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Santa Maria del Pi Basilica museum and bell tower roof visit

14th century Gothic Basilica offering extended tourist visits to crypt museum space, garden, exhibition room, treasures room and bell tower roof tour.

Updated: Feb 10, 2024 by: Barcelona Travel Hacks Views: 1k

About Santa Maria del Pi Basilica museum and bell tower roof visit

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.

Visiting Santa Maria del Pi Basilica museum and bell tower roof visit

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

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.

What to take with you for Santa Maria del Pi Basilica museum and bell tower roof visit

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.

Day Trip Rucksack

Day Trip Rucksack

Small 10L day trip and museums rucksack

Decathlon Spain Link Amazon Spain Link
0.8L water bottle

0.8L water bottle

Reusable, refillable 1L water bottle.

Decathlon Spain Link Amazon Spain Link
Emergency Poncho

Emergency Poncho

Small folded lightweight Water proof poncho for emergencies

Decathlon Spain Link Amazon Spain Link

Summary of Prices

Train/Bus Fare Entry Ticket Additional Information Train/Bus Fare Entry Ticket Additional Information Adult Zone 1 T-casual € 10.00 Students under 25, Over 65 8.00 Euros Child T-familiar FREE Tower visit not allowed for under 8 yearsGroup/Family Ticket? Groups with own guide: 4 euros - see website.Notes Basilica and museum only visit: 5 euros

Getting to Santa Maria del Pi Basilica museum and bell tower roof visit

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.

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