Subbetica

Royal Shrine of Our Lady of Araceli

Royal Shrine of Our Lady of Araceli

Ubicado en la Sierra de Aras, ofrece vistas impresionantes, arquitectura barroca, actividades deportivas y gastronomía serrana, ideal para el turismo.

Six kilometres from Lucena, on the summit of the Sierra de Aras, stands the Sanctuary of María Santísima de Araceli. Lands spanning five provinces and more than thirty villages unfold before the visitor’s eyes from this privileged vantage point in the heart of nature, at the geographical centre of Andalusia. One of the most beautiful landscapes in Spain, in the words of Camilo José Cela.

The chapel was built in the early 17th century and its interior features a striking semi-spherical plasterwork dome and the main altarpiece, created in 1699, which frames the entrance to one of the most sumptuous shrines in the province. The first section of this shrine, beneath an elliptical dome, was constructed in the late 17th century, based on a design by Leonardo Antonio de Castro. Inside, it houses the image of María Santísima de Araceli, raised upon a throne of gilded wood and jasper, the work of the sculptor and altarpiece maker Pedro de Mena Gutiérrez.

The exit from the chapel leads to the Araceli souvenir shop, housed in the former guesthouse, where a votive plaque, papal bulls and privileges of the Brotherhood of Our Lady of Araceli are preserved. The Sanctuary features a picnic area spread over two terraces, several rest areas, a pilgrims’ reception hall equipped with audiovisual facilities, an arched hall for celebrations, the restored old shipyards, and a traditional inn where visitors can sample the magnificent mountain cuisine. Three crosses, marking the end of the Way of the Cross that runs alongside the path up the hill, stand out against the horizon of the fertile fields of Andalusia. The Sierra de Aras is an extraordinary place for sporting activities such as hiking or paragliding, and its scenic beauty is breathtaking. *Opening hours