The Cathedral of Santa Eulalia or La Seu in the local Catalan language boasts imposing Gothic façade and steeples which may look old but in fact date back to the 19th century, when they were added to the already existing medieval building (13-15th century). Fortunately the contemporary architects and builders used the original plan designed in the beginning of the 15th century, which resulted in a nice visual harmony with the older parts of the cathedral. The construction of the Gothic temple started in the 13th century on the site of an older Romanesque church, preceded by a mosque and an ancient Roman basilica.

The interiors of the Barcelona Cathedral are formed as a single, huge and magnificent nave with a sumptuous choir in the middle. The staircase next to it leads down to the crypt, which keeps the masterly carved stone sarcophagus of Saint Eulalia - a martyr, daughter of a local noble family, tortured and burned by the Romans for her Christian belief in the 3d century AD and later canonized as a patron saint of Barcelona. From the staircase for the crypt you can pay attention to the marvellous view of the wonderful vaulted ceiling, supported by cross-shaped columns.

The choir is one of the many masterpieces of the cathedral. Its white marble fence is decorated by sculptured representation of scenes from the life of Saint Eulalia, created by the Spanish renaissance sculptor Bartolome Ordonez in the first quarter of 16th century. The beautifully carved thrones of the choir date back to the same period, while later they were additionally decorated by European kings' coats of arms.

Along the long sides of the nave and in the apse you can count up to 29 chapels, most of which contain remarkable altarpieces and art works. Next to the right side of the main entrance is the large Capella del Santísim Sagrament where you can see the Christ of Lepanto - the crucifix which decorated the prow of the victorious Holy League's flagship commanded by Don Juan de Austria in the glorious naval battle against the Ottoman invaders near Lepanto 1571. The chapel also contains the alabaster tomb of the 12th-century archbishop of Tarragona, canonized as Saint Olegarius, as well as a huge 15th-century marble font and an interesting historic inscription commemorating the baptizing of four Indians brought by Columbus in 1493.

In the bottom of the nave, the first chapel left of the altar keeps the worth-seeing alabaster tomb of the 14th-century Bishop Ramon d’Escales, carved with amazing sculptured decoration by Antoni Canet in the beginning of 15th century. Next to it, under the covered gallery is the Chapel VI with 14th-century paintings depicting the life of St Gabriel.

The Capella de Sant Benet in the apse is dedicated to the Order of Saint Benedict. It keeps a unique altarpiece dating back to the middle of the 15th century and painted by the famed Spanish artist Bernat Martorell. In the same part of the apse is the elevator for the roof-top of the cathedral. Here you can also see two sarcophagi with very modest decoration, keeping the remains of Ramon Berenguer I and his wife - count and countess of Barcelona.

A very pleasant area in the cathedral is the oasis-like Gothic gallery built in the late 15th century, accessible from the church and through a direct entrance from Carrer del Bistre via Porta de Santa Eulàlia. Palm trees, flower pots, geese and a marvellous fountain with a statue of Sant Jordi - the other patron saint of the city, are among the many things you can see here. Large vaulted chapels surround the gallery, each of them dedicated to a certain saint. The home of the order has been turned into a small museum. The font in the vestibule is from the ancient Romanesque cathedral which once stood on the site.