Chapel of Els Dolors de Mataró One of the jewels of the Catalan Baroque
Choir of the Chapel of Els Dolors. Angela Llop / Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 2.0
Inside the Basilica of Santa Maria de Mataró is one of the most important examples of the religious Catalan Baroque: the Chapel of Els Dolors (the sorrows), preserved in its original state. It was built between the 17th and 18th centuries and was completed between 1722 and 1737, with frescos, oils, canvases and sculptural elements created by Antoni Viladomat.
The six great canvases on the side walls of the Chapel of Els Dolors are the stations of the cross combine with scenes of the Crown of Thorns (Corona Dolorosa).
The Barcelona artist was also responsible for the other elements in the Els Dolors complex: the Sacristy, the Crypt and the meeting room. The latter is an octagonal Chamber completely covered with paintings by Viladomat highlighting the Apostles and Evangelists. The entire complex is characterised by its drama and theatricality.
Plan your visit
What can I do?
Take advantage of the guided tours of the Museum-Archive of Santa Maria de Mataró and the Mataró Museum to learn about the Chapel of Els Dolors.
More information
Heritage stories
Restoration of the Chapel of Els Dolors
You can see how the tasks were carried out during the 2015 restoration of the most important Baroque complex in Catalonia.