There are buildings in downtown Barcelona that we walk past every day without realizing they hold a story straight out of a movie. Just a few meters from Plaça Catalunya, on Casp Street, stands one of them: the Church of the Sacred Heart. Yet it is only by a hair’s breadth that it still stands today. It was in the midst of the Civil War that the Barcelona City Council approved its complete demolition—a decision that the Catalan government managed to halt just in time to prevent its destruction. And this was not the only time the building was on the verge of disappearing.
It is precisely inside this survivor of Catalan heritage that Barcelona is preparing one of its most mysterious events this fall. By the light of thousands of candles and beneath its imposing Neo-Byzantine dome, this unique 19th-century church will host, for one night only, a Halloween concert filled with such iconic classics as “Danse Macabre,” “Clair de Lune,” and the “Funeral March.”
A preserved Neo-Byzantine gem on Casp Street
The Church of the Sacred Heart was designed by Joan Martorell —the same architect who designed the Parish Church of St. Francis de Sales—for the Jesuit Order in the late 19th century. It had stood for barely two decades when the fires and looting of the Tragic Week of 1909 destroyed much of its interior. The threat returned in 1937, when the City Council approved its demolition to expand the adjacent school, but the Catalan Government halted the demolition after recognizing its artistic value, thus preventing the neighborhood from losing one of its most unique treasures.
Despite the scars of time, the church managed to preserve hidden treasures now found on Casp Street. The most fascinating is the sword of Saint Ignatius, presented to the Virgin of Montserrat in the 16th century. Added to this are its mural paintings and an imposing pipe organ. Everything is sheltered beneath a massive Neo-Byzantine dome that overlooks the nave, which boasts perfect acoustics for live music.
Thousands of candles for the most mysterious night of the year
Rarely does a church reinvent itself as much as it will for this occasion, turning off its lights to be illuminated solely by the glow of thousands of candles. Amid that dim light, the musicians of the Musical Sensus string quartet will take center stage to perform a 60-minute repertoire tailored specifically for Halloween.
30 October 2026 19:00
Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón
The concert will bring together genres rarely heard in a religious church, combining classical pieces—such as Mozart’s“Lacrimosa ” or Saint-Saëns’“Danse Macabre”—with arrangements of movie soundtracks, such as “Tubular Bells” from*The Exorcist*, and pop songs like Michael Jackson’s“Thriller.”
Since this is a one-night-only event with limited capacity, we recommend purchasing tickets in advance.
📆 Date: October 30.
🕒 Showtimes: 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
👤 Age: 8 and up .
📍Location: Church of the Sacred Heart (Jesuits), Carrer de Casp, 27
♿ Accessibility: The site is wheelchair-accessible.
🚌 How to get there: Urquinaona Metro (L1, L4) and Plaça Catalunya (L1, L3)
