Santa Maria del Pi Basilica Guided Tours & Exhibitions

About Santa Maria del Pi Basilica Guided Tours & Exhibitions

Basilica de Santa Maria del Pi can be found in Plaça del Pi and Plaça Sant Josep Oriol and the location has had a church from as early as the 5th century. The current church was built between 1319 and 1391 in the Catalan Gothic style.

Basilica de Santa Maria del Pi has a single nave, with side chapels between the buttresses. The cross-vaulted ceiling (one of the highest in the country) allows for the largest rose window in Catalunya. The current rose window, made by Josep Maria Jujol i Gibert (B.1879 - D.1949), a collaborator with Gaudí, is an exact copy of the 14th century original. The original Rose window was destroyed during the Spanish Civil war (1936 to 1939).

The basilica contains four original stained-glass windows created by Josep Ravella (B.1673 - D.1751), one of the finest stained-glass artists of the Catalan baroque period.

It is said that a pine forest once stood on this site within Barcelona's Gothic Quarter. A lone pine tree still stands in plaza del Pi in front of the basilica. At the side of the church, the Ave Maria doorway features some Romanesque elements of the previous church.

The church of Santa Maria del Pi houses the remains of many members of Barcelona's nobility and the remains of Sant Josep Oriol, who was a priest at this basilica.

For a complete list of other notable cathedrals, basilicas, churches, temples and monasteries in Barcelona visit the Sacred Architecture Page.

Santa Maria del Pi History

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Visiting Santa Maria del Pi Basilica Guided Tours & Exhibitions

Basilica de Santa Maria del Pi offers two types of tourist visit.

Basilica and museum spaces only: The basilica nave, Crypt exhibition space, Basilica Treasures room and Sala del Junta de Obra room. 5 Euros for an adult ticket.
Basilica, museum spaces and bell tower: The basilica nave, Crypt exhibition space, Basilica Treasures room and Sala del Junta de Obra room plus the clinb up the spiral stairs to the top of the bell tower and roof. 10 Euros for an adult ticket.

The adjoining chapels and the museum galleries house an important collection of silverware and gold ware.

The bell tower visit involves climbing up about 265 steps in a narrow spiral staircase within the 2 metre thick wall of the bell tower. The bell tower visit includes stops at each floor of the bell tower where you can see from inside the vaulted Montjuïc stone ceilings and the portals in the floor and ceiling for raising the bells. Once at the top of the bell tower you get to see the bells before proceeding up one more flight of stairs to the roof which offers the finest views of central Barcelona.

During the Christmas period the basilica is beautifully decorated with Nuelas, a hanging white paper decoration that symbolises snowfall. The Basilica also hosts classical concerts inside the Main nave.

Outside the Basilica, in Plaza del Pi, is an artisan food market of products such as honey, cheese and traditional Catalan sweets.

Basilica de Santa Maria del Pi Bell tower visits

Tuesday to Saturday: 12:00h and 16:00h
I recommend the 12:00h visit because the sun will be shining from the direction of the sea leaving good views and photos over the city. Get to the Basilica at 11:30h to visit the museum spaces before the start of the Bell tower visit.

Plaza del Pi Artisan food market

Fira del Col·lectiu d'Artesans d'Alimentació - Plaça del Pi

Dates: 1st and third Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the month. 24th December.
Hours: 11:00h to 21:00h

Plaza de Sant Josep Oriol Pintores del Pi (Artists stalls) Hours

Monday to Saturday: 11.00h to 20.00h
Sundays: from 11.00h to 14:00h.

Santa Maria del Pi Tourist Visits Santa Maria del Pi Concerts Art Market Plaza Sant Josep Oriol Artesan food Market Plaza del Pi

What to take with you for Santa Maria del Pi Basilica Guided Tours & Exhibitions

Access to the Basilica de Santa Maria del Pi is via tow shallow steps from street level. The roof visit is accessed via a narrow spiral staircase of about 250 steps to the bell tower and roof. The crypt museum space, Basilica treasures room and Sala de Junta de Obra exhibition rooms are via steps.

There is bicycle anchorage behind the Basilica in Placeta de Pi. here 41.381732, 2.174315 although this is not a location I would consider it safe to leave a bicycle chained up unattended.

When I visited I took my small 10L museum rucksack with a bottle of water for the bell tower climb. You will be asked to remove your hat. No provocative clothing such as hot-pants, micro skirts or swimwear.

Santa Maria del Pi Basilica Guided Tours & Exhibitions Tickets

Step back in time to discover the Christian relic of the Holy Shroud of Turin and witness a hyper-realistic representation that took 15 years of research. Start with an exhibition room with texts about the story of Christ and his face and tour a room with replicas of historic items surrounding the death of Jesus.

Access to 5 exhibition rooms
Audio guide in 9 languages (English, Catalan, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, German, Polish and Dutch)
Visit to Basilica de Santa Maria del Pi

Getting to Santa Maria del Pi Basilica Guided Tours & Exhibitions

Address: Plaza del Pi 7, Barcelona. 8002

Nearest Metro is Liceu on the green (L3) line. Santa Maria del Pi can be found walking about 300m down Carrer del Cardenal Casañas from Liceu. Use a T-Casual or Hola-Barcelona travel card.

Public Transport Guide