Basilicas in Italy—Lazio, Marche, and Umbria—1

Does not include basilicas in the Ecclesiastical Province of Rome.

I blogged about the following churches on October 8, 2020.

• Cathedral Basilica of St. Ciriaco in Ancona, Marche.

• Cathedral Basilica of St. Floridus and St. Amantius, Citta di Castello, Perugia, Umbria

• Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of Mary, Orvieto, Umbria.

Papal Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, Assisi, Umbria

Considered a basilica for centuries.

The basilica was constructed in the 13th Century and has an upper church, a lower church, and a crypt.  St. Francis is buried in the crypt.  The church has both Romanesque and Italian Gothic architectural features.  Both the upper and lower churches are decorated with frescoes by artists such as Giotto.  It is the Mother Church of the Franciscans.  The church suffered major damage by a 1997 earthquake but has been restored.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Papal Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels in Portiuncola, Santa Maria degli Angelic, Umbria

Considered a basilica for centuries.

A small, ruined chapel was on this site when St. Francis told by Christ to “repair my house.”  Francis took the order literally at first and rebuilt the chapel.  It became the first home of the Franciscans.  After Francis died in 1226, pilgrims started coming to the chapel, and the current basilica was built over the chapel in the 16th Century.

From Wikipedia.

Pontifical Basilica of the Holy House of Loreto, Loreto, Marche

Considered a basilica for centuries.

The Basilica contains a structure said to be the home of the Holy Family in Nazareth.  Legend says it was brought here by angels in the 1290s, but other explanations also exist.  The Gothic Basilica itself was built in the 15th Century.  A statue of Our Lady of Loreto burned and was replaced in 1922 with a statue made from Cedar of Lebanon wood.

From Wikipedia.

Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of Mary, Anagni, Lazio

Considered a basilica for centuries.

The Basilica is the cathedral for the Diocese of Anagni-Alatri.  The church was built between 1072 and 1104 and has a Romanesque exterior and a Gothic-Lombard interior.  Anagni served as the summer home for popes in the 12th and 13th Centuries.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica Cathedral of St. Mary Major, Civita Castellana, Lazio

Considered a basilica for centuries.

The church is the cathedral for the Diocese of Civita Castellana and was originally built between 1185 and 1210 to replace an existing church.  The existing church was restored in the 17th Century with a Baroque style although it has a Romanesque bell tower.  Of note are a 4th Century Roman sarcophagus embedded in the main altar and 12th Century frescoes.  Mozart played the cathedral pipe organ in 1770.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Co-Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption, Orte, Lazio

Considered a basilica for centuries.

The church is the co-cathedral for the Diocese of Civita Castellana.  This Baroque church was built in the 18th Century to replace a 9th Century church.

Pictures are from a local source and Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Paterniano, Fano, Marche

Considered a basilica for centuries.

The basilica was built between 1547 and 1558.  It honors St. Paterniano, who has a 4th Century bishop.  He is the patron saint of 32 countries.

Pictures are from local sources.

Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Assumption and St. Benedict, Montecassino, Lazio

Considered a basilica for centuries.

The Basilica is the abbey church for the Abbey of Montecassino and the cathedral for the Territorial Abbacy of Montecassino.  St. Benedict of Norcia built the first church here in 529.  It was badly damaged by the Lombards and the Normans before it was rebuilt in 1071.  It was destroyed by an earthquake in 1349 and rebuilt in the 17th Century.  The church was bombed in 1944 but was restored in 1964.  St. Benedict and St. Scholastica are buried in the main altar.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Cecilia, Acquasparta, Umbria

Considered a basilica for centuries.

This Romanesque and Renaissance church was built in the 12th Century to honor St. Cecilia, the town’s patron saint.

Pictures are from local sources.

Cathedral Basilica of St. Agapitus, Palestrina, Lazio

Considered a basilica for centuries.

The Basilica is the Cathedral for the Diocese of Palestrina.  The church dates to the 12th Century and is the site of a former Roman temple and is dedicated to a 3rd Century Roman martyr.  

Pictures are from Pinterest and Wikipedia.

Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of Mary, Pesaro, Marche

Considered a basilica for centuries.

The Basilica is the Cathedral for the Archdiocese of Pesaro.  A church was built here in the 6th Century, but the current Romanesque and Neoclassical building dates primarily to the 19th Century.

Both pictures are from Wikipedia.

 

Basilicas in Spain--Valencia and Illes Balears

I blogged about the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Valencia in Valencia on January 10, 2020.

Cathedral of St. Mary, Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius X in 1905.

This Gothic church was built between 1229 and 1601 to replace a mosque.  It is the Cathedral for the Diocese of Mallorca.  The 14-meter diameter Gothic rose window is thought to be the second-largest in the world and the 44-meter-high nave is the eighth highest.  Antoni Gaudi was placed in charge of renovation in 1903 but was criticized for eliminating Mudejar and Baroque decorations. 

