Basilique Notre-Dame-de-Bonne-Garde de Longpont-sur-Orge, Minor basilica in Longpont-sur-Orge, France
The Basilica Notre-Dame-de-Bonne-Garde is a church building with a cross-shaped layout, featuring a long nave with multiple bays, a transept, and a choir topped by a bell tower. The structure houses France's largest collection of religious relics, distributed throughout various chapels and altars within the building.
Construction began in 1031 under Guy I of Montlhéry and his wife Hodierne de Gometz, replacing an earlier sacred site. The building evolved over centuries and developed into a major pilgrimage destination for the surrounding region.
This sanctuary has long drawn pilgrims seeking spiritual connection through its extensive collection of holy relics. Visitors today continue to experience the place as a living site of devotion and prayer.
The sanctuary remains primarily an active place of worship with regular religious services held throughout the week. Visitors should be prepared for the possibility that access or viewing times may be affected by ceremonies or services.
Beneath the stone vault of the apse lies a remarkable fresco from the early 1900s depicting an extraordinary scene. The artwork shows the Virgin appearing to ancient Druidic peoples emerging from within an oak tree trunk, blending religious and pagan symbolism.
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