Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Catholic basilica in Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico
Description
The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a shrine in Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico, composed of two main buildings: the old colonial-style basilica and a round modern structure. The contemporary part, designed by architect Pedro Ramírez Vázquez, features a tent-shaped roof with an open floor plan and freestanding supports, allowing visitors to view the venerated image from any point inside.
History
Bishop Juan de Zumárraga ordered the construction of a first chapel on Tepeyac Hill in 1532, after the indigenous Juan Diego reported that the Virgin Mary had appeared to him. The original basilica was completed in 1709, but soil subsidence in the 20th century caused it to tilt, making the construction of the new building necessary.
Culture
The shrine draws more visitors each year than any other Catholic site in the Western Hemisphere, with many pilgrims walking on their knees toward the altar. The sanctuary preserves Juan Diego's tilma, a rough cactus-fiber cloth that tradition says bears the image miraculously and has remained at the center of devotion for centuries.
Practical
The complex is open daily and offers ramps and moving walkways for visitors with walking difficulties. A conveyor belt passes behind the altar, allowing pilgrims to view the image up close without blocking the flow of people.
Did you know?
The eyes on the image contain tiny human figures visible under magnification, which scientists have studied since the 1950s. This reflection is said to depict a scene from 1531, imprinted on the iris fibers without detectable brushwork or external pigment layer.
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Christ of Buga
0 m
Tepeyac Hill
321 m
Indios Verdes monument
800 m
Acueducto de Guadalupe
1 km
Museo de los Ferrocarrileros
288 m
Santuario de la Virgen María N. Señora de Guadalupe
0 m
Capilla del Cerrito
217 m
Antigua Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe
55 m
Museo de la Basílica de Guadalupe
137 m
Museo de Figuras de Cera
184 mSala de conciertos tepecuicatl
520 mSancho Panza
890 mLocomotora 507
297 mSin Fuego
300 mMirador de la basilica de Guadalupe
214 mAuditorio Alcaldía Gustavo A. Madero
386 mIzcóatl
793 mAhuizotl
832 mPedro de Alba
1.2 kmLocomotora 67
289 mEl Quijote
882 mDanzante del Venado
676 mMisterio de La Asunción de la Virgen María.
364 mLa Guadalupana
76 mStatue, Work of art
672 mStatue, Work of art
666 mVista a la Puesta del Sol
140 mScenic viewpoint
663 mDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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