General Information
Santa Maria del Mar, which means “Saint Mary of the Sea”, is a church located in El Born quarter of Barcelona. Its name comes from the fact that it is very close to the beach of Barcelona. The church is considered to be one of the main symbols of the Catalan city.
Together with the Gothic Cathedral of Barcelona (Catedral de Santa Eulalia), Santa Maria del Mar is one of the oldest churches of Barcelona. Though it was damaged many times by fires, earthquakes and other serious catastrophes, it was not destroyed and it still stands. Supposedly, Saint Eulalia, the patroness of Barcelona, was buried on the place where later the church was built and her remains were transferred in a later period to the cathedral.
Santa Maria del Mar is less famous than the Barcelona Cathedral which means less visitors and a more pleasant visit. Additionally, it is close to some pretty good restaurants, so it is an ideal destination for those who would like to eat a good meal in a quiet environment (for additional information – Bars and Restaurants in Barcelona).
What do you see in Santa Maria del Mar?
Santa Maria del Mar is a typical Gothic building in Catalonia. Due to the great number of catastrophes that it has been through, there are not many sculptures that survived. But one can admire a large and impressive building that serves as a place of worship and music events. An interesting fact – the rebuilding of the church served as background to the famous historical novel “Cathedral of the Sea” written by Ildefonso Falcones. Moreover, its structures and columns inspired Gaudi when he was designing the pillars of the Sagrada Familia.