Churches & Cathedrals in Spain

Antoni Gaudí's unfinished masterpiece combines Gothic and Art Nouveau forms into a visionary basilica unlike anything else in architectural history. Its 18 towers will eventually represent the 12 Apostles, 4 Evangelists, the Virgin Mary, and Jesus Christ. After over 140 years of construction, it is expected to be completed by 2026.

The largest Gothic cathedral in the world by area, Seville Cathedral was built on the site of a former mosque, incorporating its minaret (now the Giralda bell tower). It houses the tomb of Christopher Columbus and an immense gold-covered altarpiece.

The destination of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route, believed to house the remains of the Apostle James. The Botafumeiro, an 80-kg censer swung across the transept, is one of the most dramatic liturgical spectacles.

According to tradition, this basilica stands on the site where the Virgin Mary appeared to the Apostle James in 40 CE — the first Marian apparition in history. Its eleven cupolas feature frescoes by Goya.

Known as the 'House of Light,' León Cathedral has the largest collection of medieval stained glass in Spain — 1,800 square meters of glass in 125 windows. These windows replace so much wall that the structure is amazingly transparent.

The crypt beneath the main Sagrada Familia basilica is the only part completed during Gaudí's lifetime. His tomb lies here, and the neo-Gothic crypt serves as the parish church for the local community.

Perched on Tibidabo mountain, 512 meters above Barcelona, this Romanesque-Gothic church is topped by a Sacred Heart statue with arms outstretched toward the city. The crypt is Romanesque in style while the upper church is neo-Gothic.

A massive Catholic basilica carved into a granite ridge with a 150-meter-tall cross visible for 30 km. The 263-meter-long nave is carved directly out of the mountain, making it one of the largest underground basilicas.

Barcelona's principal basilica dedicated to Our Lady of Mercy, the city's patron saint. Every September, the Festes de la Mercè festival transforms the area with human towers, fire runs, and parades.