This is undoubtedly the number one attraction in Zaragoza, and it is easy to understand why. It is beautiful, of special importance to the city and has an interesting story – it is surprising that it is free. It is Roman Catholic, this is the main religion in Spain. It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary but its name is a slightly unusual way of celebrating her: Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar means of Our Lady of the Pillar. This somewhat strange name comes from the story where the Virgin Mary appeared to the apostle Saint James while he was praying and gave him a pillar of jasper and instructed him to build a church to her in this place. In the basilica today, there is a famous wooden statue of the Virgin Mary called Virgen del Pilar that you can see.
Unsurprisingly, the Lady of the Pillar, the Virgin Mary, is the most important saint in Zaragoza. In case you didn’t know, each city, town and village in Spain has its own saint, or saints, and they hold special festivals for them twice a year, once in winter and once in summer. I was lucky enough to be in Calahorra, a city in La Rioja, when they were celebrating their two saints so I can say with certainty that it is fascinating to see these festivals being celebrated. The atmosphere was amazing, there was such a feeling of celebration and pride. I will write about my experiences there one day soon. If you can visit Zaragoza during the festival for San Pilar then it might be worth your while!
The basilica is located in Plaza del Pilar, one of the most important parts of the city. In addition to the basilica, there are a large number of tourist attractions here such as the Town Hall and La Lonja, markets are occasionally held here and of course, it is the centre of the celebrations held for the Virgin Mary.
The outside of the basilica is stunning, mostly because of its colourful domes. I think this is such an unusual but beautiful feature. I really love them, they make the basilica stand out in the city skyline.
The inside is beautiful too with a blue/white theme. There are a number of interesting features, chiefly, the dome painted by Goya (the Regina Martyrum dome) and the frescoes he painted in the Choir. The wooden statue of the Virgin Mary is also a “must see”. I think that the visit could benefit from an audio-guide but it is still well-worth walking into.
For me, the most interesting feature, apart from the impressive exterior, is the lift to one of the basilica’s towers. It only costs €3 and it provides excellent views of the roof of the basilica, of the River Ebro and of the city itself. The view really reminded me of how BIG a city Zaragoza is, it is the 5th largest in all of Spain after all. The lift will take you to an area with excellent views but if you have the energy then you can ascend even higher to a smaller viewing platform. It is an easy climb so don’t worry, it won’t leave you very tired.
To access the lift you must keep your eyes open for the unassuming sign with Ascensor (Spanish for lift) written on it, pointing to a closed wooden door. I wasn’t brave enough to try to push the door open, I was afraid of causing a alarm to go off, I usually have a guilty conscience, so I went outside trying to find the entrance, only to find a sign saying that the entrance was inside. Good thing that the entrance to the basilica is free otherwise I would have made life very awkward for myself!
I don’t want you to make my mistakes so make sure you go through the wooden door!
There is also museum in the basilica which costs an additional €2. I didn’t enter it so I can’t recommend it but it is another option.
Address:
Plaza del Pilar
Opening times:
The Basilica:
Monday to Saturday: 06:45 – 20:30
Sunday: 06:45 – 21:30
The Museum:
Monday to Friday: 10:00 – 14:00 and 16:00 – 20:00
Saturday: 10:00 – 14:00
Sunday and holidays: Closed
The Lift:
Every day: 10:00 – 14:00 and 16:00 – 20:00 (it may close earlier in the winter)
Website:
http://www.basilicadelpilar.es/inicio.htm
Admission fee:
The Basilica:
FREE
The Museum:
€2
The Lift:
€3
Can I take photographs?
Yes
That’s all from Zaragoza for now. Next week will be a completely new destination!
