Built in 1213 on top of an ancient Visigothic basilica, it has been declared a national monument by UNESCO. The cathedral stands out from other churches due to its rich history and stunning architecture.
The exterior façade features three distinct styles: Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque. The main entrance is adorned with two powerful towers, which were added during the 18th century renovation works. Inside, you can find several chapels decorated with paintings from renowned artists such as El Greco and Francisco de Zurbarán.
The most impressive feature inside is without doubt the altar piece created by Josep Mestres Cabanes in 1790-1792. This massive structure includes several sculptures depicting scenes from Jesus’ life, including his birth, death, and resurrection. It also contains an impressive organ made up of 2,400 pipes that was built between 1788-1789 by Antonio Palomino Pérez de Castro y Córdoba, who worked for King Carlos III at the time.
Tarragona Cathedral houses many important relics throughout its history, including fragments of what it believed to be pieces from Christ’s cross brought back from Jerusalem in 1399 by Pere Albert II who was Bishop at that time; this relic earned him the title “Protector of Christianity” granted to him by Pope Boniface IX in 1402. In addition to these religious artefacts, there are also some secular objects such as coins dating back to Ancient Rome or even pre-Roman civilizations found within its walls, which give us great insight into how people lived during those times.
Today visitors can explore all parts of this magnificent building thanks to guided tours organized every day except Sunday mornings when services take place instead.
