Basilique de l'Immaculée-Conception de Lourdes, Minor basilica in Lourdes, France.
The Basilica of the Immaculate Conception is a Gothic Revival church of pale grey stone built above the Massabielle rock. Its facade has two square towers flanking a pointed-arch entrance with a rose window, and a 70-metre spire with pinnacles topped by a cross. The interior measures 55 metres long and 22 wide, divided into three naves seating about 700 people.
Construction began in 1862 following an apparition that occurred near the Massabielle rock in 1858, which prompted the creation of this religious site. The building was completed and consecrated in 1876 according to architect Hippolyte Durand's design.
The interior displays numerous ex voto plaques and banners left by pilgrims from across France, marking personal spiritual moments at this sacred site.
This place draws large crowds, especially during major religious celebrations and pilgrimage periods, which can make it quite congested. Visiting during quieter times allows you to move comfortably through the space and observe its details at your own pace.
The 70-metre spire holds four bells weighing between 800 and 2,000 kilograms; the heaviest, Jeanne-Alphonsine, sounds the Ave Maria. The two smaller towers flanking the entrance were only completed in 1908, decades after the church was consecrated in 1876.
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