Basílica de Santa Maria del Mar

The Basílica de Santa Maria del Mar is the only church built in pure Catalan Gothic style, constructed by the people of El Born in just 55 years under the direction of the architects Berenguer Montagut and Ramon Despuig. Inside, the space feels open and full of light, laid out in three aisles and defined by its slender columns, spaced 13 metres apart, an unusual span in medieval architecture. A large rose window and the stained glass bring colour to the otherwise restrained interior, where the tombs of guilds, brotherhoods and local families still remain. Walking down the central nave, you move through its history in a space shaped by stone, proportion and quiet devotion.