Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
Caucasus - Geghard Monastery, Armenia
Armenia • 15 days, 14 nights
Caucasus Road Trip: Azerbaijan, Georgia & Armenia
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Midas Tümülüsü (Tumulus MM)
The Devil's Column
Weightlifting Hall of Fame
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Customize your bowl with sliced pork, pork balls, fish cake, and offal.
Rung Rueang
Pasties are an Upper Michigan tradition dating back to mining days.
Lehto’s Pasties
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
2 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
3 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
4 days ago
Cely’s map is not only accurate, but captures the unique characteristics of Congaree’s trees and waterways.
How One Biologist Drew a Hyper-Accurate, Ranger-Approved Map of Congaree National Park
5 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Spain Naval Sanctuary of Torreciudad

Sanctuary of Torreciudad

Sanctuary on a ridge near an ancient shrine to a "Black Madonna" built by the founder of Opus Dei.

Naval, Spain

Added By
ser flac
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Santuario de Torreciudad   Donostiako Elizbarrutia / CC BY-ND 2.0
Santuario de Torreciudad   Donostiako Elizbarrutia / CC BY-ND 2.0
Santuario de Torreciudad   Jordiferrer / CC BY-SA 4.0
  https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ca...
  Jordiferrer / CC BY-SA 4.0
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

On the top of a rocky ridge near the town of Barbastro in the Huesca province is a small shrine dedicated to the Virgin of Torreciudad, a "Black Madonna."

Black Madonna's are images of the Virgin Mary depicted with dark skin. Created in medieval Europe, the origin of the Black Madonna is unknown, though some scholars believe that the dark skin represents a blending with pre-Christian female icons. Relatively rare, with roughly 350-400 throughout Europe, they are seen as special and given particular reverence. 

In 1904, a very ill two-year-old named Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer was taken by his parents to this Black Madonna mountain shrine to be healed. The young Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer not only recovered, but went on to found Opus Dei in 1928, a Catholic movement that teaches that ordinary life is a path to sanctity and everyone can be holy. Opus Dei became a huge movement within the church and Escrivá was canonized in 2002.

Nearly 70 years after his recovery at the shrine, Josemaria Escriva decided to build a monument to God near the shrine that saved his life. Called the Sanctuary of Torreciudad, it was inaugurated on July 7, 1975, shortly after Josemaría Escrivá's death.

The sanctuary done in a 1970s architectural style holds a crypt, a 30-foot altar, and a large bronze statue of Christ. The chapel contains an old inn, which is also open to the public. The church is also the site of major pilgrimage between April and October. 

Related Tags

Outsider Art Monuments Shrines Churches Sanctuaries Sacred Spaces

Community Contributors

Added By

serflac

Edited By

nowickid, Michelle Cassidy

  • nowickid
  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

October 2, 2011

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sanctuary of Torreciudad
Santuary of Torreciudad
Naval, 22390
Spain
42.170598, 0.235361
Get Directions

Nearby Places

The Hole at Rodellar

Rodellar, Spain

miles away

Congost de Mont-rebei

Huesca, Spain

miles away

Castle of Montearagón

Quicena, Spain

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Spain

Spain

Europe

Places 748
Stories 37

Nearby Places

The Hole at Rodellar

Rodellar, Spain

miles away

Congost de Mont-rebei

Huesca, Spain

miles away

Castle of Montearagón

Quicena, Spain

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Spain

Spain

Europe

Places 748
Stories 37

Related Places

  • The church interior

    Beit Jala, West Bank

    The Shrine of Saint George

    A historic chapel filled with colorful murals and a colorful past.

  • Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

    Ascension Cathedral

    Rebuilt several decades ago, its striking murals prevent it from being reconsecrated as a church.

  • Mercogliano, Italy

    Montevergine Sanctuary

    During World War II, the Shroud of Turin was secreted to this remote southern Italian complex.

  • Reflective windows and gleaming onion domes.

    Odintsovsky District, Russia

    Main Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces

    A solemn, monumental, kitschy palace of worship honoring victory in the Great Patriotic War.

  • Chiesetta di Piedigrotta.

    Pizzo, Italy

    Chiesetta di Piedigrotta (Church of Piedigrotta)

    This church carved into the rocks is full of enchanting stone statues.

  • Shrine of Mary Magdalene.

    Novelda, Spain

    Novelda Shrine of Mary Magdalene

    The 20th-century church looks like a rustic version of the Sagrada Familia.

  • Chapel of El Rey San Pascual.

    Olintepeque, Guatemala

    Chapel of El Rey San Pascual

    Hidden in the highlands of Guatemala, a small shrine venerates a forbidden folk saint.

  • The runestone in the church wall.

    Uppsala, Sweden

    Runestone in Gamla Uppsala Church

    This mysterious runestone embedded in a church wall is linked to the medieval cult of Saint Erik.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.