Do you know the history of the Basilica De Guadalupe?
On October 12, 1976, the devotion of Our Lady of Guadalupe saw the completion of the construction of its highest temple in the world: the Basilica De Guadalupe (real name: Insigne y Nacional Basilica de Santa María de Guadalupe) located in the north of CDMX very close to Cerro del Tepeyac. Every December 12, millions of faithful believers of the Virgin De Guadalupe come together in this shrine as one of the largest in the Catholic Church's history.
The following is a little history and some curiosities about the Basilica De Guadalupe.
Pedro Ramírez Vázquez was the architect and designer of this site. This same character created other emblematic venues such as the Azteca Stadium, the Museo del Templo Mayor, and the National Museum of Anthropology. Others colaborators who participated in the project were Ramírez Vázquez, José Luis Benlliure, Alejandro Schoenhofer, Javier García Lascuráin and Fray Gabriel Chávez de la Mora. The Mexican businessman Carlos Slim was in charge of financing the project.
Approximately more than six million people go on pilgrimage to this site every December 12, the date on which the Virgin is celebrated, leaving an economic spill of millions of pesos. Yearly, about 20 million pilgrims and visitors come to the Basilica De Guadalupe. The venue has a capacity of 10,000 people in its main hall, but it can increase if other levels' quota is required.
The story of Our Lady De Guadalupe served the Spanish to build the religious conquest of the indigenous people of ancient Mexico. They created a story based on a very similar story that occurred in Cáceres, Extremadura. The Virgin appeared to Juan Diego on top of Cerro del Tepeyac, leaving her image imprinted on the ayate he was wearing. This garment is supposed to be the ultimate proof of this Virgin's existence and gave rise to the worship spread throughout many Latin American countries.
In the Cerro del Tepeyac, during pre-Hispanic times, the Goddess Tonantzin was worshiped. It was all a strategy to convert the indigenous people to Catholicism and put aside their polytheistic beliefs.
How to get to the Insigne and National Basilica of Santa María De Guadalupe?
This place is located at Plaza de las Américas 1, Villa de Guadalupe, Villa Gustavo A. Madero. One of the simplest routes is through the subway: you just have to get off at La Villa-Basílica station on Line 6 (Martín Carrera-El Rosario) and Deportivo 18 de Marzo (Line 3 Universidad-Indios Verdes).
The Basilica is open from Monday to Sunday, 365 days a year, from 6:00 a.m. at 21:00 hrs. Visit the official site of this venue.
Traducción: Valentina K. Yanes