Basilica of Our Lady of Candelaria facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Basilica of Our Lady of Candelaria |
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Front entrance
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic Church |
| Location | |
| Location | 50th and 51st street, La Candelaria, Medellín, Colombia |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Architectural style | Neoclassical |
The Basilica of Our Lady of Candelaria, often called La Candelaria Church, is a special Roman Catholic church. It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary under the name of Virgin of Candelaria. You can find it right in the middle of Medellín, Colombia, next to Berrío Park. This church is very important because it is the oldest one in the city!
From 1868 to 1931, it was the main church for the Catholic area of Medellín. After that, the title went to a different church. This building has an old, colonial look with a Neoclassical style. It was first built with stone and mortar, but over time, parts of it have been repaired with other materials.
On December 8, 1970, Pope Paul VI gave it the special title of Minor basilica. This means it's a very important church. Later, in 1997, it was renovated. On July 31, 1998, the building was officially named a National monument of Colombia. This means it's a protected historical site.
Contents
History of La Candelaria Church
How Medellín Began
In 1616, a Spanish official named Francisco de Herrera y Campuzano started a small town. It had about 80 native people, called Amerindians. He named this settlement "Poblado de San Lorenzo," which is now El Poblado Square.
Building a New Town
Later, in 1646, a new law said that Amerindians should live separately from people of mixed heritage, like mestizos and mulattos. So, the Spanish leaders decided to build a new town. This new town was built in an area called Aná, which is now Berrío Park.
The First Church Building
In this new town, they built a church called "Our Lady of Candelaria of Aná." Three years later, the Spanish started building the Basilica of Our Lady of Candelaria. This church was rebuilt again at the end of the 1700s. It was dedicated to Our Lady of Candelaria, who was very important to Spanish people, especially sailors traveling to the New World.
Inside the Church
When you go inside, you will see the main altar. It is made of wood and painted with gold. Above this altar, there is a painting of the Virgin of Candelaria. She is the special patron saint of the town.
See also
In Spanish: Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria (Medellín) para niños
- Candelária Church (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
- Basilica of Candelaria (Tenerife, Spain)
