Santa Maria del Mar
Santa Maria del Mar was built during the reign of King Jaume II, who also oversaw construction of Barcelona’s cathedral. Begun in 1324, Santa Maria del Mar took just 54 years to build with much of the population helping at some point or another.
At the time, the church was situated on the seashore (hence the name “St. Mary of the Sea”). Its magnificence was intended to symbolize the naval supremacy of the Kingdom of Aragon. Specifically, the church was built to commemorate the recent conquest of Sardinia.
Truly the most beautiful church in the city with its awe inspiring spaciousness with lofty aisles, which are half as broad as the central nave and studded with shallow chapels between the butresses.
The church was gutted in a fire during the civil war which cleared out almost all the ornate fittings accumulated over time leaving only the bare brickwork and the stained glass windows which creates this great cathedral-like space, accentuating the incredible vaulted ceilings.
The main entrance overlooks Plaça de Santa Maria del Mar where you can sit outside on the terrace and admire the façade and watch the world go by.
People still get married here at weekends and from time to time there are orchestral evenings playing Mozart or Wagner which really shows off the abience and acoustics of the great space.
