About this place
The Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar is the spiritual heart of Zaragoza and one of the most important Marian shrines in the world. Tradition holds that in the year 40, the Virgin Mary appeared here to the apostle Saint James, standing atop a column, or pillar, of jasper, which she left behind as a token. That very pillar is venerated inside the basilica to this day, giving the shrine, and the name Pilar, borne by countless Spanish women, its origin. The vast Baroque church, largely built from the late seventeenth century, is a cavernous space topped by eleven tiled domes. Its ceiling frescoes include early works by the Aragonese-born master Francisco de Goya. During the Spanish Civil War, three bombs were dropped on the basilica but none exploded; two of them hang inside as a reminder of what the faithful consider a miracle.
Key facts
- 40 AD — By tradition the Virgin appeared to Saint James here, making it among the first Marian shrines
- 11 domes — Coloured tiled cupolas crown the vast baroque basilica
- 3 bombs — Were dropped on the basilica in 1936 but failed to explode, seen by many as a miracle
📍 Paseo de Echegaray y Caballero, 50001, Zaragoza