Center of Christian devotion for centuries, the multitudinal popular attraction towards the Virgin of
the Pillar has been making of this basilica the temple of greater interest for the visitors, many of which
ignore, nevertheless, the objective artistic value of the building that is, on the other hand, minor who the
one of some other local monuments.
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The present basilica, with its three ships of the same height and lateral chapels, is of end of century
XVII and it rises on the rest of the old gothic-mudejar factory that a fire destroyed almost completely in
century XV.
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Nevertheless, the basilica of Santa Maria existed already when, in 1118, Alfonso I the Fighting
one reconquered the city for the Christians and the rest found under present Santa Capilla, attributable
to a primitive Christian church, indicate that the objective antiquity of the temple is still greater.
Of the time of Romanesque the basilica it conserves an eardrum in the facade that it gives to the
main seat, whereas of its later factory they were saved three elements of notabilísimo value: the
altarpiece of the greater altar (located after Santa Capilla), builds
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gothic-mudejar made by Damián Formente, in alabaster, between years 1509-1518; silleria of the choir,
of Renaissance style, made in 1544 and, finally, the foot of the organ.
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The center that polarizes the attention of the visitors is, nevertheless, Santa Capilla, of elliptical
plant with vault pierced, made by Luck Rodriguez in 1754. In her, to the right of the interesting altar, the
image of the Virgin of the Pillar venerates, after which Santa Columna opens itself to the popular devotion
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In their surroundings, to considerable height on the ground and, for that reason, of difficult
perception, are the fresh airs painted by Goyain two of the cupolas of the temple: the vault of the
cochallenge - in front of Santa Capilla -, in which the Aragonese painter developed the subject of the
Adoration of the name of God; and the vault located in front of the chapel of San Joaquin, made about of
Reina of the Martyrs, as well as the four pechinas. The remaining vaults of the surroundings of Santa
Capilla were painted by Francisco and Ramon Bayeu , brothers-in-law of Goya .
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Finally, the cathedral treasure is distributed between sacristía greater and sacristía of the Virgin. In
this last one one guards the most valuable jeweler with riquísimas and numerous pieces of doubtful artistic
value - not thus economic -, except for some exceptions. In first there are remarkable pieces of orfebrería
and some paintings on table, emphasizing two trípticos of flamenco cut, of century XVI.
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