This Well-Known Cathedral in Barcelona Hides the Crest of a Football Team in Its Glass

The Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar, the cathedral of the people, is one of those must-visit places during a trip to Barcelona. This place, which inspired the bestseller by Ildefonso Falcones, attracted nearly 1.7 million tourists in 2022, and they were all fascinated for the same reason.

This Gothic-style church features a simple interior with exposed stone and no ostentation, highlighting the colorful Gothic stained glass that illuminates the space. Upon reaching the second floor, in one of the windows on the left side when looking at the altar, visitors find a detail that has left more than one person in awe: a crest of FC Barcelona.

The basilica that inspired books and movies is one of Barcelona's crown jewels. This monument attracts millions of visitors each year, being one of the most visited in the city and captivating those who see it with its monumentality and history. But one of the reasons it sparks curiosity is the crest of FC Barcelona located in one of its stained glass windows.

Conspiracies quickly arise, alluding to time travel and conspiracies, but the truth is much simpler. In 1936, this minor basilica suffered a devastating fire that left it burning for 11 days. Three decades later, reconstruction began, aided by various companies. One of them was the city's football club, which donated 100,000 pesetas for one of the stained glass windows and, as a token of gratitude, the project's architect decided to include the crest of the blue and burgundy team as a detail in the window.

The traces of the fire that ravaged this symbol of Barcelona are still visible today. Both inside and on the roof of the monument, areas blackened by smoke can be seen. At the time, the damages were valued at 20 million pesetas, equivalent to 6.7 million euros today.

The reconstruction lasted for years, and the stained glass windows were installed in 1960; however, the fact that the FC Barcelona crest has hardly changed since then makes it seem like a historical anomaly, enhancing the myth of the cathedral that hides the emblem of a football team.