History
Throughout its nearly seven centuries of history, the walls of Santa Maria del Mar have borne witness to some of the most significant historical episodes in Barcelona and, through their Gothic splendour, reveal the prosperity the city once enjoyed.
Construction of Santa Maria del Mar began in 1329, at a time when the city of Barcelona had become one of the principal powers of the Mediterranean, thanks to the maritime expansion of the Crown of Aragon. While the neighbouring Cathedral quarter was home to the ecclesiastical and political centre, the Ribera district—so named for its proximity to the sea—concentrated much of the population connected to port activity: from sailors and fishermen to merchants enriched through maritime trade, as well as the various guilds that can still be evoked today in the street names surrounding the basilica.
This prosperity attracted new inhabitants and transformed the Ribera district into one of the most dynamic and densely populated areas of Barcelona. Before long, the former parish church—a modest Romanesque structure known as Santa Maria de les Arenes—had become too small. With the support of the ecclesiastical authorities, it was decided to replace it with a larger church. The new temple was intended to reflect the commercial splendour of the time and to accommodate the continual donations and foundations of chapels and altars inspired by the piety characteristic of the age. The project for the construction of Santa Maria del Mar thus became a reality, led by the master builders Berenguer de Montagut and Ramon Despuig.
Santa Maria del Mar was completed in just fifty-four years—a record time, considering that buildings of this kind often required more than a century to be finished. The speed of its construction and the beauty of its Gothic architecture bear witness to the collective effort and determination that made it possible. King Peter IV of Aragon, known as “the Ceremonious,” together with other prominent figures of the district, promoted the works through substantial donations, while guilds and labourers—such as the bastaixos (dockworkers), carpenters, and glaziers—contributed their craftsmanship to raise what would become one of Barcelona’s defining symbols.
Throughout its nearly seven hundred years of history, Santa Maria del Mar has endured numerous episodes that placed it in jeopardy. One of the most devastating occurred at the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, when the basilica was set ablaze by a group of anarchists. Part of the Baroque altarpiece, several stained-glass windows, numerous furnishings, and a significant portion of the archives were lost to the flames. Since then, and up to the present day, ongoing restoration and conservation works have been carried out to ensure that the exceptional heritage of Santa Maria del Mar may continue to inspire and astonish future generations.
