It was built between 1699 and 1704, but was on the verge of disappearing in the Civil War. However, it survived, and today we can see in Barcelona one of the most unknown baroque jewels of Ciutat Vella: the church of Sant Sever.
The temple, next to the Cathedral, now reopens its doors after five years closed to the public for remodeling works.
To celebrate, the church has organized an open day for three days: February 11, 13 and 14. The aim is that all neighbors can admire this exceptional example of Baroque in the city, less common perhaps than Gothic or Modernism, but just as important…. “This artistic style has left its mark on the Catalan landscape and character, and Sant Sever is one of the few testimonies so well preserved,” said sources from the cathedral.
The restoration work on the church of Sant Sever is one of the most important interventions in the recovery of the cultural heritage of Catalonia, with actions such as the recovery of the original polychrome of the central figures of the main altarpiece, a work by the sculptor Pere Costa.
The works began in 2019 to halt the deterioration of the roof and other architectural elements affected by contamination and a termite infestation. However, the covid-19 pandemic forced them to stop until the end of 2020. The first phase focused on the structural consolidation of the building, while the second, dedicated to the interior of the temple, has culminated with the restoration of the main altarpiece. The experts have cleaned the dust accumulated over the years, eliminated humidity and solved problems of paint detachment, managing to restore the original appearance of the figures of Sant Sever and the Virgin Mary.
The church that survived the Civil War
The church of Sant Sever was built between 1699 and 1704 by Jaume Arnaudies and his successor Joan Fiter. From its origin, it was owned by the Community of Beneficiaries of Sant Sever, a collective of priests who opened it to the public as a place of worship.
This temple is one of the few churches in Ciutat Vella that survived the Spanish Civil War, as it was one of the four churches in the neighborhood that were not burned. Despite its good condition, it has undergone several restorations, including the 1911 restoration, directed by the architect Josep Maria Pericas, and the 1929 restoration, when Pere Benavent embellished its side wall as part of the urban renewal of the area.