Basilica of Nuestra Señora de Atocha, Madrid, Spain

The Royal Basilica of Our Lady of Atocha is one of the six basilica churches in Madrid. The buildings on the site have a long history. The original name refers to a lost icon from a chapel which was found during the time of the Reconquista. The old church was in disrepair and rebuilt in the 1890s in a Neo-Byzantine style designed by Fernando Arbós y Tremanti.

The church was destroyed during the Spanish Civil War and reconstruction completed in 1951.

Adjacent to the church is the Pantheon of Illustrious Men or Panteón de Hombres Ilustres of Madrid. It holds the remains of only a former president of the council of ministers, José Canalejas, however it also contains a number of interesting monuments from and just after the turn of the 19th century.

References:

Wikipedia

Religious sites in Spain

User Reviews

Stue Blue (2 years ago)
Very interesting place

Carmen Garrido (2 years ago)
Preciosa. Los Dominicos la tienen impoluta y son muy buenos predicadores. Si tienes ocasión sube al camarín de la Virgen, en la antesala está el ramo de novia de la Reina Letizia que depositó allí después de la boda, siguiendo una costumbre de la realeza.

Iraida Guerra (2 years ago)
Preciosa parroquia de Padres Dominicos, donde se encuentra enterrado Fray Bartolomé de las Casas. Todas las Bodas Reales, incluso la de los actuales Reyes, acostumbran llevar el ramo de la novia a la Virgen de Atocha. Es una bonita tradición.

Pamela González (2 years ago)
Iconic place in Madrid! Architecture is stunning

希惜 (5 years ago)
Plenty to admire in this beautiful Cathedral. We enjoyed just slowly walking around and taking in the religious elements.

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The Palazzo Colonna is a palatial block of buildings built in part over ruins of an old Roman Serapeum, and has belonged to the prestigious Colonna family for over twenty generations.

The first part of the palace dates from the 13th century, and tradition holds that the building hosted Dante in his visit to Rome. The first documentary mention notes that the property hosted Cardinal Giovanni and Giacomo Colonna in the 13th century. It was also home to Cardinal Oddone Colonna before he ascended to the papacy as Martin V (1417–1431).

With his passing, the palace was sacked during feuds, and the main property passed into the hands of the Della Rovere family. It returned to the Colonna family when Marcantonio I Colonna married Lucrezia Gara Franciotti Della Rovere, the niece of pope Julius II. The Colonna"s alliance to the Habsburg power, likely protected the palace from looting during the Sack of Rome (1527).

Starting with Filippo Colonna (1578–1639) many changes have refurbished and create a unitary complex around a central garden. Architects including Girolamo Rainaldi and Paolo Marucelli labored on specific projects. Only in the 17th and 18th centuries were the main facades completed. Much of this design was completed by Antonio del Grande (including the grand gallery), and Girolamo Fontana (decoration of gallery). In the 18th century, the long low facade designed by Nicola Michetti with later additions by Paolo Posi with taller corner blocks (facing Piazza Apostoli) was constructed recalls earlier structures resembling a fortification.

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Basilica of Nuestra Señora de Atocha

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