Shrine Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Minor basilica in Gijón, Spain.

The Shrine Basilica of the Sacred Heart, known as La Iglesiona, stands opposite the Real Instituto Jovellanos. It has a single nave with four oval transverse arches and a 27-metre-high vault, paired columns, an ambulatory behind the presbytery, and a facade crowned by a Sacred Heart monument where two towers were planned. Much of it is built of pinkish stone from Monte Naranco.

Construction began in 1913 to designs by Joan Rubió i Bellver, a disciple of Gaudí, and Miguel García de la Cruz; it lasted until 1922 and the church was consecrated on 30 May 1924. During the Spanish Civil War it served as a Republican prison, which spared it from destruction though the interior was devastated; ten executed prisoners were beatified between 2007 and 2019. The Archdiocese of Oviedo took over from the Jesuits in 1998, and the Holy See named it a minor basilica in 2003.

Locals call it La Iglesiona, 'the big church', because of its size. The Jesuits conceived the whole building as a symbol of Catholic doctrine: Latin inscriptions taken from the Vulgate cover the walls, and the iron grille of the inner door carries the JHS christogram encircled by a crown of thorns. Ten prisoners executed here during the Civil War were beatified between 2007 and 2019.

The basilica welcomes visitors throughout the year during regular opening hours. Before planning a visit, it helps to check the current schedule, as timing can vary depending on religious events and ceremonies.

The parabolic arches of the nave, 27 m high, were chosen because the narrow plot left no room for wider spans. The tower rises 50 m. The facade was redesigned when the two planned towers were replaced by the monument to the Sacred Heart, so the great lateral pillars now support nothing.