- Address: 9 de Julio 999-1099, Luján, Buenos Aires
- Style: Neo Gothic
- Date of construction: 1890
- Working hours: daily from 7:00 to 20:00
- Phone: +54 232 342 00 58
- Official website: basilicadelujan.org.ar
Argentina is a treasury of sacred sites and religious sites . Tourists here have where to take a walk and what to see. In the province of Buenos Aires , in the small town of Luhan is one of the most revered shrines of the country - the Basilica of Our Lady. This Catholic temple is dedicated to the patron saint of Argentina, the Mother of God of Luhansk. Thousands of tourists from all over the world visit this landmark every year to see firsthand the beauty and grandeur of the temple.
History of creation
The founding of the Basilica of Our Lady of Luhan is associated with the amazing events of 1630. Navigator Juan Andrea was supposed to deliver from Brazil a sculpture of the Virgin Mary in Santiago del Estero to the Portuguese Antonio Faro de Sa for installation in a newly built chapel. Andrea bought two statues at once, which he delivered to Buenos Aires by sea, and then went on the wagons. On the second day of the journey, in a place crossing a small river Luhan, the horses stopped and did not go any further. Every effort was made to move: unloading the cart, harnessing the oxen, everything was in vain. Continue the path could only when the ground dropped one of the two sculptures of the Madonna. Perceived it as the highest sign and left a statue in the estate of Don Rosendo de Omaras. Hearing about the miracle, people began to come to the holy place.
The first chapel by the river Luhan appeared only in 1685. The number of pilgrims gradually increased, and around the temple the village of Luhan was formed. When it was renamed into the city in 1730, the chapel of Our Lady of Luhanska received the status of a parish church. 33 years later a large church was built on this site.
The construction of the modern church was started in May 1890 under the guidance of the French designer Ulrich Courtois. Despite the fact that the work on the towers was not completed, in December 1910 the cathedral was consecrated. And in November 1930, Pope Pius XI awarded the temple of Our Lady of Luhan with the honorary status of a basilica. Finally, the construction of the temple was completed only in 1935.
Architectural features of the temple
The building of the Basilica of Our Lady of Luhan was built in the Gothic style, which is considered to be a religious classic of the late 19th century. The length of the longitudinal nave of the temple reaches 104 m, and the width - 42 m. The total length of the transept is 68.5 m.
A feature of the basilica are two towers, the height of each of which is 106 m, they are surmounted by a cross of 1.1 m. In addition, there are 15 bells of different weight on the towers: from 55 to 3400 kg. Here is also a carillon with an electronic clock. The facade of the building of the basilica is decorated with 16 sculptures of apostles and evangelists.
How to get to the temple?
500 meters from the Basilica of Our Lady of Luhan there is bus station Bus Station, which can be reached by public transport . From the stop to the sights on foot to go about no more than 10 minutes.