The first picture is from a local source and the others are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Francis, Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1943.

The Franciscans built this church in the 13th and 14th Centuries.  It is mainly Gothic but has a Baroque façade.

From local sources.

Royal Basilica of Our Lady of the Forsaken, Valencia, Valencia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1948.

The Basilica was completed in 1666 and is located next to the Cathedral at the highest point in the city.  The basilica was built using the Renaissance architectural style although it has some Baroque elements.  The dome is covered with frescoes painted by Antonio Palomino in 1701.

The first picture is from Dreamstime and the others are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Mary, Elche, Valencia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1951.

A church was built here in the 14th Century to replace a mosque.  The current Baroque church was constructed between 1672 and 1784.  The Mystery Play of Elche is an annual event performed since the 13th Century.  It is currently performed at the Basilica.

Both pictures are from Dreamstime.

Basilica of St. Vincent Ferrer, Valencia, Valencia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1951.

The Neo-Gothic Basilica was built between 1906 and 1921 and honors St. Vincent Ferrer who was from Valencia.  It is administered by the Dominicans.

The first picture is from the basilica's website and the second is from TripAdvisor.

Cathedral Basilica of St. Mary, Ciudadela, Illes Balears

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1953.

The Catalan Gothic Basilica is the Cathedral for the Diocese of Menorca.  It was built between 1300 and 1362 on the site of a mosque.  It has been largely destroyed twice—by the Ottomans in 1558 and during the Spanish Civil War in 1936.  It was restored after both events.  The façade was built in a neoclassical style in 1813.

Both pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of the Mother of God, Lluc, Illes Balears

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John XXIII in 1962.

A stone image of the Virgin Mary was discovered in a forest in the 13th Century.  Pilgrims began coming to venerate Our Lady of Lluc.  The pilgrimage site includes the Basilica, which was built in the 17th Century and renovated in the 20th Century.  The Basilica has a choir that is one of Europe’s oldest.

Pictures are from Expedia and a local source.

Collegiate Basilica of the Assumption of Mary, Xativa, Valencia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Paul VI in 1973.

Construction of the Basilica began in 1596 to replace a mosque.  The Renaissance and Baroque church has the graves of many of the Borgia family.

From Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Mary, Castello, Valencia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1983.

A small image of the Virgin Mary was found by a farmer plowing his field in 1366.  A church was built and replaced with the current Neoclassical building in the 17th Century.

Picture is from GCatholic.

Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady, Segorbe, Valencia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1985.

The Basilica is the Cathedral for the Diocese of Segorbe-Castellon de la Plana.  The church is on the site of a former mosque and is built against the city’s walls.  Construction began in 1246 and was Gothic is style.  Renovations in the 18th Century were done using the neoclassical style.

The first picture is from TripAdvisory and the other two are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. James, Algemesi, Valencia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1986.

The Basilica was built between 1550 and 1582.  A combination of styles is used in the building.

Both pictures are from local sources.

Basilica of St. Paschal Baylon, Villareal, Valencia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1996.

The Franciscans built a church here in 1571 and the Franciscan, St. Paschal Baylon was buried here in 1592.  A royal chapel was built in the 17th Century to hold the Saint’s grave and it was noted as an early example of Valencian Baroque.  French troops damaged the church in 1706 and the church and chapel were destroyed in 1936 during the Spanish Civil War.  The Royal chapel has been rebuilt and reconstruction of the church is almost completed.

Pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Mary, Alicante, Valencia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006.

The Basilica was built in a Valencian Gothic style between the 14th and 16th Centuries over the remains of a mosque.

The top picture is from a local source and the other two are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of Our Lady of Help, Aspe, Valencia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006.

The Valencian Baroque church was originally constructed in the early 17th Century on the site of a former mosque.  It was largely rebuilt in the 18th Century.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of the Savior, Burriana, Valencia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in 2013.

The church was originally built in the 13th Century using the Valencian Gothic style.  Baroque changes were made in the 18th Century.  The building was largely destroyed in 1938 during the Spanish Civil War but it has been rebuilt using the Gothic style although some Baroque elements remain.

The first picture is from Alamy and the other two are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Michael, Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Francis in 2018.

This 17th Century Baroque church replaced a Gothic church that was in turn built to replace a mosque.  The Gothic façade was incorporated into the Baroque church.

Pictures are from a local source and TripAdvisor.

Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Valencia, Valencia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Francis in 2019.

The Neo-Gothic church was built in the late 19th Century.

From a local source.

Basilica of the Immaculate Conception and St. Peter the Apostle, Benissa, Valencia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Francis in 2022.

The church was built in the early 20th Century.

Both pictures are from Wanderlog.

Basilica of the Assumption of Mary, Lliria, Valencia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Francis in 2024.

The Baroque church dates from the 17th Century.  Several local dukes are buried here.

Pictures are from Wikipedia.