Santa Maria del Mar

Santa María del Mar is a gothic church, work of Berenguer de Montagut and Ramón Despuig, situated in the Ribera (Born) neighbourhood and has been constructed between 1329 and 1383. The construction begun March 25th 1329 and has actively involved the whole Ribera population, especially the harbour workers who carried on theirs backs the big stones destined for construction, from the harbour to the city, to the Plaza del Borne, one by one. The walls, the lateral chapels and the facade were finished around 1350. In 1379 there was a fire that caused a lot of damage to the stones. Finally, the last part of the vault has been placed on November 3 1383. The 1428 earthquake caused a few deaths as the rosette felt down, but in 1459 a new one has already been completed. Another fire, in July 1936, destroyed most of the images and the Baroque altar, and new ones have been added during the following centuries.

It’s a prototype of a catalan Gothic church, with abundant horizontal lines, predominance of solid panels over empty spaces, of flat terraces without roofs, and a preference for large bare surfaces. The buttresses are without flying buttresses as in the European Gothic cathedrals, and the towers are octagonal and flat-topped.

From the outside, Santa Maria gives an impression of a massive contruction, with predominant horizontal lines and walls with no decorations or openings. The main facade has two towers and a rose window. Horizontally, it’s possible to distinguish clearly between the lower and the upper part. The lateral sides are made of plain walls with no decoration, with two doors: the Sombreros one and the Moreras one.

In contrast with the exterior, the interior gives an impression of light and spaciousness. It is of the basilica type, with its three aisles forming a single space with no transepts and no architectural boundary between the nave and the presbytery. The simple ribbed vault is supported on slender octagonal columns, and abundant daylight streams in through the tall clerestorey windows. The beauty of the interior is extraordinary and has very good acoustic conditions that make it an ideal concert venue. The concerts are mostly of classical and oriental music and occasionally jazz.

Opening hours: : Mon - Fri 09:00-13:30 and 16:30-20:00

                           Sundays and holidays: 10:00-13:30 and 16:30-20.00

How to get there: metro stop Jaume I or Barceloneta (L4)