Cathedral-Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar

The Cathedral-Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar (Catedral-Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar) is a major Baroque Roman Catholic church on the Ebro riverfront in Zaragoza, Aragon, and serves as the city’s principal Marian shrine.

The basilica is notable for its large central nave and multiple domes and towers, and for the small wooden image of the Virgin on a pillar that is the focus of pilgrimage. The interior features important ceiling and dome frescoes by Francisco de Goya and several richly decorated chapels.

The present building dates mainly to the 17th and 18th centuries, constructed on a site of earlier churches and long-standing local devotion. The basilica has been a focal point for Catholic worship and local rites, with successive rebuilding and enlargement over many centuries.

Situated on the Plaza del Pilar on the banks of the Ebro in central Zaragoza, the basilica faces the city’s main square and is a dominant feature of the historic centre.

• Feast day: The basilica is the principal Marian shrine of Zaragoza and hosts the annual feast of Our Lady of the Pillar on October 12.
• Artworks: Interior decoration includes ceiling paintings by Francisco de Goya, among other notable artists.

What to See #

• Main chapel and image: Contains the small wooden image of the Virgin on the pillar which is the focus of devotion and the main altar ensemble at the centre of the basilica.
• Goya frescoes: Several cupola and nave frescoes painted by Francisco de Goya in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, visible on the church ceilings and domes.
• Domes and chapels: A series of chapels, ambulatory spaces and a large central nave with multiple domes and towers that define the basilica's Baroque silhouette on the city skyline.