[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Secci\u00f3n” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” width_last_edited=”off|desktop” max_width_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” custom_padding=”0px|||||” custom_padding_tablet=”|60px||60px|false|true” custom_padding_phone=”|40px||40px|false|true” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”||||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Majestic and silent, <\/span>Tarragona Cathedral<\/span><\/b> crowns the <\/span>upper part<\/span><\/b> of the city as a\u00a0millennia-old\u00a0witness to history, art, and spirituality. Its imposing silhouette encapsulates centuries of transformation, with legends hidden among capitals and sculptures that seem to come to life at sunset.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Behind its walls, <\/span>Romanesque and Gothic<\/span><\/b> influences, medieval symbolism, and unique elements intertwine, making this building a true jewel of Catalan heritage. Every detail, from the arrangement of light in its naves to the figures carved on the fa\u00e7ade, reveals an intention, a story, a message from the past.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In this article, we delve into its lesser-known <\/span>secrets <\/span><\/b>and uncover <\/span>curiosities <\/span><\/b>that often escape the visitor’s gaze. Get to <\/span>Tarragona <\/span><\/b>with <\/span>Shuttle2Sun<\/span><\/a>‘s low-cost and sustainable <\/span>shared transfer services<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>private transfer services<\/span><\/a> from <\/span>Barcelona Airport, Barcelona Port, Reus Airport, Girona Airport and Camp de Tarragona AVE train station<\/span><\/b>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ make_equal=”on” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||30px||false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”0px|60px|30px|60px|false|true” custom_padding_phone=”|40px||40px|false|true” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n The <\/span>main fa\u00e7ade <\/span><\/b>of <\/span>Tarragona Cathedral<\/span><\/a> is a veritable history lesson carved in stone. Begun in the 12th century and completed in the 14th century, its structure reflects the transition between <\/span>Romanesque <\/span><\/b>and <\/span>Gothic<\/span><\/b>, two styles that coexist in harmony and contrast in this imposing fa\u00e7ade. What at first glance might seem like a solemn decorative composition is in fact a symbolism-laden ensemble, with elements that spark the curiosity of the most attentive visitors.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n One of the most striking features of this fa\u00e7ade is its magnificent <\/span>rose window<\/span><\/b>, considered the <\/span>largest in Catalonia<\/span><\/b>. With a diameter of more than <\/span>11 metres<\/span><\/b>, this circular stained-glass window lets in light, illuminating the interior of the temple throughout the day. Interestingly, this rose window is <\/span>not perfectly aligned<\/span><\/b> with the portal\u2019s axis\u2014a deliberate decision made for visual perspective.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n On either side of the central portal are the <\/span>twelve apostles<\/span><\/b>, sculpted with surprising expressiveness. Interestingly, these figures were not sculpted by a single artist but by several different craftsmen. The variety in the folds of the clothing, the proportions of the faces and the posture of the hands reveal personal styles within the same choral work, turning these apostles into an open-air museum of medieval sculpture.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.shuttle2sun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Secretos-Catedral-Tarragona-Shuttle2Sun-1.png” alt=”The Best-Kept Secrets of Tarragona Cathedral” title_text=”The Best-Kept Secrets of Tarragona Cathedral” force_fullwidth=”on” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” custom_padding=”0px|||||” custom_padding_tablet=”|60px||60px|false|true” custom_padding_phone=”|40px||40px|false|true” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”||||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n In the <\/span>mullion <\/span><\/b>of <\/span>the main portal stands the <\/span>Virgin of Mainell<\/span><\/b> holding the Christ Child<\/span><\/b>, in <\/span>Gothic <\/span><\/b>style, the work of <\/span>Jaume Cascalls<\/span><\/b> and <\/span>Jordi de D\u00e9u<\/span><\/b>, which contrasts with the rest of the Romanesque-style sculptures, which are much more rigid and lacking in movement.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Remember that with <\/span>Shuttle2Sun<\/span><\/a>‘s low-cost and sustainable <\/span>shared transfer services<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>private transfer services<\/span><\/a>, you can travel to <\/span>Tarragona <\/span><\/b>from<\/span> Barcelona Airport, Barcelona Port, Reus Airport, Girona Airport and Camp de Tarragona AVE train station<\/span><\/b>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Among the most unique elements of the interior of <\/span>Tarragona Cathedral <\/span><\/b>are the <\/span>organ doors<\/span><\/b>, a little-known artistic gem that hides a fascinating history.