Capilla de San Nicolas (Chapel of St. Nicholas), Girona

The Chapel of Saint Nicholas is a hidden gem of Romanesque architecture nestled in the ancient quarter of Girona, alongside the Monastery of Sant Pere de Galligants. First documented in 1134, its origins may reach even earlier, potentially emerging from a funerary chapel built over an Early Medieval burial ground.

Originally designed as a unique tetralobate structure-a central square plan with four semicircular apses covered by an octagonal cupola atop pendentives-the chapel was later transformed. One of the western apses was removed and replaced with an extended barrel-vaulted nave, creating the form visible today. Built using small, regular stone blocks that lend it an archaic charm, the exterior displays blind arches and lesenes typical of twelfth-century Romanesque decoration. A noteworthy eighteenth-century south façade door bears a carved crowned lion-symbolic of the tanners’ guild-reinforcing the chapel’s historical ties with local craftspeople.

Following the 1835 confiscation (Desamortización), the chapel passed into private hands and served secular purposes-as a wood warehouse and sawmill-until the early 20th century when the city of Girona took ownership. A major restoration in the 1940s (and further archaeological work in the 1970s) preserved its historical and architectural essence and revived its cultural importance.

Today, the Chapel of Saint Nicholas is recognized as a cultural asset of national interest and forms part of Bòlit, Girona’s municipal art center. It serves as a charming exhibition space and plays a vibrant role during the annual "Girona, Temps de Flors" festival, when it is elaborately decorated with floral artistry.