersects with Carrer de Montacada. Here you will find several noble palaces as well as the Pablo Picasso museum.

The entrance to the church is impressive: you enter through a huge portal introduced by a large rose window. The entrance gates are flanked by statues of St. Peter and Paul. On the left and right side you will find two bell towers with an octagonal plan. 

The impressive interior of Santa Maria del Mar

From the very first step, it is obvious that the church abounds in unprecedented openness and airiness. The relatively narrow aisles containing 12 chapels have their share in this. 

The building is much more oriented in width than in height, and it looks like a very slim and light work, which is dominated inside by an avenue of octagonal columns lining the central path to the altar. 

The interior also has perfect acoustics, which you will appreciate most at one of the frequent organ concerts. 

Enjoy the beauty and admire the richly decorated stained glass windows (and by all means try to find one that was added after the 1992 Olympics as a symbol of the connection between medieval heritage and modern history). 

Fossar de les Moreres square with a pieta commemorating the siege of the city in 1714

Visit the military pieta site

On the right side of the church is Pl. Fossar de les Moreres. Here you will find a commemorative square and a monument in the form of a red semi-arch by Alberto Viaplana, on the top of which an eternal flame burns. It is a place standing on a former cemetery commemorating the soldiers who died during the more than one-year siege of Barcelona by the Spanish-French troops in 1714.

Tickets to Santa Maria del Mar

Entrance to the Church of Santa Maria del Mar is cheap compared to other monuments in Barcelona:

• you can watch during regular daytime hours for a contribution of €5.
• after 18:00 you can go here for free
• if you want to admire the views from the roof of the church and the tower, you pay €10
• a guided guided tour and skip the line costs €15

You can buy tickets online on this page Barcelona Turisme eventual official website of the church. Access the site through the entrance from Passeig del Born, where the tourist office is. 

The square where the church is located offers several good cabarets and bars

Once you've taken in this gothic beauty, I definitely recommend staying in the area and visit one of the tapas or pintxo bars. Just be careful - a lot of other tourists will probably have a similar idea, so it's better to make a reservation in advance so you don't have to wait a long time for a place. 

Other names:	Santa Maria del Mar, Church of Saint Mary of the Sea, Basílica de Santa María del Mar, Esglesia De Santa Maria Del Mar
Address:	Plaça Santa Maria, 1 (map)
Transportation:	metro lines L4, Jaume station
Opening hours:	daily 10:00-20:30: tours: Monday - Saturday 10:00 - 18:00, Sunday 13:00 - 17:00 mass: daily at 19:30 p.m., Sunday also at 12:00 p.m
Tickets:	Temple, museum, crypt: €5 Temple, museum, crypt, towers and roof: €10 Temple, museum, crypt, towers and roof with guide: €15 Search for tickets >>>
More information:	official Web