Església de Sant Agustí de Barcelona

Església de Sant Agustí is a Catholic parish church in the El Raval district of Barcelona, popularly nicknamed the "cathedral of the poor." It stands between Carrer de l'Hospital and Carrer de Sant Pau, right in the heart of one of the city's most multicultural neighborhoods.

Where did this church come from?

The story doesn't begin in Raval at all, but across town in La Ribera, where an Augustinian convent had stood for centuries. In 1718 that building was partly demolished to make way for the Ciutadella, a military fortress built after the Bourbon victory in the War of the Spanish Succession. The friars needed a new home, and they settled on El Raval, where a new convent and church rose between Hospital and Sant Pau streets. Construction ran from 1728 to 1760. The original design, in neoclassical style, came from French military engineer Alexandre de Retz, though the actual building work was carried out by master builder Pere Bertran. The facade itself was designed later, in 1735, by Pere Costa — his work gave the church the distinctive look it still has today.

Why does the facade look unfinished?

It's one of the most recognizable things about this church. The facade has a narthex of five round arches resting on Ionic semi-columns, topped by a curved pediment. Above it rises an elliptical dome — but only its lower section was ever built; the upper part was never completed. This isn't the result of later damage but a leftover from construction that simply stopped and was never picked back up in the centuries that followed. Inside, the church has a single nave lined with interconnected side chapels, among them those dedicated to Sant Ponç, Sant Antoni, Rosario, Consolación, and Bonanova.

What survived, and what did unrest destroy?

The church's fate is closely tied to Spain's turbulent 19th and 20th centuries. In 1835, during anticlerical riots, the convent was set on fire and the church lost virtually all of its interior decoration. That same year brought the Mendizábal confiscations, through which the convent and cloister passed out of the community's hands entirely. Four years later, in 1839, the building became a parish church under the Barcelona diocese. Further damage came during the Spanish Civil War, when the wing facing Carrer de l'Arc de Sant Agustí was hit. Despite all these losses, the church survived and still functions today as an active parish at the heart of El Raval.

What role does it play in the neighborhood today?

Sant Agustí Nou is more than an architectural landmark — it's a genuine point of reference for the Raval community, a district that for decades absorbed successive waves of migrants, including a large Andalusian population. The church is home to two brotherhoods with Andalusian roots, the Hermandad de la Macarena and the Hermandad del Gran Poder, both tied to Holy Week traditions. Through them, the church has become a place where Catalan architectural history meets a living religious tradition brought over from Andalusia.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the church called the "cathedral of the poor"? The nickname reflects its role in El Raval, historically one of Barcelona's poorest districts, where the church has served for generations as a central point of parish and community life.

Is this the same church as the old Augustinian convent in La Ribera? No. The current church, also known as Sant Agustí Nou, was built as a new home for the order after the original convent in La Ribera was partly torn down in 1718 to make room for the Ciutadella fortress.

Why is the dome not fully finished? The upper part of the elliptical dome, designed together with the facade by Pere Costa in 1735, was never completed — only the lower section was built, and it remains visible in that state today.

Which religious brotherhoods are connected to this church? It hosts two brotherhoods of Andalusian origin, the Hermandad de la Macarena and the Hermandad del Gran Poder, which mark Holy Week traditions.