Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption, Neuchâtel, Catholic basilica in central Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
The basilica features three aisles separated by columns, a transept crossing the main body, and five windows along the choir area in Neo-Gothic design. The exterior displays red stone walls and a large rose window on the front facade.
Catholics in Reformed Neuchâtel built the church after decades of planning; the land by the lake was ceded in 1897 and the cornerstone blessed in 1900. Guillaume Ritter's design used artificial cement stone, and the church was consecrated on 25 March 1906. A major renovation ran from 1984 to 2000, and Pope Benedict XVI raised it to a minor basilica in 2007.
The church is the main pilgrimage site of the canton and the parish centre for some 62,000 Catholics. The theologian and mystic Maurice Zundel is buried here, and the interior holds 14 large Stations of the Cross, five choir windows and a large rose window.
The interior is easy to walk through with wide aisles between the columns and clear sightlines throughout the building. Visitors can move freely to view the different parts and take time to look at both the decoration and structure.
The exterior stone blocks were manufactured on site from artificial material and colored to match Alsace sandstone. This method allowed builders to achieve the red appearance without shipping heavy sandstone from far away.
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