Guide to visit Santa María del Mar

Curiosities

Over the years, the basilica has been marked by several historical events.

In 1428, during a morning mass, the congregation began to feel a tremor. Realizing it was an earthquake, they ran out of the basilica just as the rose window collapsed, killing 30 people. Although the rose window was rebuilt two years later, cracks are still visible on the façade as a reminder of that tragic day.
Two centuries later, in 1896, an anarchist threw a bomb near the church. While the basilica itself was not seriously damaged, the bomb resulted in 12 deaths.

The most significant event in the history of the Cathedral of the Sea occurred during the Spanish Civil War. In 1936, radicals set fire to the church, and it burned for eleven days. The fire destroyed the main altar, choir, royal gallery, organ, and several stained-glass windows. Restoring the basilica took 30 years, and part of the funding came from various organizations, including a donation from Football Club Barcelona, which is commemorated with the club’s crest in one of the stained-glass windows.

Although the basilica has long been part of Barcelona’s history and a tourist attraction, its popularity surged after the publication of Ildefonso Falcones’ novel La Catedral del Mar in 2006. The book, which sold more than 6 million copies and was translated into over 15 languages, tells the story of 14th-century Barcelona during the construction of the basilica. Fans of the novel can enjoy literary tours that visit the most iconic places featured in the book.