Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, Gothic cathedral in Gothic Quarter, Barcelona, Spain
The Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, known as La Seu, is a Catalan Gothic church in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter. Its neo-Gothic west facade, completed in 1913, has three sections with a tall openwork central spire and two flanking towers. Inside, five aisles are divided by clustered columns rising to ribbed vaults, with dark wooden choir stalls along the walls.
Building work started in 1298 on the site of an early Christian basilica from the 4th century that once stood here. The project stretched over several centuries and reached completion in 1913 with the finishing of the main facade.
The building takes its name from Saint Eulalia, a young martyr from Roman times whose remains rest in the crypt beneath the main altar. On Sundays and feast days, the interior fills with worshippers attending Mass, while choral singing echoes through the high vaulted ceiling.
The entrance sits on Plaça de la Seu, where you can spot the main facade right away. On most days the building opens in the morning and closes in the late afternoon, with access limited to worshippers during services.
The geese are kept in the cloister because Eulalia was thirteen when she was martyred, and the flock is maintained at that number. The cloister also encloses the Well of the Geese, completed with the cloister in 1448.
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