Royal Basilica of Saint Francis the Great Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Royal Basilica of Saint Francis the Great
Basílica de San Francisco el Grande

General information
Status	Minor basilica, bien de interés cultural
Type	Church
Location	Gran Vía de San Francisco, 19, Madrid, Spain
Coordinates	40°24′38″N 3°42′52″W / 40.4105°N 3.7144°W / 40.4105; -3.7144
Design and construction
Architect	Francisco Cabezas [es], Antonio Plo [es], Francesco Sabatini

The Royal Basilica of Saint Francis the Great (Spanish: Real Basílica de San Francisco el Grande) is a beautiful Roman Catholic church. You can find it in the heart of Madrid, Spain. It is located in the Palacio neighborhood.

This amazing building is part of a larger complex. It includes the convent of Jesús y María. This convent belongs to the Franciscan religious group. The original convent was built in the 13th century. It stood on the site of an even older chapel.

History of the Basilica
Art and Architecture
Special Recognition
Unique Bells
Images for kids
See also

History of the Basilica

The current church was built where an old Franciscan convent once stood. People believe Francis of Assisi himself founded this first convent in 1217. Later, King Charles III ordered the old building to be taken down. He wanted a brand new, grander convent built in its place.

The new church was designed in a Neoclassic style. This style was popular in the late 1700s. The first design came from Francisco Cabezas. Antonio Pló then worked on the plans. Finally, Francesco Sabatini finished the building.

Art and Architecture

The Royal Basilica of Saint Francis the Great is famous for its art. Inside, you can see many important Spanish paintings. These artworks date from the 1600s to the 1800s. Two very famous artists have paintings here: Zurbarán and Francisco Goya. The walls of the church were painted in the 1800s.

The church also has a huge dome. It is 33 metres (108 ft) (about 108 feet) wide. It stands 58 metres (190 ft) (about 190 feet) tall. Its shape is very round, much like the Pantheon in Rome. This dome is thought to be the fourth largest in Europe. Only the Pantheon, St. Peter's Basilica, and the Florence cathedral have bigger domes.

Special Recognition

This church has received special honors over the years. In 1963, Pope John XXIII gave it the title of "minor basilica". This is a special honor for important churches. He announced this in a letter called Gloria matriti.

In 1980, the building was also named a national historic-artistic monument. This means it is a very important part of Spain's history and art. Today, it is a popular place for tourists to visit. It also once served as a "National Pantheon." This means it held the remains of famous artists and politicians.

Unique Bells

The church has a very special set of bells. They were made by John Warner and Sons in 1882. They weigh about 430 kg (950 lb) (around 948 pounds). These bells are unique because they are the only "change ringing" bells in Spain. Change ringing is a special way of ringing bells in a set pattern.

Sadly, these bells are currently broken and cannot be rung. For a long time, they were the only change ringing church bells in mainland Europe. Another set was installed in Belgium in 2017.