teresian basilica

The origin of the Basilica dates back to 1898, when on October 15 of that year, the Rvdmo. Father Cámara, Bishop of Salamanca, noting the inadequacy of the Church of the Sepulchre of Saint Teresa of Jesus in Alba de Tormes for so many crowds gathered, shouted before all:

«Santa Teresa asks for a temple and we cannot deny it»..

Soon the project of the architect D. Enrique María Repullés and Vargas was written and the works inscribed in that return to the medieval architecture of the nineteenth century were undertaken: the style that best interprets the Cristian feeling is the Gothic.

Officially on May 1, 1898, the work began with the laying of the first stone. 

The basilica starts from the church that keeps the Sepulchre, drawn in latin cross, with a wide central nave for the great concurrence of the people and two lateral naves, narrower, to vent the main and where the chapels are located.

It is based on a solid foundation of bulkhead and reinforced concrete. It continues with a granite plinth of Martinamor and golden stone walls of Villamayor de la Armuña (Salamanca).

Its size attracts attention, it measures 100 meters long, 70 meters wide and 92 meters high.

After 20 years and coinciding with the 1st World War the works stopped as a consequence of the created environment and the lack of economic means to carry out the temple, until between 1927-1932 the interior chapels were built. 

The works remained stopped until 1982 when work resumed, in connection with the visit of Pope Juan Pablo II on November 1, 1982, on the occasion of the Fourth Teresian Centenary.

Since then they have continued the work having to attend to the passage of time since its beginnings and with a new project before the impossibility of resuming the original; these works have enabled the part of the header for the celebration of the Ages of Man «Teresa de Jesús: prayer teacher» the year 2015 and other cultural events.

En la actualidad  se puede visitar el interior con  la exposición  EL ESPLENDOR DE LA PINTURA EN VALENCIA, en el  exterior las estatuas del Papa Juan Pablo II situada junto a la puerta y de santa Teresa de Jesús del escultor Venancio Blanco en la Plaza del Peregrino.