El Pilar (Spanish: Catedral-Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the center of the Spanish city of Zaragoza. It is a popular pilgrimage site for many Spaniards.
Place of pilgrimage
The cathedral venerates Mary under her title Nuestra Senora del Pilar, known as Our Lady of the Pillar. At this spot on the river, the Mother of God is said to have appeared to James the Greater after her death. She asked James to build a shrine there. Since then this place has been a place of pilgrimage, with national devotion. According to tradition, it is the first church with Marian apparitions.
Architecture
Several churches have been built on the site of the cathedral over time. The present cathedral was built in the period 1681-1872. It was rebuilt in Spanish Baroque style and is characterized by its four large bell towers. It is one of the few large cathedrals in Spain built entirely in the Baroque style. In front of the cathedral is a large square, where pilgrims celebrate feasts.
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