Santuario de la Virgen del Brezo, Catholic sanctuary in Santibáñez de la Peña, Spain.
The Santuario de la Virgen del Brezo is a sanctuary in the mountains of Palencia province built with neoclassical design in dimension stone. The complex includes a temple, confession chapel, and guesthouse that together form a religious site for pilgrims.
The sanctuary originated from a Marian apparition in 1478 when two shepherds discovered a forgotten statue in the mountains. This led to the establishment of organized pilgrimages beginning in 1535.
Each September 21st, the sanctuary hosts a major regional celebration where hundreds gather to honor the Virgin of Brezo, patron saint of Montaña Palentina.
The sanctuary sits at 1,450 meters elevation in the Sierra del Brezo mountains and is reached via the PP-2247 road branching from the CL-626 highway. Visitors should expect mountain terrain and be prepared for weather changes typical of high altitude locations.
The sanctuary houses a 13th-century Romanesque statue of the Virgin with child, confirming historical accounts of its discovery hidden in mountain vegetation. This artwork provides tangible evidence that the image lay concealed in the mountains for centuries before the shepherds stumbled upon it.
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