CATHEDRAL OF SANTA EULALIA

Barcelona, Spain

The origin of the Cathedral was a basilica with three naves, which was destroyed by Al – Mansur, an Arab invader, in 925. The remains of this basilica can be seen in the City History Museum. Around 1046, a new cathedral was commenced at the initiative of Bishop Guislabert. It is believed to have occupied a part of the current Gothic building, since some of its Romanesque elements remain. Construction began in 1298 on the present-day basilica, during the bishopric of Bernat Pelegrí and the reign of King Jaume II, known as "The Just". The work on the present-day façade of the Cathedral remained unfinished until the end of the last century, being completed by the architects Josep Oriol Mestres and August Font i Carreras. They drew inspiration from a drawing from the 15th century by Mestre Carlí.

The day after the 2002 Rotary Convention, I decided to take a walk around the city. I ended up finding the cathedral off La Rambles, Barcelona’s famous pedestrian walk, and decided to sketch the old church. As I found a location from which to sketch on steps across the plaza from the church, another artist sat nearby to sketch the same view. An elderly lady sat between us, and watched patiently as our two works unfolded. The other sketch was more modern and interpretive, and the lady let me know privately that she favored my drawing.