Things to do in Tarragona, Catalonia: The Best Churches & Cathedrals

October 24, 2021 Rosalyn Ihle

A city full of surprises with thousands of years of civilization just waiting to be explored. Dine under the vaults of the Roman circus, lose yourself in the charming alleys of the historic quarter. Discover the true World Heritage of Tarragona, a heritage of historic monuments and locations from Roman, medieval and modern eras. But it is also a heritage made of people, of human stories, of small moments. Tarragona reveals the essence of the Mediterranean.
Restaurants in Tarragona

1. Catedral Basilica Metropolitana Primada de Tarragona

Placa de la Seu Entrada por Carrer Mare de Deu del Claustre, 43003 Tarragona Spain +34 977 22 69 85 [email protected] http://www.catedraldetarragona.com
Excellent
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4.5 based on 1,605 reviews

Catedral Basilica Metropolitana Primada de Tarragona

The cathedral is dedicated to St Thecla and is erected at the top of the acropolis or hill of the ancient city. Its construction began in the year 1171 and it was consecrated on 4 July 1331. Its foundations and later architectural development are located on the remains of an ancient Roman construction begun in the second quarter of the 1st century bc. and completed at the beginning of the Vespasian Empire (69-79 AD). The Cathedral is gothic in style. Its floor plan is in the form of a Latin cross, with three naves each with their own apses and transept. The head is of Romanesque tradition with half-point arches supporting the extension of the stone wall and pilasters following the new constructive techniques of the Gothic movement.

Reviewed By VadimM67 - Murmansk, Russia

The Cathedral of Tarragona faces the visitors with its facade. You can't get around it and photograph it from different angles like Sagrada Familia or Notre-Dame de Paris. Adjacent houses and walls prevent you from seeing the result of a century and a half of construction. The best way to see the entire Cathedral is to go to Torrellas de Llobregat in the Park Catalunya in miniature. The fact that the Cathedral is located in urban development suggests that it was not built on an empty place. Harshly denouncing paganism, the Christians nevertheless quietly parasitized on his achievements. Originally there was a Roman temple dedicated to Octavian Augustus. Converted to Christianity, the Visigoths built the first Church here in the IV century AD. the Arabs also didn`t invent anything and placed a mosque here. By the way, the Moorish set ceilings were preserved in the Cathedral. It is not known exactly when the Cathedral appeared in its current form. The first mention dates back to the XII century. The facade of the Cathedral is Romano-Gothic. The most interesting thing on the facade, in addition to the traditional Gothic rose, is the figures of the apostles (XIV century). By the way, the rose appeared later, because the Cathedral was originally built as a fortress, so the Windows resembled loopholes and were located high. There was little hope for the power of the word of Christ; the thick walls and powerful buttresses were much more significant. I`ve seen similar fortress churches in Montpellier and Toulouse, which once again speaks of the cultural and historical community of Catalonia and French Languedoc. The Cathedral was completed in 1350. However, this doesn`t mean that the interior is Gothic. Renaissance and Baroque chapels were added to the Cathedral in the XIV-XVIII centuries. The main masterpiece inside is a 15th-century altar by Pere Johan, whose bas-reliefs depict the life of Saint Thecla, patroness of Tarragona. In addition to the altar of 5 € (ticket price) , you can see the sarcophagus of Juan of Aragon, wooden pews of the choir of the XIV century, Baroque chapels with intricate stucco, a small Museum and a cloister. However, I passed until 10 am for free, but the Museum and cloister didn`t get there. The Cathedral was definitely worth a visit. The modest size of the facade is disorienting for tourists. The Cathedral is similar to the houses in Amsterdam (there because of taxes): the narrow facade doesn`t suggest how long the house is in reality. So it is here.

2. Padres Carmelitas Descalzos De Cataluna & Baleares

Carrer de l'Assalt, 11, 43003 Tarragona Spain
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4.5 based on 2 reviews

Padres Carmelitas Descalzos De Cataluna & Baleares

3. Capilla de Santa Tecla

Calle de Santa Tecla, 43003 Tarragona Spain
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4.0 based on 10 reviews

Capilla de Santa Tecla

4. Esglesia de Sant Agusti

Rambla Vella, 12, 43003 Tarragona Spain +34 977 23 26 17 http://sagusti.tarragona.arqtgn.cat/
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4.0 based on 5 reviews

Esglesia de Sant Agusti

5. Esglesia de Natzaret

Placa del Rei 1, 43003 Tarragona Spain +34 977 23 32 30
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4.0 based on 1 reviews

Esglesia de Natzaret

6. Cathedrale de Tarragona

Place De La Seu, S/N, 43003 Tarragona Spain +34 977 22 69 35 https://www.catedraldetarragona.com/home/
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4.0 based on 5 reviews

Cathedrale de Tarragona

7. Parroquia de Sant Joan Baptista

Placa General Prim, 8, 43001 Tarragona Spain +34 977 21 11 83 http://www.arquebisbattarragona.cat
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3.0 based on 9 reviews

Parroquia de Sant Joan Baptista

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