Santa María del Pí, Barcelona
Encyclopedia
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
church in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, Spain. It is situated on the Plaça del Pi, in the Barri Gòtic
Barri Gòtic
The Gothic Quarter is the centre of the old city of Barcelona. It stretches from La Rambla to Via Laietana, and from the Mediterranean seafront to Ronda de Sant Pere....
district of the city.
History
There are unsubsantiated claims that there was an early Christian church on the site in 413. However it is known that in 987 there existed a church outside the city walls and to the west of Barcelona. This was a small RomanesqueRomanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
church dedicated to the Blessed Lady of the Pine Tree (one of the titles of the Virgin Mary). The church was built between 1319 and 1391. The style of the church was Catalan Gothic, with a single nave almost devoid of ornamentation. However in 1936 the church was gutted by a fire and was later restored.
Facades
The front facade has a large rose windowRose window
A Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in churches of the Gothic architectural style and being divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery...
, which is a faithful 1940 reproduction of the original window, which was destroyed in the fire of 1936. Below is the Gothic arch of the main entrance.
The tympanum
Tympanum (architecture)
In architecture, a tympanum is the semi-circular or triangular decorative wall surface over an entrance, bounded by a lintel and arch. It often contains sculpture or other imagery or ornaments. Most architectural styles include this element....
of the main entrance is divided by two small columns into three arched areas. In the central area is a statue of the Virgin and Child, and above this are placed the arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of the city and of the parish.
The side facade has prominent buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es that support the weight of the arches and vault of the nave. Between each pair of butresses is a lancet window. In the centre of this facade is the Door of Avemaria.
The rear facade also has buttresses and lancet windows that light the semi-circular apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
. At the rear of the apse there is an ancient door from 1578 that previously gave access to the church via the rear facade.
Over the years the construction of neighbouring buildings has obscured the ancient walls of the church.
Bell Tower
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
is octagonal in shape, rising to 54 metres. The walls at the base are 3.55 metres thick. It has a peal of six bells, of which the largest is "Antònia", which has a diameter of 1.4 metres and weighs 1,806 kilograms. Construction was started on the bell tower in 1379, under the instructions of the architect, Barthomeu Mas, and was completed in 1461, or thereabouts.
Interior
The floor plan of the church comprises a single nave made up of seven rectangular sections, each covered with a vaulted ceiling and with side-chapels placed between the supporting pillars. The interior length of the nave is 54 metres, the width is 16.5 metres and the height is 12.2 metres. The fire of 1936 destroyed the high altar, the altarpiece, the statues, the choir stalls from 1868 and the organ created in 1808 by Johan de Kyburz.The high altar is made of alabaster and is the work of Joaquim de Ros i de Ramis. It was installed in 1967.
In the presbytery is a statue of Santa Maria del Pi, 3.3 metres high, created in 1973 by sculptor Enric Monjo.
The original Baroque choir stalls dated from 1771 and were designed by Josep Mas i Dordal. In 1868 these were replaced by neo-gothic stalls, which were destroyed in the fire of 1936. In 1986 the previous baroque stalls were re-instated.
The original stained-glass windows have not survived. The oldest of those that exist now date from 1718. Of these, the window depicting the Adoration of the Magi (above the Door of Avemaria) is the work of Antoni Viladomat.
Saint Joseph Oriol, canonized in 1909, who was priest in this parish between 1687 and 1702, is buried in this church in the Chapel of the Virgin Mary of Montserrat.
Sources
- http://web.archive.org/web/20091027042538/http://es.geocities.com/santa_maria_del_pi/angles/historia.htm