One of my favourite places to sit in Barcelona is in the little square in front of Santa Maria del Mar in the Born.  It is a massive, imposing building with a lively presence; sit there a while and the chances are you’ll see a wedding.  And if you’re lucky enough to get one of the few seats that belong to La Vinya del Senor wine bar, you can partake of a vast selection of fantastic wine and some tasty cold tapas while enjoying the view and the ambience.

Excellent as this gem of a wine bar is, the real masterpiece here is the church of Santa Maria, built between 1329 and 1383.  It towers somewhat threateningly over the Born district. Go inside though, and the light, airy space is illuminated by its gorgeous stained glass windows.

The flamboyant rose window above dates from 1460 as the previous window here was destroyed in an earthquake in 1428.

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Posted as part of the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Masterpiece,   Travel Photo Mondays   and Whimsical Windows.