Basilica of Nuestra Señora de Atocha facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Royal Basilica of Our Lady of Atocha |
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Real Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Atocha
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Main façade of the basilica
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic Church |
| Province | Archdiocese of Madrid |
| Rite | Roman |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Active |
| Patron | Virgin of Atocha |
| Year consecrated | 1150 |
| Status | Basilica |
| Location | |
| Location | Madrid, Spain |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Architectural style | Herrerian |
| Groundbreaking | 1150 |
| Completed | 1951 |
| Website | |
| Website of the Basilica | |
The Royal Basilica of Our Lady of Atocha (or Real Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Atocha in Spanish) is a very important church. You can find it in the heart of Madrid, Spain. It stands on Avenida de la Ciudad de Barcelona, 1.
Contents
Discovering the Basilica of Atocha
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This basilica is one of six special churches in Madrid. These churches are called basilicas because they have been given a special title by the Pope. Other basilicas in Madrid include Our Father Jesús de Medinaceli and San Francisco el Grande.
The area where the basilica stands has a very long history. The name "Atocha" comes from an old story. It refers to a lost religious image found among tall grasses. These grasses were called "tocha" long ago. This happened during the Reconquista, a time when Christian kingdoms took back land in Spain.
Building and Rebuilding History
The original church building became very old and worn out. So, in the 1890s, a new church was built. It was designed by an architect named Fernando Arbós y Tremanti. He used a style called Neo-Byzantine, which looks back to ancient Roman and Byzantine designs.
Sadly, the church was badly damaged during the Spanish Civil War. This was a big conflict in Spain that happened in the 1930s. After the war, the church was rebuilt. The work finished in 1951, making it the basilica we see today.
The Pantheon of Illustrious Men
Right next to the basilica, you'll find the Pantheon of Illustrious Men. In Spanish, it's called Panteón de Hombres Ilustres. This special building is a monument to important Spanish figures.
It holds the remains of José Canalejas. He was a former president of Spain's government. The Pantheon also has many interesting monuments from the late 1800s and early 1900s. These monuments honor other famous people from Spain's history.
Images for kids
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Our Lady of Atocha with rich dresses.
See also
In Spanish: Real basílica de Nuestra Señora de Atocha para niños
- Catholic Church in Spain
- List of oldest church buildings
