BASILICA OF LA MACARENA
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The present basilica is a 20th-century building, but the history of the Brotherhood of La Macarena reaches back more than four centuries.
The earliest surviving Rules of the old Brotherhood of Our Lady of Hope are dated 1595, providing documentary evidence of the corporation's origins in late 16th-century Seville.
In 1653 the brotherhood moved to the Parish Church of San Gil, beginning a long relationship with the Macarena district that would eventually lead to the construction of its present temple.
The present church was designed by the Sevillian architect Aurelio Gómez Millán. Construction began in 1941 and the new temple was completed and blessed in 1949.
Architecturally, the basilica follows a distinctly Sevillian Neo-Baroque style. Its single nave, side chapels, decorative tilework and richly ornamented altarpieces deliberately evoke the historic religious architecture of the city.
1949
The new church was blessed and the Brotherhood moved into its new home beside the Macarena Gate.
1966
Pope Paul VI granted the church the dignity of Minor Basilica.
The basilica was consecrated in October 1966 and became the first church in Seville to receive the title of Minor Basilica.
The spiritual centre of the basilica is María Santísima de la Esperanza Macarena, an anonymous image traditionally dated to the 17th century.
Her expressive face, the tears running down her cheeks and the extraordinary artistic heritage surrounding her have made the Macarena one of the best-known devotional images associated with Holy Week in Spain.
The other principal penitential image of the Brotherhood is Nuestro Padre Jesús de la Sentencia, whose procession precedes the Virgin during the Brotherhood's annual station of penitence.
The most important night of the year arrives during La Madrugá, between Holy Thursday and Good Friday. The Brotherhood leaves the basilica and makes its penitential station to Seville Cathedral.
Nuestro Padre Jesús de la Sentencia processes first, followed later by the Esperanza Macarena beneath her famous canopy. Thousands of people gather around the neighborhood and along the route to witness one of the defining events of Semana Santa in Seville.
The departure and return of the Brotherhood beside the Macarena Gate and the historic city walls are among the most recognizable scenes of the city's Holy Week.
Museum-Treasure
The museum beside the basilica displays historic embroidery, silverwork, processional objects and other pieces belonging to the Brotherhood.
Macarena Gate & Walls
The basilica stands beside one of the most important surviving sections of Seville's medieval defensive walls, making the area especially interesting for visitors.
Why Visit La Macarena?
The Basilica of La Macarena brings together more than four centuries of brotherhood history, religious art and one of the strongest examples of popular devotion in Seville.
Whether you visit during the intensity of Holy Week or on a quiet day during the rest of the year, the basilica offers a unique perspective on the traditions and neighborhood identity that form such an important part of the city.
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