Top 10 Facts about Basílica de Nuestra Senora del Pilar

Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar Photo by German Wikimedia

 Top 10 Facts about Basílica de Nuestra Senora del Pilar

 Cathedral-Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar, also known as Basilica de Nuestra Senora de Pilar in Spanish. It has been a Roman Catholic church (Spain). The Blessed Virgin Mary is revered in the Basilica as Our Lady of the Pillar. Pope John Paul II has referred to her as the “Mother of the Hispanic Peoples.” It is said to be the first church in history to be dedicated to Mary.

The Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar, is one of two small basilicas in Zaragoza. It serves as the city’s co-cathedral alongside the adjacent La Seo de Zaragoza. The current edifice was primarily constructed between 1681 and 1872, and the architecture is in the Baroque style.

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The following are  Top 10 Facts about Basílica de Nuestra Senora del Pilar

1. It was the first church in History to be dedicated to Mary

Central nave and the altarpiece by Damián Forment. Photo by José Luis Filpo Cabana Wikimedia

Basilica de Nuestra Senora del Pilar, generally known as the Cathedral-Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar. It is a Roman Catholic church in Zaragoza, Aragon (Spain). The Blessed Virgin Mary, also referred to as Our Lady of the Pillar. And the “Mother of the Hispanic Peoples” by Pope John Paul II, has been revered in the basilica.

Local myths connect Saint James the Great, the apostle who is credited with bringing Christianity to the country with the growth of Christianity in Roman Spain. Thus, the history of this basilica is linked to the purported spread of Christianity in the area by the apostle. Only a single Mary apparition is known to have occurred before her purported Assumption.

2. Cathedral- Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar was damaged by fire in 1434

After a fire devastated the Romanesque church in 1434, work on its rebuilding in the Mudéjar Gothic style got underway. Only a small portion of a 15th-century Gothic-style church still exists or has been repaired featuring the choir stand and the altarpiece made of alabaster by Damián Forment.

3. The building incorporates elements of Neoclassical, Rococo, and Baroque architecture

Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar, Photo by Airat Khairullin Wikimedia

This current huge church was built in the Baroque style between 1681 and 1686 by Charles II, King of Spain. Felipe Sanchez was in charge of the first construction projects, which Francisco Herrera the Younger under John of Austria the Younger later modified.

The Cabildo of Zaragoza recruited Ventura Rodriguez as an architect in 1725 to change the appearance of the Holy Chapel. He added the eleven cupolas and four towers that give the building its present measurements of 130 meters long by 67 meters wide. The building’s gilding and other decorations were planned and overseen by José Goya, Goya’s father.

By 1718, the church’s roof had arches. But the final touches on these vaults weren’t added until the main dome and the last spire were finished in 1872.

4. Most people visit the eastern part of the chapel

This is because of where Ventura Rodriguez’s (1754) Holy Chapel, which houses the adored Virgin Mary statue, is situated. Two murals by one of the greatest Spanish artists of all time, Francisco Goya, depicting The Queen of Martyrs and Adoration of the Name of God are located on the vaults or domes surrounding the Holy Chapel (a fresco seen on the cupola ceiling above the Small Choir of the Virgin).

5.Basílica de Nuestra Senora del Pilar has 3 Bombs on display

Communists dropped three bombs on the church during the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939); the bombs tore through the roof and hit the floor, but none of them exploded. After being deactivated, the three explosives are now displayed inside one of the Basilica’s walls.

6. There are Nine chapels within the Basilica

Funeral chapel of Archbishop Tomás Crespo Agüero (c. 1743). A carving of the Crucified Christ attributed to the Granada School receives devotion. Photo by José Luis Filpo Cabana Wikimedia

The basilica has the following chapels: Chapel of the Rosary, Chapel of Saint Anna, Chapel of Joachim, Chapel of Saint Lawrence (Lorenzo), Chapel of Saint Braulio, Chapel of Saint Joseph, Chapel of Saint Anthony, Chapel of Saint John, and Chapel of Saint Pedro de Arbués.

7. The Feast of our Lady of the pillar takes place on October 12

Mary originally appeared to Hispanics on October 12, and that day is celebrated as Our Lady of the Pillar Day. Also on Hispanic Heritage Day, this marks the year that Columbus first set foot in the New World. A 14th-century statue of the Virgin wearing national attire sent by each Hispanic colonial state is housed in the church. Pope John Paul II referred to El Pilar as the “Mother of the Hispanic Peoples” on both occasions that he visited the basilica.

Bien de Interés Cultural was established in 1904.

8. Free Admission; Photography allowed when the mass is not in session

There is one entrance to the Santa Capilla and another to the Main Altar, where mass is usually celebrated. Every hour, there is a mass.

Entry is free, but it could be limited to religious events like weddings and christenings. There are, however, some places in the cathedral where taking photos is not allowed. The chapel’s initial section is open for visitors to examine. The remainder will be distributed to the devoted. Focus on exploring the church’s outside and admiring its incredible size and exquisite shape because the interior is not nearly as beautiful. Even though the outside is stunning during the day, it also appears stunning when lit up at night.

9.Basílica de Nuestra Senora del Pilar contains works by Joseph Ruiz Samaniego 

A well-known choirmaster from the Baroque period, Joseph Ruiz was a composer.

Western classical music composed between roughly 1600 and 1750 is referred to as “baroque music” or “baroque music,” depending on the context. The Baroque style followed the Renaissance period, and the Galant style of the Classical era came next in a short period of time. Joseph Ruiz Samaniego served as the basilica’s master of chapels in Zaragoza (active 1654–1670). The pieces he left behind include Latin psalms and villancicos.

10. Virgin of Pillar Museum has been located  inside Basilica de Nuestra Senora del  Pillar

Zaragoza, Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar. photo by E-Ibanez Wikimedia

The Virgin of Pilar Museum relocated to the north wing of the Basilica del Pilar in 1977. It also has a sizeable collection of gifts that have been given to the Virgin over time, along with other things related to the building’s construction and decoration.

Among the items with a religious theme, the jewels, and intricately embroidered shawls stand out. Popes and other notable members of society gave the Virgin a large number of them. The mural sketches from the Basilica are also in view; some of these sketches are thought to be among the most important pieces of Spanish Baroque art from the 17th century. 

It would be a mistake to skip seeing the initial ideas for the paintings that are on the dome, ceilings, and medallions, some of which are by well-known artists like Goya, Francisco Bayeu, and Ramon Bayeu.

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