The Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, also known as Catedral de Barcelona, Barcelona Cathedral, or La Seu, is a richly decorated medieval cathedral built on the foundations of a fourth-century church. It is dedicated to Barcelona’s co-patron saint, Eulalia. The cathedral is built on the foundation of the church La Seu. La Seu is dedicated to Saint Eulalia, whose story dates back to the early fourth century. During the intensified persecution of Christians ordered by Roman Emperor Diocletian, a brave thirteen-year-old Eulalia confronted Dacian, the governor of Barcelona, about his merciless actions. Unable to dismiss her eloquent appeals, Dacian sentenced Eulalia to thirteen tortures, one for each year of her life, followed by crucifixion. Her tragic story is intertwined with the history of the cathedral and has defined early Catholicism in Barcelona. In the twentieth century, excavations along the cathedral's eastern wall revealed remains of the fourth-century church, including white marble columns. From that time onward, this primitive church housed Eulalia's relics until nine hundred eighty-five when the Muslim leader Al-Mansur ransacked Barcelona, burning and destroying the cathedral. Construction on the Gothic cathedral as we know it today began in twelve hundred and ninety-eight and took one hundred fifty years to complete, finishing in fourteen hundred and sixty. Fun fact: there are close to two hundred different types of gargoyles on the cathedral. See how many you can spot as you gaze at the facade. As you gaze, do you see some similarities to the Sagrada Familia designed by Gaudi? It is said that Gaudi was inspired by the architecture of this cathedral and incorporated some features into Sagrada Familia.