A solar cell comprises an n-type semiconductor layer, a p-type semiconductor layer, a p-side electrode layer, an n-side electrode; and a ZnO transparent electrode layer.The n-side electrode layer consists of AgxAu1-x, and x represents a value of not less than 0.1 and not more than 0.5. The ZnO transparent electrode layer is composed of a plurality of ZnO columnar particles and each ZnO columnar particle has a longitudinal direction substantially parallel to a normal line of the ZnO transparent electrode layer. The cross-sectional area of each ZnO columnar particles that appears by cutting the ZnO columnar particles perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction increases from the upper surface of the n-side electrode layer to the upper surface of the ZnO transparent electrode layer.