Betlem Church, Baroque church in El Raval, Spain
Betlem Church is a baroque church in the El Raval neighborhood of Barcelona, with its main entrance facing Carrer del Carme. The facade is decorated with stone relief sculptures of biblical scenes, and the interior contains several side chapels with religious artworks.
The church was built between 1680 and 1729 for the Jesuit order, with architect Josep Juli Major overseeing the construction. When the Jesuits were expelled from Spain in 1767, the building passed through several different uses over the following centuries.
The Chapel of Our Lady of Montserrat stands out inside with its white marble and carved altarpieces. Painted wooden statues of saints line the side chapels and are easy to notice as you walk through the nave.
The main entrance is on Carrer del Carme, in the heart of El Raval, and easy to reach on foot from the surrounding streets. Visiting in the morning or early afternoon generally allows more time to look around inside without crowds.
A stone carving at the entrance shows Saint Ignatius of Loyola in conversation with Saint Francis Borgia, who later became the third Superior General of the Jesuits. It is rare to see two canonized members of the same religious order depicted together on a church facade.
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