Data set of catholic parish churches of Barcelona. Relevance of their architectural characterization as singular buildings

Abstract

These data focus on 132 Catholic parish churches in Barcelona, showcasing their architectural characteristics through the first-ever comparison of their floor plans (Arboix-Alió, 2016) [Fig. 1]. These structures are distinctive in all towns with a Western Catholic tradition, exemplified by landmarks like Milan's Duomo, Paris's Notre Dame, and the same Barcelona's La Sagrada Família (Busquets, 2019). The method used is through archival research and on-site visits to all 132 churches aided in drawing floor plans using AutoCAD 2016 20.1 (compatible with the latest Version 2023, for MAC and OS) and Photoshop CC 2017 (also compatible with newest versions), allowing for subsequent classifications. The churches are categorized by their architectural traits here [Fig. 2]: (1) those with directional spatial structures, ranging from single nave to five, including basilica and Latin cross floor plans; (2) expansive structures, including Greek cross and rectangular layouts; and 3) radial structures. These data reveal a prevalence of directional designs (96 out of 132) [Fig. 3], varying from single-nave to multi-nave configurations, with side chapels in some. The dominant type is the single-nave, mostly from the 20th century, except Sant Pacià (1876-81). There are also numerous single-nave churches with side chapels -among which only one is a recent construction, Sant Cristòfol (2000)- and three-nave churches -where only one appears, Santa Cecília (1963), from the post-conciliar period-. Notably, the unfinished Sagrada Família with five naves and Sant Llorenç (1954-1963) with two naves stand out. Expansive churches comprise older Greek cross layouts and newer rectangular designs. The latter offer diverse section arrangements, despite being fewer in number [Fig. 4]. Fourteen parishes follow a radial scheme drawing ellipses, hexagonal, triangular, and conical forms [Fig. 4]. The collected data holds significance for architecture and sacred heritage research, providing floor plans for churches, some previously lacking them (Martí, 2012). The data collection methodology is transferable to other urban investigations, extending beyond religious structures (Arboix-Alió, 2016).

Keywords: Architectural characterization; Barcelona; Catholic architecture; Parish church; Religion; Singular building.