Tarragona Cathedral is one of the largest Catholic churches in Spain. It is built on a hilltop in the center of the old town of Part Alta. In Roman times, here was the site of the Temple of the Emperor Octavian Augustus. It was the center of the Roman Forum Tarraco.
After the destruction of the temple of the Emperor Augustus in 382, the Visigothic Basilica was built here, which was turned into a mosque during the Arab Caliphate. In 1171, at the initiative of the first Bishop of Tarragona, the construction of the huge Cathedral of Tarragona began.
In those years, European architects could only build cathedrals with massive walls and small windows. They were like fortresses. This architectural style is called Romanesque. In general, the Cathedral retained the features of the Romanesque style, but since it had been built during 150 years, there were also elements of the Gothic style, which replaced the Romanesque. The Cathedral was consecrated in 1331.
The residential development of the old town of Part Alta comes close to the huge walls of the Cathedral, so the most extensive view of the Cathedral opens from the observation deck of the Roman tower of Pretoria, built near the Roman Circus. It is shaped like a Latin cross with a size of 104 x 54 meters. The Central nave is 16 meters wide and 23 meters high. The height of the bell tower reaches 65 meters.
On the facade of the Tarragona Cathedral, you can see a majestic portal and a large rose window (11 meters in diameter). They were made by master Bartomeu in the 13th century in the Romanesque style. The interiors of the Cathedral retain elements of a massive castle. There are no Gothic arches or stained glass windows.
The altarpiece by the Catalan sculptor Pere João (15th century) in polychrome alabaster is very impressive. In its center is a sculpture of the Virgin Mary, and on the sides are sculptures of St. Paul the Apostle and St. Thecla (patroness of Tarragona). Nearby is a white marble throne.
The main nave is flanked by several chapels dedicated to various saints. The chapel of the Body and Blood of Christ houses a small Museum exhibition. In the chapel of The Blessed Sacrament, you can see the tomb of Juan of Aragon. To the right of the altar are the large rooms of the Main Sacristy and Treasury. They contain gold and silver crosses, cups, and other particularly valuable Church utensils.
From the main nave of the Cathedral of Tarragona, you can go to the Cloister. It is a large rectangular courtyard of the Monastery of the Cathedral of Tarragona. The monastery was founded simultaneously with the beginning of the construction of the Cathedral. A covered gallery runs around it.
