# Barcelona Cathedral > The Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia is Barcelona's great Gothic church, in the heart of the Gothic Quarter. It took almost 150 years to build, from 1298 to 1448, and its ornate front was only finished in the late 19th century. Thirteen white geese live in the cloister, and a lift takes you up to the roof. Allow 45 to 60 minutes. Web page: https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/barcelona-cathedral - City: [Barcelona](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona), Spain - YesGo score: 53/100 (Yes, go) - Time on site: 50 min - Opening hours: Daily; separate hours for tourists and worship - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Tourist ticket by day; free for worship at service times - Rooftop: Lift to the roof, in the tourist ticket - Highlights: The nave, the choir, the geese cloister, the roof - Time needed: 45–60 minutes - Dress code: Shoulders and knees covered - Location: Gothic Quarter, Jaume I metro (L4) - Coordinates: 41.38389, 2.17639 - Facts checked: 11.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1298** — construction began (source: English Wikipedia) - **1448** — the main work was completed (source: English Wikipedia) - **19th c.** — the neo-Gothic façade was added (source: English Wikipedia) - **13 geese** — live in the cloister (source: English Wikipedia) - **Saint Eulalia** — patron saint of Barcelona (source: English Wikipedia) ## About Barcelona Cathedral The cathedral is dedicated to the **Holy Cross** and **Saint Eulalia**, Barcelona's patron saint. It stands on the site of much older churches; the present Gothic building was begun in **1298** and largely completed by **1448**. Locals simply call it **La Seu**, the see. The spiky main front looks medieval but was only built in the **late 19th century** to old drawings, paid for by a local industrialist. So the cathedral pairs genuine Catalan Gothic inside with romantic neo-Gothic outside. The broad square in front is one of the liveliest spots in the old town. ## Inside the cathedral Inside is a tall, dim nave lined with some thirty side chapels glowing with candles and gilding. In the middle is the carved wooden **choir**, painted with the coats of arms of knights who once met here for a chapter of their order. Slender Gothic columns soar above the altar, and light filters through old stained glass. The loveliest corner is the **cloister**, a courtyard of orange trees, palms and a fountain. It's home to **13 white geese**, a number traditionally linked to Saint Eulalia's age. They honk around their pond, one of Barcelona's most unexpected sights. ## What to see in the cathedral - **The façade** — neo-Gothic spires over the square. - **The nave and chapels** — candles, gilding and stained glass. - **The choir** — carved stalls painted with coats of arms. - **The cloister** — palms, a fountain and the geese. - **The roof** — views over the Gothic Quarter to the Sagrada Família. - **The square** — sardana dancing at weekends. > **When entry is free** In the morning and evening, during services, the cathedral is open to worshippers without a ticket, but you can't sightsee or go up to the roof then. In the middle of the day there's a tourist ticket, a donation that covers the cloister, the choir and the roof lift. Times change, so check before you go. ## The cathedral rooftop A lift takes you up to the **roof**, where walkways run between the spires and pinnacles. From up here you can see the tangle of Gothic Quarter lanes and, in the distance, the Sagrada Família, Montjuïc and the hills of Tibidabo. The terrace is small with sturdy railings, so it's fine with children. It's best on a sunny morning, when the light is soft and the views are long, and it's great for photos of tiled rooftops and the bell towers of neighbouring churches. ## How to get to the cathedral 1. Metro: **Jaume I** station on line L4 (yellow), a 5-minute walk. 2. From Plaça de Catalunya, 10 minutes on foot down Portal de l'Àngel. 3. From [La Rambla](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/la-rambla), 7 minutes through the Gothic Quarter lanes. 4. The main entrance is on Pla de la Seu. ## Tips for your visit Cover your shoulders and knees: staff check at the door and may turn away shorts and vests. Keep your voice down, as people pray in the chapels. Photos without flash are usually fine. On Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings, locals dance the **sardana**, a Catalan circle dance, in the square in front, and anyone can join in. Nearby, don't miss narrow Carrer del Bisbe with its lacy bridge and the little Plaça de Sant Felip Neri. On Thursdays an antiques market often sets up by the cathedral. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Check the tourist opening hours - [ ] Wear clothes covering shoulders and knees - [ ] Find the geese in the cloister - [ ] Go up to the roof - [ ] Walk down Carrer del Bisbe ## Places in Barcelona: compare and choose Places in Barcelona rated by YesGo. - [Sagrada Família](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/sagrada-familia) — YesGo score 69/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h · Paid - [Barcelona Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/barcelona-cathedral) — YesGo score 53/100 (Yes, go) · 50 min · Paid by day - [Santa Maria del Mar](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/santa-maria-del-mar) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free in the morning - [Tibidabo](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/tibidabo) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Summit free - [Montserrat](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/montserrat) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 5 h · Basilica free ## The old town in half a day The cathedral, the Gothic Quarter and La Rambla. 1. [Barcelona Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/barcelona-cathedral) — YesGo score 53/100 (Yes, go) · 50 min · Paid by day 2. [Gothic Quarter](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/gothic-quarter) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 45 min · Free 3. [La Rambla](https://yesgo.io/spain/barcelona/la-rambla) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free ## Don't mix it up The cathedral isn't the Sagrada Família. The Sagrada Família is Gaudí's basilica in the Eixample; the cathedral is the Gothic church in the Gothic Quarter. ## Tips - Cover shoulders and knees. - The day ticket includes the roof. - Look for the geese in the cloister. - Sardana dancing at weekends. ## Questions ### Is Barcelona Cathedral free? By day there's a tourist donation ticket; at service times worshippers enter free. ### How long do you need at the cathedral? 45 to 60 minutes with the cloister and roof. ### Why are there geese in Barcelona Cathedral? Tradition links the 13 white geese to the age of Saint Eulalia, the city's patron. ### Can you go on the cathedral roof? Yes, by lift; it's included in the tourist ticket. ### How do I get to the cathedral? Metro to Jaume I (L4), or a 10-minute walk from Plaça de Catalunya. ### Is it the Sagrada Família? No, the Sagrada Família is Gaudí's basilica in the Eixample. ## How we checked Facts from English Wikipedia. Hours and prices weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Barcelona Cathedral - Official site, catedralbcn.org --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.