Basilica of Santa Maria de la Seu de Manresa

This Gothic gem is the architectural pride and joy of Manresa, the town that saw the religious awakening of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, which is located just 50 kilometres from Barcelona. It stands solemnly on the site of a Romanesque church, which had an interesting doorway that survives today. Nevertheless, the importance of the town in the medieval era led to the building of a new Gothic-style church that was completed in the middle of the 14th century. Berenguer de Montagut was the architect entrusted with the challenge. He also designed the church of Santa Maria del Mar in Barcelona.

The crypt and the bell tower are baroque in style. The neo-Gothic-style baptistry is the fruit of the imagination of the architect Alexandre Soler i March, who was supervised by Antoni Gaudí. Despite the damage caused by successive wars, you can still see one of the most important Gothic altarpieces in Catalonia.

The image above the altar of Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn, is a copy of the Gothic original that was destroyed by fire and worshipped by Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit order, during his stay in Manresa. During the eleven months he spent in Manresa, Saint Ignatius wrote the Spiritual Exercises during his retreat inside the famous cave of Saint Ignatius. It stands next to the basilica of Santa Maria and is an unmissable place to visit.

The basilica sells the pilgrim's credentials for the Way of Saint James during opening hours.

The monastery was placed on the list of Cultural Assets of National Interest (BCIN) by the Catalan government in 1931.