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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Basilicas in Spain—Toledo and Merida-Badajoz

Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady, Siguenza, Guadalajara, Castile-La Mancha

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1948.

The Cathedral Basilica was built primarily between the 12th and 14th Centuries, possibly on the site of an older cathedral, and is mostly Gothic in style although elements of other styles are present.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Royal Monastery of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Guadalupe, Caceres, Estremadura

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1955.

The monastery was established in the 14th Century and was given a royal designation the same century.  The monastery uses the Mozarabic liturgical rite rather than the Roman rite.  Columbus came here in 1492 to thank God for his discovery of the New World.  The basilica has paintings from Goya and El Greco.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Meadow, Ciudad Real, Castile-La Mancha

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Paul VI in 1967.

The Cathedral Basilica was built in the 15th Century to replace an earlier church.  It originally had Gothic and Romanesque features, but Renaissance and Baroque elements have been added.

Pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of Our Lady of the Meadow, Talavera de la Reina, Toledo, Castile-La Mancha

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1989.

The Mozarabic church was built in the 17th Century using Renaissance and Baroque styles.  It replaced an earlier church and the site originally had a temple to a Roman goddess.  The main altar was designed by El Greco’s son.  The church was badly damaged by the French in the early 1800s but has been restored.

Pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Eulalia, Merida, Badajoz, Extremadura

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Francis in 2014.

The basilica is dedicated to a young local woman who was martyred in 4th Century.  A church was likely built here as early as the 4th Century, but the current church dates to the 13th Century.  It is primarily Romanesque with Gothic influence.  Baroque and Renaissance elements have also been added.  A crypt contains tombs from various periods dating to Roman times.

Pictures are from a local source and Alamy.

Basilica Shrine of Christ of the True Cross, Urda, Toledo, Castile-La Mancha

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Francis in 2021.

The Mozarabic-rite Basilica was built in the 15th Century where an image of the crucified Christ was found.  Pilgrims have come to this Gothic and Renaissance church ever since the image was discovered.  

Pictures are from local sources.

 Basilicas in Poland—Katowice

Cathedral Basilica of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Opole, Opole

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XI in 1934.

The Basilica is the cathedral for the Diocese of Opole.  The church was built in the 15th Century to replace earlier churches dating to 1005.  It is mostly Gothic in design but does have some Baroque altars.  The church has a painting of Our Lady of Opole dating to around 1500.

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

Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Bartholomew the Apostle, Piekary Slaskie, Silesia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John XXIII in 1962.

A church was built here at least by 1303 and later contained the painting of Our Lady of Opole.  Miracles were soon attributed to Our Lady’s intercession and pilgrims started coming to the church.  The painting was moved to the Church of the Holy Cross in Opole in 1702 for safety reasons and remains there.  A reproduction of the painting was done for this church which again attracted pilgrims.  The current brick neo-Romanesque church was built in the first half of the 19th Century.  The town has a tradition of putting on a Passion play yearly.

From Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Louis the King and the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Katowice-Panewniki, Silesia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Paul VI in 1974.

This neo-Romanesque church was built in the first decade of the 20th Century as part of a Franciscan monastery.  Its nativity scene is the largest altar nativity in Europe.  About 80 Franciscans live there today.

From local sources.

St. Anne’s Basilica, Gora Swietej Anny, Opole

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1980.

The history of this church is somewhat vague.  Construction began in 1485 but wasn’t completed until sometime in the 17the Century.  The church is built on a hill and has an ancient statue of St. Anne holding the infant Mary.  The church was administered by the Franciscans but fell on hard times during Prussian rule in the 19th Century.  The Franciscans have since returned.

From Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua, Rybnik, Silesia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1993.

The Neo-Gothic church was constructed between 1903 and 1906.  It was almost completely destroyed during the Second World War.  Despite conflicts with Communist officials, the church was rebuilt by 1960.

From a local source.

Basilica of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Pszow, Silesia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1997.

The church was built between 1743 and 1747 and contains a painting depicting Our Lady of Pszow.  The painting likely dates to the early 18th Century.

All are from local sources.

Basilica of St. Adalbert, Mikolow, Silesia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008.

The town has had a church since the 12th Century.  The current Neo-Romanesque church was built between 1843 and 1861. Construction was delayed due to poor construction and lack of financial resources.

From a local source.

Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Rudy, Silesia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009.

The Cistercians built an abbey here in the 13th Century and built the current building as an abbey church around 1300.  This Gothic and Romanesque church was rebuilt in the 17th and 18th Centuries which added Baroque elements.  The Red Army destroyed the church in 1945.  Reconstruction and renovation of the brick and sandstone church continued until 2000.  The church has a 13th Century painting called “Our Lady of the Humble.”

The first two pictures are from the basilica website and the other two are from local sources.

Basilica of St. James the Apostle and St. Agnes, Nysa, Opole

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009.

This church was built in the 14th and 15th Centuries to replace a 12th Century church.  The original church was destroyed in 1241 by during the Tatar invasion.  The current church was built in the 15th Century but has changed styles when rebuilt due to war or fire.  Today, it is mostly neo-Gothic.  The bishops of Wroclaw lived in Nysa from 1650 to 1810 and frequently used this church as their cathedral, although it never had official cathedral status.

Pictures are from Alamy and Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Stephen and Our Lady of Bogucka, Katowice, Silesia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Francis in 2015.

The red-brick and stone neo-Gothic church was built in the 1890s.  A 15th Century statue on the main altar is dedicated to Our Lady of Bogucka.

From a local source.