Description

Essentials about Santa Maria del Mar in brief

Santa Maria del Mar is one of the most beautiful churches in Barcelona. It is located in the La Ribera district and was built between 1329 and 1383, during the heyday of Catalan supremacy in trade and sea. The church is worth seeing because it is an outstanding example of Catalan Gothic architecture. Due to its short construction period of “only” 55 years, Santa Maria del Mar has a purity and uniformity of style that is otherwise unusual for large medieval buildings.

The history of Santa Maria del Mar

According to legend, the Apostle James preached on the site where the church now stands, which prompted the construction of a small chapel. Around 304, Saint Eulalia, the patron saint of Barcelona, was buried there, but her body was later transferred to the city’s cathedral.

The first written mention of a church called Santa Maria del Mar dates back to 998, and the construction of the current church began in 1329 with the laying of the foundation stone by King Alfonso IV, as attested by a plaque in Latin and Catalan placed on the façade facing the Fossar de les Moreres. The architects in charge were Berenguer de Montagut and Ramon Despuig. During the construction period, all the guilds of the Ribera district were involved. The load-bearers in particular made a great voluntary contribution, and their efforts were commended on a small bronze plaque on the main portal. The walls, side chapels and facades were completed in 1350. In 1379 a fire destroyed significant parts of the structure. Finally, in 1383, the last stone was laid and the first mass was said.

Throughout history, Santa Maria del Mar was destroyed in parts several times. In 1428, an earthquake caused severe damage. During the War of the Spanish Succession, the church was partially destroyed in 1714, and during the Spanish Civil War in 1936, the interior largely fell victim to a fire. By 1990, however, the church had been completely restored.

The façade of Santa Maria del Mar

Since Santa Maria del Mar is surrounded by the narrow streets of La Ribera, it is not easy to get an overall impression of the building from the outside. The best view is obtained from the Fossar de les Moreres and the Plaça de Santa Maria. The west façade gives an impression of compactness and sober austerity, typical of Catalan Gothic. It is clearly divided into three sections by two high buttresses, corresponding to the three naves. The slender, octagonal northwest tower was completed in 1496, while its counterpart remained unfinished until 1902.

The interior of Santa Maria del Mar

In contrast to the western facade, the interior gives the impression of wide spaciousness. It corresponds to the basilica type, with three naves forming a single space without transepts. An architectural novelty in this church building was the concentration of the vault load on a few points, so that the simple ribbed vault of the nave is supported by only four slender octagonal columns. This spans the width of 13 meters, which was enormous for the time. Also unusual for a church of this time is the very filigree, elegant-looking ring of pillars surrounding the apse. Due to a fire in 1936, there are hardly any works of art in the interior. Of the original windows, only the depictions of the Assumption and the Washing of the Feet have survived, as well as some geometric motifs in the apse.

Website

barcelonaturisme.com/santa-maria-del-mar

Opening hours

Admission fees

None.

Address

Getting there

By public transport:

Metro line 4: Stop Jaume I or Barceloneta

Bus lines 45, 120, N8, N28, N70, V15 and V17: Stop Via Laietana – Jutjats

Bus lines N0 and N6: Stop Pla del Palau – Consolat del Mar

By car:

The nearest parking garage is the Parking El Born Center Ciudadela Zoo.