Canonry of the Cathedral of Tortosa

Initially, the mosque itself and the adjoining buildings were used for the canonical community, but in 1156 Pope Adrian IV intervened on behalf of the bishop and the canons and influenced Count Ramon Berenguer IV to intervene in the construction of the new cathedral, which began to be built in 1158 on what had been the main mosque, and which was consecrated in 1178. During this period, the seat of Tortosa received important financial donations from the Counts of Barcelona and other personalities. In 1307, new regulations were established that affected the observance of customs by the community of canons, imposing stricter rules regarding behaviour and reaffirming community life, with the obligation to sleep in the community, eat in the refectory and the limitation of leaving the canonical quarters.

The construction of this church was to continue for some time, and, in the 16th century, two more sections of the nave were built following the previous model. In 1593 the work was consecrated, but it was not finished until the 18th century, with the last sections of the naves, the Baroque façade and the Cinta chapel, also from this period. This canonry maintained considerable vitality, and during the 16th century the community rules were relaxed, and the canons were no longer obliged to live a strict community life; in 1529 they were freed from the obligation to sleep in community. At the time of the general secularisation of the Augustinian canons, the canons of Tortosa requested their secularisation in 1599 and on other occasions, but they did not obtain it definitively until 1772. Despite this, until the end of the 18th century they kept the old practices of novitiate and monastic profession and had St. Augustine as their patron saint.