Via Crucis of Lourdes, Religious sculpture group at Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, France
The Via Crucis of Lourdes comprises fourteen life-sized cast iron stations arranged sequentially along an ascending path. Each depicts a specific moment from Jesus's journey to the Cross through detailed sculptural scenes.
The collection was created and installed by Maison Raffl in 1898 as a major addition to the Sanctuary. These cast iron works were produced during a period when the pilgrimage site had already become an important religious center.
The stations serve as a space where pilgrims pause to contemplate and pray over the Passion narrative. Visitors often touch the cast iron figures or kneel in quiet devotion at each stopping point.
The path with all fourteen stations remains accessible year-round and follows a clearly marked route. The uphill walk is manageable at a steady pace and requires no special skills or fitness level.
The stations are positioned to allow viewers to observe each scene from multiple angles as they progress along the path. This thoughtful arrangement creates opportunities to notice fine details in the metalwork that might be missed from a single viewpoint.
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