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Eldar Kadymov | all galleries >> Galleries >> Viva Mexico ! > Basilica of Guadalupe, Mexico City
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19-OCT-2009

Basilica of Guadalupe, Mexico City

The name Basilica of Guadalupe (also Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe in Spanish) may refer to one of the two churches built on top of Tepeyac hill, north of Mexico City. The site is nearby the place where it is said Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared in front of Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin. This site is also known as La Villa de Guadalupe or, in a more popular sense, simply La Villa.

The new Basilica houses the original tilma (or apron) of Juan Diego that shows the icon of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Thus it is an important pilgrimage site and is visited by several million people every year, especially around December 12, Our Lady of Guadalupe's Feast day.

The Basilica is part of the Historic Centre of Mexico City, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987.
Officially known as the "Templo Expiatorio a Cristo Rey," the construction of the old basilica began in 1531 and was not finished until 1709. It is characterized by its doric interior and marble statues of Juan Diego and Fray Juan de Zumárraga. The church was granted basilica status by Pope Pius X in 1904.

The apron of Juan Diego was housed in this church from 1709 to 1974. In 1921 a bomb planted in a flower vase near the altar by a anticlerical activist exploded causing great damage to the interior of the building. The apron survived the incident largely undamaged.

The old basilica was sinking as a result of the weakness of the ground, as the city was built on a former lake. As a consequence a new, more spacious, basilica was built. The old one was closed for many years and repairs have recently finished. It is now again open to the public and perpetual adoration is held there.

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Lee G09-Mar-2010 20:08
Very interesting story, the sinking of the Basilica is very evident in your photo, nicely done!