Basilica of St Mary the Royal

The Basilica of St Mary the Royal, officially known as Basílica de Santa María la Real de Covadonga, is a significant Catholic church situated in Covadonga, within the region of Asturias, Spain. It was granted the status of a basilica on September 11, 1901.

History and Construction

The current basilica was erected to replace an older temple that was destroyed by a fire in 1777. This original structure stood near the Holy Cave, a revered site dedicated to Our Lady of Covadonga. Following the fire, plans were made to construct a new, monumental sanctuary, with donations solicited from across Spain. Although initially opposed by the local council who favored rebuilding the older temple and completing a grander sanctuary designed by Ventura Rodríguez, the project was eventually revived.

About a century later, King Alfonso XII of Spain expressed interest in completing the sanctuary. The original, complex, and costly design by Ventura Rodríguez was abandoned in favor of a new Neo-Medieval design. This revised project was initially devised by Roberto Frassinelli, an artist more than an architect, who was later succeeded by Federico Aparici y Soriano. Despite the change in lead architect, Frassinelli retained a role in directing the construction works. The basilica was built between 1877 and 1901, constructed entirely from pink limestone in a Neo-Romanesque style.