Overview
Torreciudad sanctuary
Located near the town of Barbastro, in the Huesca province is the Torreciudad sanctuary . Its privilege location on the top of a mount makes this unique place a perfect natural environment, with great landscape views over “lake Grado”.
It belongs to the Aragonesse Ribagorza county, but it is located very close to other two important counties: “el Somontano” and “el Sobrarbe”. This modern sanctuary was placed just a few meters away from the antique shrine (origin of the devotion to virgin of Torreciudad around the 11th century). See more Catholic shrines and Basilicas in Spain.
See more European Catholic Shrines and pilgrimages.
The Image of Our Lady of Torreciudad
The image of Our Lady of Torreciudad is a Romanesque elm wood carving. It shows brilliantly the primitive facial expressions of the Virgin Mary and Child. The frontal position of the figures, the severity and inscrutability of the faces, together with the disproportioned heads and hands are characteristics of the Romanesque canon.
The image can be considered a piece of great interest, from both the historic and artistic point of view. This type of iconography is the kind known as the “Majesty of Our Lady” or “Sedes Sapientiae”. It was widely used during the High Middle Ages.
The name of Torreciudad (Turris Civitatis in the old times) comes from an old surveillance tower from the Arabic times and which remains can be found not far from the mentioned shrine.
Torreciudad is today a meeting and pilgrimage point for thousands of people and it is one of the most visited places in the Pyrenees. All the activities that take place are centered in the cult and veneration to the Virgin.
Since the beginning, groups and families play a key role in the day to day life of the sanctuary. It is known as the Sanctuary of the Families. See top 15 Catholic shrines around the world.
The Crypt of the Sanctuary of Torreciudad
A circular ramp takes you to the crypt from the outside. Inside, there are forty confessional booths distributed in three chapels dedicated to Our Lady of Loreto, Virgin of the Pillar and Our Lady of Guadalupe .
There is a fourth chapel dedicated to The Holy Family where small events and family celebrations take place.
The Temple
The modern temple is today a meeting place and a visiting point for thousands of people . The history of the new sanctuary begins in 1956, thanks to the love to the Virgin of Saint Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer. He was the founder of the Opus Dei and it was his idea to build the place. The construction began in 1970.
The complex is a piece of singular characteristics. With a very personal style, this avant-garde sanctuary stands out due to the different shapes of the construction. The buildings are melted as a single structure by the square that was built to welcome thousands of people.
The dominating element in the interior is the altarpiece that was sculpted in alabaster by Joan Mayné. The center of the bottom side is reserved for the holy image.
On the left side of the nave, people will find the Blessed Sacrament chapel, dominated by a bronze image of a crucified Christ made by the Italian artist Pasquale Sciancalepore. This was a present from Saint Josemaría Escrivá.
Visitors and pilgrims have access to the Virgin´s Medallion through a door located in the right side of the presbytery. This is a medal that pilgrims kissed in the past and continue kissing today.
The “Advocaciones Mariannas” Gallery
The “Advocaciones Mariannas” Gallery (a gallery with different representations of Virgin Mary) is located in one of the hallways. This gallery has replicas of the patron saint of other sanctuaries, given as present when they came on pilgrimages.
Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!
Special Offer
The Image of Our Lady of Torreciudad
The image of Our Lady of Torreciudad is a Romanesque elm wood carving. It shows brilliantly the primitive facial expressions of the Virgin Mary and Child. The frontal position of the figures, the severity and inscrutability of the faces, together with the disproportioned heads and hands are characteristics of the Romanesque canon.
The image can be considered a piece of great interest, from both the historic and artistic point of view. This type of iconography is the kind known as the “Majesty of Our Lady” or “Sedes Sapientiae”. I was widely used during the High Middle Ages.
Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!
Video
The Temple
The modern temple is today a meeting place and a visiting point for thousands of people . The history of the new sanctuary begins in 1956, thanks to the love to the Virgin of Saint Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer. He was the founder of the Opus Dei and it was his idea to build the place. The construction began in 1970.
The complex is a piece of singular characteristics. With a very personal style, this avant-garde sanctuary stands out due to the different shapes of the construction. The buildings are melted as a single structure by the square that was built to welcome thousands of people.
The dominating element in the interior is the altarpiece that was sculpted in alabaster by Joan Mayné. The center of the bottom side is reserved for the holy image.
On the left side of the nave, people will find the Blessed Sacrament chapel, dominated by a bronze image of a crucified Christ made by the Italian artist Pasquale Sciancalepore. This was a present from Saint Josemaría Escrivá.
Visitors and pilgrims have access to the Virgin´s Medallion through a door located in the right side of the presbytery. This is a medal that pilgrims kissed in the past and continue kissing today.
The Crypt
A circular ramp takes you to the crypt from the outside. Inside, there are forty confessional booths distributed in three chapels dedicated to Our Lady of Loreto , Virgin of the Pillar and Our Lady of Guadalupe . There is a fourth chapel dedicated to The Holy Family where small events and family celebrations take place.
The “Advocaciones Mariannas” Gallery
The “Advocaciones Mariannas” Gallery (a gallery with different representations of Virgin Mary) is located in one of the hallways. This gallery has replicas of the patron saint of other sanctuaries, given as present when they came on pilgrimages.
Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!
Getting to the Sanctuary of Torreciudad
The Torreciudad is located in the province of Huesca (Spain ), 24 km from Barbastro and 75 km from Huesca. Surrounded by a beautiful environment, the sanctuary is perched on the reservoir Grado, at the foot of the Pyrenees.
By plane
Check in Huesca
Airport Huesca-Pyrenees HATH is located 10 km southeast of the city of Huesca. Its location is privileged to approach the Pyrenees Aragona, a must for anyone visiting Aragón reference. It is a small but modern airport with magnificent facilities.Currently, the destinations the linked to Huesca-Pyrenees are:
national:
– Palma de Mallorca (Pyrenair)
– Madrid (Pyrenair)
– Valencia (Pyrenair)
More informations on: www.pyrenair.es
Tel .: 902 106 400
(see seasons of operation of flights)
Arrivals at Zaragoza
Zaragoza airport is 75 km from Huesca. From Zaragoza to Huesca there are many possibilities of connection, either by car, bus or train.
More informations on: www.aena.es; Tel .: 902 404 704
Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!
Every day:
- 11:00
- 13:15
- 18.00
Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!
Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!
Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!
Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!
Let us remain close in the same prayer! May the Lord bless you abundantly!
Origins of the Sanctuary
When the “reconquista” (medieval Spanish war between moors and Christians) was over in this area, the Christians placed the image of the Virgin inside the old hermitage (it can be seen today). According to tradition and corroborated by historians, this image was venerated even before 1084. Due to the Arab domination, the image was hidden and later recovered near the hermitage (when the land was reconquered by the Christians).
When Barbastro was conquered back in 1100, Torreciudad lost population gradually, but the hermitage continued being the chosen sanctuary for the people in the neighboring shires.
The old hermitage that is located near the sanctuary is the place
that housed the original image of the Virgin of Torreciudad. Today, just like throughout nine centuries of history, this small hermitage remains as a pleasant meeting point for the people of the neighboring shires, as they frecuently celebrate mass, weddings, anniversaries and other events there.