Visit the Basilica Notre-Dame-de-Guadalupe of Mexico: tickets, prices, schedules

Passing to Mexico City, capital of Mexico? So don't miss visiting the Basilica Notre-Dame-de-Guadalupe, a cultural attraction to be missed under no pretext!

A true treasure of heritage, the Basilica of Mexico is the second most visited Catholic place of worship in the world after the Vatican: it is dedicated to Notre-Dame-de-Guadalupe , the name given to the Virgin Mary who appeared in 1531 to a Mexican native.

Today, between fifteen and twenty million people make a pilgrimage to this holy place every year. Whether or not, to help you organize your visit on site, we have listed all the important information that will simplify it: from time to time, to the history of this place filled with mysteries, prepare to discover one of the most fabulous tourist sites in Central America by visiting the Basilica of Notre-Dame-de-Guadalupe in Mexico!

History of Notre-Dame-de-Guadalupe Basilica in Mexico

Let us begin with the beginning: in 1531, shortly after the arrival of the Spanish colonists in the New World, and that the latter began to convert -from will or force - the natives to Christianity, a young Amerindian shepherd, Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin -Remember, no one will ask you to pronounce her name - sees the Virgin Mary above a hill. She charged him to go and convince the bishop of the corner to build a church to his glory; but the bishop, dubitative, refused and asked the young Amerindian to seek a sign proving the effective appearance of the mother of Jesus!

She reappeared on December 12, the day that became her feast, and sent the young Juan to look for roses - in the middle of winter, to convince the bishop of his appearance. When the young native brought the flowers under his tunic to the bishop, he brought them down to the ground and the image of the Virgin Mary was printed on his jacket! Convinced, the bishop ordered the construction of the church on the site of the apparition: today, it is always here that you can visit the Basilica Notre-Dame-de-Guadalupe of Mexico.

It began in 1531 and ended in 1706, and was proclaimed basilica by the pope Pie X at the beginning of the twentieth century; In 1976, it was replaced by another basilica because the soil of the hill where it was built threatened to collapse. It can now accommodate 10,000 people in normal time and up to 40,000 in high affluence days, as in the festivities of December 12, where the Christians of America come to celebrate the Virgin Mary, patron of their continent. We can always see the “tilma” – Juan’s coat, which today is almost 500 years old – exhibited in the new Basilica Notre-Dame-de-Guadalupe in Mexico City.

What to see and do at the Basilica Notre-Dame-de-Guadalupe in Mexico City?

Once on site, the site is accessed by a large esplanade where tourists and pilgrims admire the different religious buildings that make up this sanctuary.

The old Basilica Notre-Dame-de-Guadalupe in Mexico City, renovated for many years, is now open to the public and has an undeniable historical and architectural interest. But she lives today in the shadow of her younger sister, built at the end of the 20th century, and presents the peculiarity of being equipped with a treadmill facilitating the visit of the faithful and tourists who came to admire the famous sacred cape where is printed the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe, protected behind a solid bulletproof glass!

This huge circular building was realized by Pedro Ramírez Vázquez , which also realized, among other things, the National Museum of Anthropology, the tower of Tlatelolco on the Place des Trois Cultures and the Azteca Stadium, massive football stadium in this passionate nation both by sport and by the Basilica Notre-Dame-de-Guadalupe of Mexico!

After discovering the two basilicas, it will be wise to use your time on site to visit the Basilica Museum and its many collections including splendid objects related to the Catholic religion. The site also includes "the Villa", a set of four chapels surrounding the two basilicas, and above all the "Capilla del Pocito", the " chapel of the small well", where Juan Diego saw the Virgin Mary. This splendid baroque chapel was built at the end of the 18th century by architect Francisco de Guerrero y Torres.

Finally, discover the amazing parish of the Capuchines, built in 1887 to welcome nuns! In short, you will have understood it, to visit the Basilica of Notre-Dame-de-Guadalupe in Mexico, it is to offer a spiritual and cultural halt in the heart of one of the most beautiful countries in Latin America.

How to visit the Basilica Notre-Dame-de-Guadalupe in Mexico City?

Located on the hill Tepeyac , in the “delegación” (the urban sector) Gustavo A. Madero at the northern end of the city, it is easy to come to visit the Basilica Notre-Dame-de-Guadalupe of Mexico:

• By metro: just take the metro line No.3 from the city centre, then line 6 to get off at the nearby "Villa-Basilica" station.
• By taxi: Many taxis will offer you, for a modest price, to make the journey and to place you at the nearest location!
• By bus: Some bus lines also exist but are usually slow and crowded, and it is frankly not the best way to go to the Basilica Notre-Dame-de-Guadalupe in Mexico City.
• By car: If you opted for the car rental and that you have decided to come to visit the Basilica of Notre-Dame-de-Guadalupe in Mexico, know that there are several parking spaces around.

Schedules & Rates of the Basilica Notre-Dame-de-Guadalupe of Mexico

This basilica presents the peculiarity of offering a free access every day of the year 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. .

It would be a pity to deprive themselves of it given the cultural importance that this historic and religious site has for the Catholics of the world, who have come to many to visit the Basilica of Notre-Dame-de-Guadalupe of Mexico!