Description: The magnificent Santa María Cathedral or
Catedral de Tarragona was built above an ancient Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter. During the Roman times, a temple of Jupiter stood here, then first Christian basilica. In 10th century Arab mosque took its place. After re-conquest, second Christian church was built on the same spot. Today’s cathedral construction began in 1184 but took several centuries to complete.
Here you can see the transition from Roman to Gothic style. The main building and the doors are Roman but its arched ceiling is clearly Gothic. The church has a Latin-cross plan, with three naves and an accentuated transept, over which stands an impressive octagonal dome. On the main facade you will notice two remarkable 12th century Romanesque portals, and a gorgeous rose window with openwork tracery. In the mullion of the portal there is an image of the Virgin with the Child.
In order to understand and appreciate this remarkable building, take an audio-guided tour to Cathedral and Diocesan Museum, €4. It will lead you trough 32 main points from the fascinating facade, through numerous chapels to treasury and peaceful cloister. The cathedral is spectacular, but it's the museum inside which is really worth seeing. Founded in 1844, the museum holds one of the most important collections of Roman artifacts. Several rooms have wood-beamed ceilings one covered in coats of arms of Tarragona and surrounding areas. Use the index on the map (you will receive it with your audio guide), enter a number and listen a story about countless tapestries, paintings, and shrines. You can see more bits of numerous Saints than you would ever want to see (clothing, finger bones, hair – you got the idea).
Inside the cathedral, do not miss the trilogy of sculptures that represent the Virgin, St. Tecla, and St. Paul. Friendly dragon sculptures will greet you on the doorways leading to the Apse and Presbytery - Tarragona sculpture represents the swan song of Romanesque art, which was to give way to Early Gothic from northern France.
On the north-east side is a cloister contemporary with the church, with which is connected by a very fine doorway. The cloister contains some remarkable work, and the tracery of the windows bears interesting marks of Moorish influence although some scholars believe that it is the work of artists from the Toulouse workshops. Inside the cloister there is a lovely garden useful for resting after all those chalices and tapestries.
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