Exterior view

The main examples of the late Romanesque style in Catalonia are the church of Santes Creus and the cathedrals of Lleida and Tarragona. The last churches show a remarkable degree of tradition in their style, considering that the period of their construction continued well into the thirteenth century - a time when France was already building cathedrals that were the very embodiment of the high Gothic style.

The construction of the cathedral in Tarragona began before the year 1174. However, the church was not completed until the fourteenth century. The best indication as to the possible appearance of the original design is the cloister in the north-east, since all the western parts, including the façade, were built in the later stages. Plain walls with little articulation, and windows reminiscent of embrasures make the cathedral appear like a fortified castle.

The photo shows the cathedral and the cloister from the north-east.

View the ground plan of the Cathedral, Tarragona.