\u00a0<\/span>These doors, usually kept closed, were painted in the 16th century<\/span>\u00a0by <\/span>Pietro Paolo de Montalbergo<\/span><\/b>, an Italian Renaissance painter who worked in the city, known in Catalonia as <\/span>Pere Pau<\/span><\/b>, and the artist <\/span>Pere Seraf\u00ed<\/span><\/b>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” custom_padding=”0px|||||” custom_padding_tablet=”|60px||60px|false|true” custom_padding_phone=”|40px||40px|false|true” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.shuttle2sun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Secretos-Catedral-Tarragona-Shuttle2Sun-2.png” alt=”Transfer Barcelona Airport Tarragona” title_text=”Transfer Barcelona Airport Tarragona” force_fullwidth=”on” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”||||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n The work, executed between 1563 and 1564, is considered one of the finest examples of Renaissance painting in Catalonia. The doors show the <\/span>Archangel Gabriel and the Virgin Mary<\/span><\/b> on the outside, while on the reverse we find the <\/span>birth and resurrection of Christ<\/span><\/b>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n One of the greatest treasures is kept in the spiritual heart of <\/span>Tarragona Cathedral<\/span><\/b>: the <\/span>relic of Saint Tecla\u2019s arm<\/span><\/b>, patron saint of the city. This relic arrived in Tarragona in <\/span>1321<\/span><\/b>, in the middle of the Middle Ages, and since then it has been the object of profound popular devotion and the undisputed star of the religious and festive celebrations that honour the saint every September. According to tradition, <\/span>Saint Tecla\u2019s incorrupt arm <\/span><\/b>was brought from <\/span>Armenia <\/span><\/b>to Tarragona.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The <\/span>bell tower <\/span><\/b>of Tarragona Cathedral, visible from many points in the city, houses an exceptional set of <\/span>19 bells<\/span><\/b>, each with its own name, particular history and specific function within the liturgical and civil calendar. <\/span><\/p>\n The oldest date back to the 13th century, while others were added between the 17th and 19th centuries. Among them is <\/span>Capona<\/span><\/b>, the largest and most emblematic bell, whose deep sound has marked the most solemn moments for centuries.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” custom_padding=”0px|||||” custom_padding_tablet=”|60px||60px|false|true” custom_padding_phone=”|40px||40px|false|true” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” min_height=”181.8px” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”3px||||false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n One of the capitals of Tarragona Cathedral is carved with a surprising scene, the <\/span>procession of the rats<\/span><\/b>: a litter carrying a corpse, surrounded by tiny rats, <\/span>in a peculiar depiction often referred to as a <\/span>\u2018funeral procession for cats\u2019<\/span><\/b>. This image, dating from around the 12th century, hides a legend that is as amusing as it is curious. According to tradition, a nobleman from Tarragona suffered such a brutal plague that a cunning cat devised a plan: to pretend to be dead so that the rats would carry him away. When they were off guard, the cat revived and killed them. Moved, the nobleman ordered a celebration in honour of the cat’s feat.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This summer, from the 24<\/span>th<\/span> of July to the 7<\/span>th<\/span> of September, <\/span>Tarragona Cathedral<\/span><\/a> will be decked out in all its finery with<\/span> The Path of Light<\/span><\/b>, a unique <\/span>night-time experience<\/span><\/b> that combines light, music and architecture in a sensory tour of its interior. The event features artistic projections on centuries-old stonework with a soundtrack designed to amplify the emotion of the visit.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Discover Tarragona Cathedral in depth! Remember that you can reach the city with the <\/span>shared transfer services<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>private transfer services<\/span><\/a> offered by <\/span>Shuttle2Sun<\/span><\/a>, which are low-cost and sustainable, from <\/span>Barcelona Airport, Barcelona Port, Reus Airport, Girona Airport and Camp de Tarragona AVE train station<\/span><\/b>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Majestic and silent, Tarragona Cathedral crowns the upper part of the city as a\u00a0millennia-old\u00a0witness to history, art, and spirituality. Its imposing silhouette encapsulates centuries of transformation, with legends hidden among capitals and sculptures that seem to come to life at sunset.\u00a0\u00a0 Behind its walls, Romanesque and Gothic influences, medieval symbolism, and unique elements intertwine, making […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":22018,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[39,42,29,41],"tags":[46,69,135,45,44,43,125,139],"class_list":["post-22008","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-costa-dorada-2","category-spanish-culture","category-travel","category-travel-tips","tag-airports","tag-holidays","tag-private-transfer-2","tag-shuttle","tag-transfer","tag-travel","tag-vacances-2","tag-winter"],"yoast_head":"\nA Fa\u00e7ade That Speaks Through the Centuries\u00a0\u00a0<\/h2>\n
The Largest Rose Window in Catalonia\u00a0\u00a0<\/h3>\n
The Apostles, by Different Artists\u00a0\u00a0<\/h3>\n
Mullion of the Cathedral\u00a0\u00a0<\/h3>\n
The Organ Doors: a Renaissance Masterpiece\u00a0\u00a0<\/h2>\n
The Relic of Saint Tecla’s Arm\u00a0\u00a0<\/h2>\n
The 19 Bells of the Cathedral\u00a0<\/h2>\n
The Curious Procession of Rats in the Cathedral\u00a0\u00a0<\/h2>\n
The Path of Light: A New Immersive Night-Time Experience\u00a0\u00a0<\/h2>\n