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The 10 most beautiful churches in Spain
Spain is full of breathtaking churches. Choosing just ten is almost impossible, but these are our favorites: for their beauty, their history, and what they hold within. We’ll tell you about them and their curiosities, one by one.
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1. Sagrada Família (Barcelona)
Gaudí’s masterpiece has been under construction since 1882. Its Jesus Christ tower stands 172.5 meters tall, making it the tallest church in the world. Gaudí directed the works from 1883 until his death in 1926, and he is buried in the temple’s crypt. Pope Benedict XVI consecrated it as a basilica on November 7, 2010.
2. Santiago Cathedral (Santiago de Compostela)
It is the destination of the Camino de Santiago: beneath the high altar, in a silver urn, rest the relics attributed to the apostle. The Botafumeiro weighs 53 kilos, measures 1.5 meters long, and reaches 68 km/h when propelled by eight pullers. And the Pórtico de la Gloria is the work of Master Mateo, who placed its lintels on April 1, 1188. If you’re interested in its history, we’ll tell you about it in Saint James and the Virgin of El Pilar.
3. Burgos Cathedral
Construction began in 1221, and it has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1984: the only Spanish cathedral to be one on its own, without the historic center of its city. El Cid and Doña Jimena are buried in the transept, just below the dome. And above the clock lives the Papamoscas, an automaton that opens its mouth and strikes the bell at every hour on the hour.
4. León Cathedral
It is called “Pulchra Leonina,” which in Latin means “the beautiful Leonese.” It has almost 1,800 square meters of stained glass, one of the largest medieval complexes in the world: entering on a sunny day is like entering a box of light and color.
5. Seville Cathedral
It is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. The Giralda, its bell tower, was the minaret of the former Almohad mosque, and you go up it by ramps, not stairs. Inside is the tomb of Christopher Columbus, with four heralds holding the coffin. Tradition says that in 1401, the cathedral chapter wanted a church so magnificent that those who saw it finished would think them crazy.
6. Córdoba Mosque-Cathedral
It began as a mosque around 785 under Abderramán I, and it still contains about 850 columns of marble, jasper, and granite. In 1523, construction began on a cathedral in the very center of the building, and the works lasted until 1607. Charles V is credited with lamenting that something unique in the world had been destroyed.
7. Toledo Cathedral
It is Spain’s Primate Cathedral. The Transparente, by Narciso Tomé, completed in 1732, opens the vault so that light illuminates the tabernacle. Enrique de Arfe’s monstrance has 5,600 pieces and is carried in procession every Corpus Christi. And in the sacristy is still “El Expolio,” which El Greco painted for that very place.
8. Basilica of El Pilar (Zaragoza)
According to tradition, the Virgin appeared here to Saint James on January 2, 40 AD, atop a column: El Pilar. On August 3, 1936, bombs fell on the temple, but none exploded; two are now on display next to the Santa Capilla. And Goya painted its vaults. You can find more in the history and curiosities of the Virgin of El Pilar, and our medals in the Virgin of El Pilar collection.
9. Mallorca Cathedral (Palma)
La Seu overlooks the sea. Its main rose window, the “eye of Gothic,” is one of the largest in European Gothic. Every February 2 and November 11, the sun projects it just below the rose window of the façade and draws a figure eight of light. Gaudí renovated its interior between 1904 and 1914, and Miquel Barceló covered a chapel in ceramics that opened in 2007.
10. Covadonga Basilica (Asturias)
It is Neo-Romanesque, made of pink limestone, and was built between 1877 and 1901 in the middle of the mountains. A few steps away is the Santa Cueva, where the Santina, patroness of Asturias, is venerated, whose feast day is September 8. You can see our medals in the Virgin of Covadonga collection.
Which is your favorite?
We’re sure we’ve left out one that you love. Tell us on Instagram, at @khartesmadrid, and follow us: there we share stories of saints, traditions, and ideas for carrying your medals.
And if you’re going to visit one, take your medal with you: in many sanctuaries, they bless the pilgrims’ objects. We’ll tell you about it in should a medal be blessed?
Sources and photos
Data verified on the official websites of the temples (Sagrada Família, Santiago Cathedral, Basilica of El Pilar, Córdoba Mosque-Cathedral, Mallorca Cathedral, and Covadonga Sanctuary), UNESCO, and Wikipedia. The photos in the video are from Wikimedia Commons, under CC BY, CC BY-SA, and CC0 licenses: Luis Miguel Bugallo Sánchez, Wikipsico43, Fernando, D. Rovchak, Carlos Delgado, JoJan, Txo, Diliff, Pom², Gzzz, kallerna, Ввласенко, Mentxuwiki, Zarateman, Moahim, Ecelan, Diego Delso, Alejandro Caro, and Friedrich Haag.
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