Description of the attraction
The Basilica of St. Vincent is the second largest and most important temple in Avila after the Cathedral. The basilica is dedicated to the deacon Vikentius and his sisters Sabina and Cristeta, canonized, and erected on the site of their burial.
The construction of the temple lasted from the 12th to the 14th century. The church was erected in the Romanesque style by the French architect Giral Frushel, who led the construction at its initial stage. The building has the shape of a Latin cross, with three naves ending in semicircular apses and intersecting with an elongated transept. In the construction of the church building, sandstone of a special yellow and orange shade was used, sometimes with reddish veins due to the iron oxide contained in its composition. The western facade of the building is richly decorated. The main entrance to the building is located here, divided into two parts. The facade is decorated with the figure of Christ, surrounded by ten apostles. The southern facade, decorated with the figures of the Virgin Mary and the Archangel Gabriel, looks no less majestic.
Inside the basilica is its main attraction - the magnificent cenotaph of Saints Vincent, Sabina and Cristeta, dating back to the 12th century and which is an outstanding work of sculptural art from the Romanesque period. The cenotaph is richly decorated with sculptural images based on biblical subjects, as well as the martyrdom of the saints themselves.
In 1882, the Basilica of Saint Vincent was declared a national architectural monument of Spain.
