Sodomites at the Cathedral
The façade of the Viceroy's Palace, located between the Place du Roi and the Cathedral, features bas-reliefs depicting obscene scenes. Here, boy angels are frozen in explicit poses of sodomy.
Sodomy was a terrible crime in the Middle Ages. Those found guilty of same-sex relations or relationships with adolescent boys were burned at the stake by order of the Holy Inquisition, along with witches. Furthermore, being accused of such an act meant being subjected to the most brutal torture.
Anyone could accuse a man of sodomy. Afterward, the accused would be tortured, "repent" and "betray" all his "partners." They, too, were tortured and burned.
Only a superior could accuse a church official of such connections. King Charles V threatened to take advantage of this, threatening to accuse the Bishop of Barcelona, Jaume Cassador.
Charles V was on bad terms with the Bishop of Barcelona, Jaume Cassador, and ordered erotic bas-reliefs, shocking church canons, to be placed on the façade of the Viceroyal Palace on the Calle Comtes, directly opposite the Cathedral portal (the Portal of Saint Ju) through which the bishop entered. These figures became a daily reminder from the king to the bishop, saying, "If you go against my will, I have something to accuse you of."
The Palace of Charles V was built by the architect Antoni Carboney. The decision to build it was made at the Jubilee Cortes of Monzón in 1547. Between 1863 and 1993, it housed the Archives of the Crown of Aragon. The building was modernized in 1987 by the architect Lluís Domènech. Restoration work on the Lloktinen Palace lasted from 2002 to 2006.
This building was constructed for the viceroy and completed in 1558. The palace was connected at the third-floor level by a royal pedestrian gallery to the Cathedral (via Rue Comtès), and also, on the other side, to the Chapel of Saint Agatha on the Place Royale. Charles V wanted to avoid encounters with the city's population.
Interestingly, during the building's renovation in 1987, a gargoyle was installed on top – an exact replica of the dragon Han in the PortAventura park near Tarragona. It can be seen from the patio.
