Zaragoza | Surroundings of the Cathedral-Basilica of Pilar

The Basilica del Pilar is the icon of the city of Zaragoza and one of the most important pilgrimage centres. The history of this baroque jewel and its secrets will surprise you. Christian legend has it that the temple was built from the marble pillar where the Virgin Mary appeared “in mortal flesh” to the apostle Santiago on 2 January 40 AD. It is called an arrival and not an apparition, since the Virgin lived in Palestine at that time. In the small chapel where the column was housed, a Mozarabic church dedicated to Saint Mary was built, then a Romanesque church, another Mudejar church and finally the Baroque temple that we know today. The Pilar has held the title of Cathedral since 1676 and Basilica since 1948, which is why it is called the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar and is photographed every day by citizens and visitors from various points of the city: the Stone Bridge, the Balcón de San Lázaro, the Santiago Bridge, the Iron Bridge, the left bank of the Ebro... Inside you will discover works by Goya, more than 10 chapels, the wonderful organ or the impressive alabaster altarpiece from the 16th century. Also two of the four bombs that fell on the Pilar and did not explode during the Spanish Civil War. In addition, you can enjoy a 360º panoramic view from the top of one of its towers, one of the best in Zaragoza. As a souvenir, take a ribbon with the size of the Virgin (36 cm) and hang it from the rearview mirror, the helmet of your bike, the baby stroller, it is said that it brings luck and will protect you.