Add a review about the Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar

The amazing Temple of Our Lady of Pilar in Zaragoza, whose four towering towers proudly rise to the sky on the river bank, is not only the central sight of the city, but also one of the most beautiful cathedrals Spain . It is one of the largest baroque churches in the country . The basilica was built in honor of the appearance of the Virgin in the environs in the first half of the first millennium and . e . According to most sources, this is the world's first temple dedicated to the Virgin Mary . He has two priceless treasures: the sacred statue of the Virgin Mary and the frescoes of Francisco Goya . In addition, this is the second most popular place for pilgrimage in Spain after Santiago de Compostella . And the autumn festival Pilar is one of the most popular in Spain .

Every year on Sunday, October 12, in Zaragoza, a fiesta in honor of Our Lady of Pilar, the patroness of the city, is held. The holiday lasts 9 days, and during the fiesta a huge number of flowers and fruits bring to the chapel of the Mother of God in the basilica, and the streets are filled with processions, street actors, musicians and dancers. At the same time, there are bullfights and theater performances. During this period, the popularity of Zaragoza among tourists triples, so it's better to book accommodation in hotels in advance.

When the upset saint prayed on the banks of the Ebro River, the Virgin appeared to him and gave a small wooden statuette with her own image, as well as a jasper column and punished to build a church in her honor

The first Christian church was built in this place in the 2nd century and . e ., it was just a small chapel . At the beginning of the 12th century after the liberation of Saragossa from Muslims by the army of King Alfonso I on place of the chapel built a Romanesque church that burnt down in a fire three centuries later . The Gothic church was rebuilt on the site of the ruins, and the basilica that we can see today began to be erected at the end of the 17th century . The construction of the main structure took almost two centuries, and two towers were completed only in the 20th century, the last one in 1961 . During the civil war in Spain before the Second World War three bombs were dropped on the church, but none of them exploded . Two of these bombs are still on display inside the basilica .

Dimensions of the basilica - 130 meters by 65 meters, and it consists of only 11 domes . The rectangular building with the nave, two chapels and two chapels has a typical Aragonese view. . Twelve huge columns support the vaults of the nave and chapels covered with domes .Smaller domes are trimmed from the outside with bright tiles azulezhu . In addition, the basilica has 9 smaller chapels . The foundation of the church in its current form was laid under King Charles II, built in 5 years and subsequently modified by Francisco Herrera, Jr. .In 1725 . Ventura Rodriguez expanded the first building to its present dimensions, and in 1754 .in the eastern part of it was built St. . the chapel of Ventura Rodriguez where the statue is erected . The vaults and domes around the chapel are painted with frescoes by Francisco Goya "Queen of Martyrs" and "Glorification of the Name of the Lord" .

The Basilica of Our Lady after the Bridge through the Ebro and the river in the foreground - the most famous and compulsory for photographers view of Zaragoza. The temple looks amazing in the evening illumination
Types of the basilica

The main treasure of the temple is the jasper column with the statue of the Virgin Mary with the baby Jesus, created in the 15th century . The statue is small - only 39 cm - and made of wood . But many Spanish kings, rulers of other countries and outstanding medieval figures, including Ignatius Loyola, came to Zaragoza to worship this image . According to legend, sv .Jacob preached the Gospel in Spain, but without success . When the upset saint prayed on the banks of the Ebro River, the Virgin appeared to him and gave a small wooden statuette with his own image, and also a jasper column and punished to build a church in her honor . In 1905 . on the statue appeared crown, which was valued at a huge amount of 450 000 pesetas .

In the museum of Pilar, located in the basilica, exhibited jewelry that adorned the statue of Pilar, as well as drawings of Goya and other art objects.

Practical information

Time r The basilica is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 7:00 to 20:30. The museum is open daily from 9:00 to 18:00 (break from 14:00 to 16:00).

Admission is free. Visiting the museum: 3 EUR.

How to get there: the basilica is located on Pilar Square, can be reached by buses No. 22, 23.